Morning all. We start today with a story that is possibly complete rubbish but since Arsene is quoted it does make for interesting discussion. Thierry Henry proffessed his love for Arsenal over and over again in an interview and really made it sound like he was trying to get his way back into Arsene's good books to maybe work a move back here.
"There's only one team in England for me. Everybody knows the love and affection I have for Arsenal. I was so into it, I became a fan.
"There has been since I arrived here a lot of speculation from day one but, hey, go back where?
"There's only one team for me in my heart. It took me a while to understand what that club, Arsenal, meant."
We all knew Henry was an Arsenal fan but what made this interesting was Arsene Wenger's comments about Thierry. When asked if he would consider ever bringing back Henry he answered with this:
"In our situation you can never say never. He only left last year and I think Thierry is disappointed because things haven't gone as well as he would have liked them to go. “I still feel he is a world-class player and I think he will prove in Barcelona that he is one of their better players.”
To me that is saying that he thinks Henry will want to prove himself there but if he doesn't and he tells Arsene he wants to come back that he might consider it. Would we even want him to come back? I know he's an Arsenal legend, I know he still has some left in the tank, but what about his attitude and his injuries the last few years he was here? I don't know if this story has any credence at all but it does make it interesting and I can't wait to see what happens.
Captain Gallas has hit back at the media for them blaming our loss of form on his actions at the Birmingham game.
"They [the media] can say what they want... they will not bring me down, I'm stronger than that."
“It makes me mad because I don't think [what happened in Birmingham] was our problem. How can you summarise our season with that thing at Birmingham? That is not why we stopped winning matches."
Well he's right about one part, his actions didn't make the other 10 players on the pitch suddenly be shite at football, but it does seem in retrospect that that game was the start of the decline of this season. I know Gallas has his critics and his supporters, and I honestly count myself among them, but I just don't think it's right to pass all the blame onto him for this season.
Arsene Wenger is really pissed off at Inter Milan for continuing to declare their interest in Alex Hleb. Hleb is under contract for two more years and he says it is disrespectful coming from the club and not just the media. He's right, I mean it's still in the season for us and them. There is no need for the distraction right now. Arsene said next time it happens he will just report them straight to FIFA and send them to 5 minutes time out.
Kolo Toure spoke of possibly becoming the captain next year, and also about William Gallas. He said he would be "very, very proud to be captain." Kolo as I have already said would make a great captain I think. He loves Arsenal and has already said he wants to spend his career here, he is a world class defender and his team mates love playing with him. He'd be my choice over a player like Cesc who I feel like we all think is going to leave someday. But for now Gallas is captain so we will have to see where it goes this summer.
6 comments:
Dude I miss Henry...I just do...we were much better this year without him then I thought we would be...and I think for the young players on the team it's probably good for their development that he's not in the club...at the same time I would take him back in a second. One thing that frustrated me this season with the team is I don't feel like we had a really dangerous player on the pitch. Adebayor had his moments...Cesc was brilliant in spurts and just great the rest of the time. But when guys like Ronaldo or Berbatov or even motivated Drogba are on the pitch...I feel nervous whenever they touch the ball. And I don't think we have that type of player in our squad right now. Maybe RVP when fully fit.
I'd like to say again that while I don't think Gallas should be captain, I don't blame the end of the season on him...I just don't think he lived up to his responsibilities as captain in the final 3rd of the season.
I'm so glad to hear Arsene hit out at Inter...it's one thing for us, the fans, to talk transfer already...but other clubs doing it is disgraceful! Speaking of which Arsene sounded somewhat hopeful still of Flamini staying with the club in the Sky Sports interview...anyone else get that sense or is it just me?
I'm torn on Henry, I don't want to bring any attitude problems into the squad but as phatbastard says, he brings something special.
I think of the game at Wigan, and I'm sure there are other examples, the one touch game just wasn't working and we could have used someone like Henry who can create a goal out of nothing sometimes.
Maybe a year at Barca will have changed his attitude, maybe he'll realize the grass wasn't greener and it doesn't rain playing time and trophies at other big clubs either.
I doubt we'll ever see Henry back in the Red and White...but, I do think Mike is right that the year away...and hearing people like Cesc say it was difficult to play with him has to have changed him to some degree. God I miss him...I have his wallbanger on the wall behind my computer...I stare at him all day (work from home)...bring him home Arsene!!!!
TH coming back? Like Mike I'm torn. I'm not a great fan of players returning to a team after venturing to greener fields. This term I feel the rest have been able to express themselves more. Though having said that, what would a TH have done for the side, especially towards the season's end if he wasn't being relied on solely to pull off results. I think he's surely throwing a hint about a return and you know TH and AW are buddies so you never know. There was a question about TH's fitness in his last season but I think that had more to do with his mental attitude rather that his physical state.
It definitely is an interesting one and like you guys I love Thierry and would welcome him back. If he could learn to partner with Adebayor and Ade could still score like he has been this year that would be incredible. Unfortunately it would probably hinder the development of Walcott and Bendtner, and limit the playing time of Eduardo and RvP.
although im not entirely for bringing players back, henry does bring back some much needed firepower. arsenal just wasn't the same scoring-wise as they used to be. Its becoming "boring arsenal" a bit more. Players will have their squabbles, and they need to learn to get over it, but people like henry bring back the abilities, and many of the younger future players, can learn from him, and his examples. Ade and cesc will still get their playng time, their both too good to sit down, ad the younger players i think wont be stifled by his return, if anything it may force them to work harder npw that a legend is back in the locker room.
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