Thierry Henry Out For The Season: A Positive Spin
116 comments March 10th, 2007
Yesterday, I was pretty negative. Perhaps I was a little hasty: following my post, Emmanuel Adebayor was fined £7.5k and banned for a further game, whilst Thierry Henry was ruled out for the rest of the season. As if to top it all off, the word on the street (which street in particular I could not say), is that we’re unlikely to see Robin van Persie in action until August. So, ladies and gentlemen, prepare for the mother of all escapology acts, as I attempt to escape from these particularly dark doldrums to put a positive spin on all things crippled-Henry-esque:
First thing’s first: Henry will benefit from the break. I don’t believe he’s got one injury that will genuinely keep him out for three months. I reckon he’s struggling with several niggles, and has been for many months now. It’s clear that his Christmas lay-off didn’t shake those off, and this enforced break (coupled with a long, World Cup-free summer) could finally set Henry to rights. It’s clear all isn’t well between Thierry and Arsenal – he professes his love for the club, and I don’t doubt him, but love alone is not enough to conquer the mental and physical blocks that are keeping him from performing at his best. Sometimes, when a relationship isn’t working out, it takes both parties to take a break for them to understand where things are going wrong.
Another benefit of Henry’s injury is that it will take him off the transfer radar of most of the big Spanish clubs. I’ve said more than once that I thought there was a possibility of him leaving this Summer, but an injury-ravaged season, and this injury in particular, have knocked that idea square on the head.
Furthermore, it is in Henry’s absence that the team have produced some of their best performances this season: see the successful Carling Cup run, the win at Old Trafford, the draw at Chelsea and the 3-0 thrashing of Spurs. Once Emmanuel Adebayor returns from his suspension he can get back to building on an already impressive season – I personally am of the opinion that he seems to play better when he’s not in his pal’s shadow.
And then there’s the two men who seem to have been in last-chance saloon for the best part of three months now: Julio Baptista and Jeremie Aliadiere. Both players are, to use what is becoming a real cliché, “playing for their futures”. For Aliadiere, nothing much changes: he’s likely to be behind Adebayor and Baptista in the pecking order, and must continue to make the most of any opportunities he gets. But for Baptista, he is now in a position whereby he knows the team are relying on him, week in/week out. His performances have been those of a player lacking in confidence, and a large part of that must stem from the insecurity of his loan position. He can now draw a greater belief from the responsibility he will hold within the squad, and his showings may well improve on the back of that.
So there you have it. It’s not all bad after all. If I’ve made your day a little brighter, then stop reading now. If I haven’t, you might as well continue.
The Smallprint
- We now face tough games against the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea, and Spurs without our main striking duo
- Theo Walcott is likely to have to postpone his shoulder surgery again, meaning he might miss the start of next season
- The injuries will give Arsene and the team a nice excuse for any shortcomings
- Should Thierry come back after this huge lay-off and still not get it right in an Arsenal shirt… well, erm… that doesn’t bear thinking about.
