Thierry Henry: the one-and-done of Barcelona?
By: Isaiah | April 8th, 2008So now that Soccernet has deemed it worthy to weigh in on the matter, I think The Barcelona Offside should also go ahead and get into the mud. There’s a certain Thierry Henry being mentioned as a potential summer transfer away from Camp Nou (to Tottenham!?). Of course, he just got here, so what gives, Laporta?
Yes, Henry misses his daughter, which is not surprising since if I had a daughter living several hundred miles away, I would miss her too. Yes, Henry has a soul, people. And yes, I’ve railed against him for the better part of this season.
However, he has been here for one (1) year. You can’t expect anyone to settle in over the course of a single season, to adapt completely and fully to a new system, especially if the team has an ever-changing lineup due to injuries. And I’ve heard that Barcelona has had a couple. So while I may say that buying him was a mistake, we have him, so let’s keep him and use his wealth of experience to aid us by having him help out teaching the youngsters. With both Eto’o and Henry there to help guide them, Bojan, Gio, and the rest of the youngsters who are coming up from Barca B will learn from the best.
And yeah, I think Henry is a bench player for us. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t a valuable bench player now that we already have him. Sure, we could use the reported £16million in transfer money to get us a new [insert desired position], but we already have one of those and he’s world class. (By the way, £16million in today’s US dollars is approximately $45billion. So it would actually buy us either half of Cronaldo’s yearly hair gel supply or Bear Stearns)
One thing that crossed my mind while reading the article was that if Henry goes, Ronaldinho stays, for sure. But if Henry stays, does that mean Ronaldinho goes? I’d rather have Ronaldinho than Henry, to be honest, but will we just lose both anyway?
What do you think we should do?
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Comments
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Henry was a little beyond his prime when Barca bought him. He wasn’t playing much or at all for Arsenal during his final season because of injuries and unrest, so you surely didn’t expect him to be the Henry of old. I too think Barca made a mistake in buying him when they did. The money they spent on him would have been better invested in other areas. I think Barca should have let Henry remain at Arsenal where he would have regained good graces with the club and help us beat Liverpool during today’s CL match. But seeing that he is there he should stay, like Isiah said, I think the youngster could learn alot from one of the most prolific strikers in the last 10 years.
Posted from
United States
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If selling Henry, means we keep roonie, then I say Sell Henry…I wud rather have an out of form roonie, then an out of form Henry…
I think it’s Henry who has requested for a move if at all the report is true, since he’s missing his kid and all.
Posted from
United Arab Emirates -
I agree with you on that JC. An out of form Ronnie is more creative and effective than an out of form Henry.
Posted from
United States -
I’d rather have young and hungry players than either galactico, but that’s just me.
Posted from
Canada -
I really don’t think Henry will adapt by next season if we keep him. I say let him go to Tottenham if he wants. I love what Wenger has done with Arsenal. If you look at their team most players are closer to 20 than 30 in age. Sell Ronnie + Henry and pick up 3 or 4 younger players. What about Rijkaard, does he go even if we make the Champions League finals?
Posted from
United States -
I’m with Nolan, and kinda with Jay. I would say I loved what Wenger does, if they weren’t just the top players from everyone else’s youth squads.
I still want Garay, El Kun and most of all Samir Nasri. He’s young, versatile (attacking mid/winger/centre mid) and tracks back in defense brilliantly. What do you guys think of him? I asked before but nobody commented.
Posted from
Australia -
I think older players are important. They act as examples for younger players. Younger players need guidance and someone who can relate to what they’re going through and have been in the position that they’re currently in. The coaching staff can’t achieve that by themself. Look at Arsenal for example, I think Wegner keeps people like Gilberto around because of what they bring to the team, invaluable knowledge, insight, and experience all of which are beneficial to young upcoming players.
Posted from
United States -
u got a point there ryan, the youngsters need some guidance. Messi is a perfect example of a player who has gained a lot from ronaldinho’s presence…Bojan’s too learning from Henry and Eto..
off the topic, had arsenal won, walcott amazing assist, wud have made headlines everywhere…Had he scored, his goal wud have been better than Messi’s….he’s got lots of potential, i am surprised he hardly starts a game.
I have not seen much of Nasri to comment on Jake, but I’ve heard he’s good..
Posted from
United Arab Emirates -
Henry is just not a player for a dominant 4-3-3. The guy needs space to make his actions and you don’t get that playing with Barcelona against teams mainly thinking about the 0-0, holding ten man in and around their own box.
A return to England could be the best for all parties. Although that would mean the Barcelona technical staff should admit they were wrong in transfering him. And for Henry it would be a second failure, after his time with Juventus. Maybe that’s too much human pride possibly being hurt to make it happen…
(pep)
Posted from
Belgium -
You can’t make a player stay where he doesn’t want to be. If he loves his daughter and isn’t going to be allowed to see her by staying in Barcelona, then he’s outta here. So let him go. No worries.
I would, however, imagine that this would affect management’s view on the Ronaldinho matter.
Just as suddenly, R10’s brother/manager is saying “We have a contract ’til 2010, blah, blah, blah.” And the Milan rumors have, like a brush fire, flared and died.Henry is a player for Barcelona is Barcelona is willing to admit that passing the ball into the net doesn’t always work. When he was signed, I thought that was going to happen. My argument for him is the same as my argument for Drogba, that you need a big, strong central striker with a great touch for the times you have to play long ball to win.
Instead, we stuck him on the wing and then the press gave him shit when he didn’t immediately transform into as prolific and brilliant a player in a different position, getting different service. Bollocks, I say.
Krkic has flourished in the side under Henry’s presence. He has a knack for working with young players, so that aspect of his game will be missed, as well as the electric pace, and being able to draw two defenders by his mere presence.
But he isn’t working for us as the hybrid they’re trying to make him into. Either commit to the player that you have, or send him along. I just can’t beLIEVE that he would go to a side that isn’t immediately in the Europe/top of table mix, however. Chelsea will need a replacement for Drogba, who is fighting with more and more people over there, and is gone. Wonder also what Man City have to say on that matter? I could see Svenski splashing for the big signing. But again, same problem as Tottenham.
Posted from
United States -
I can take or leave Henry, frankly he just hasn’t produced in La Liga even though he has had much playing time due to all the injuries. It seems like he wants to go and all these second tier EPL squads have TV money burning holes in their pockets. Fine. I would like a veteran striker to come off the bench and mentor, much like Larsson was a few years ago. If Henry will commit to that good, if not, fine, enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of industrial north England.
Posted from
United States -
Henry is definitely struggling, but I believe it’s because of the position he’s been put in. Rijkaard’s favored formation is the 4 3 3 and he places Henry on the left. As talented as he is, Henry is a striker, not a winger. Eto’o is struggling playing on the right as well. If Rijkaard would switch to a 4 4 2 and rotate Eto’o, Bojan, and Henry based on form, I’m sure he would play much better.
If I had to keep one, I’d keep Henry, just because I feel that Ron has lost any desire he had to play the game, especially for the blaugrana. Ron has seemed to achieve all he wants to achieve which is fine, but not when you’re trying to win trophies.Posted from
United States
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