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Thierry Henry |
Wenger stands by Henry despite his shaky season
Arsenal manager says his skipper is still central to the squad
ARSENE Wenger has reiterated just how important Thierry Henry is to the club despite the strikers’ indifferent form during the Gunners’ first season at the Emirates Stadium.
The influential skipper has been below his best for much of the campaign as he battles against a series of ongoing fitness problems and niggling injuries.
But despite Henry’s growing frustrations, manager Wenger has no doubt just how critical it was to keep the French goal ace in north London.
“It is vital when Thierry plays because he can score us a goal at any minute. He has a psychological impact on the opponent as well,” Wenger told the club’s official website.
“Every player is important, but last summer when he decided to stay it was so influential because of the history and the goals he has scored.
“I feel the most difficult thing to do in the modern game is to score goals.”
Henry has always been a player who wants to play every minute of every game. But injuries have taken their toll on the 29-year-old, reducing him to just 24 starts for the club this season.
The star striker had a month off over Christmas, and seemed to return to the team fully refreshed and raring to go. But the unlucky Frenchman has been missing from the Arsenal starting line-up yet again over the past couple of games after damaging his foot.
Despite returning for Arsenal’s vital Champions League encounter against PSV Eindhoven last night (Wednesday), Henry is still along way off from being fully fit and could face even more time on the sidelines if he reacts badly to being rushed back into action.
“His game has been disturbed by minor injuries that stopped him playing at 100 per cent,” said Wenger. “He was down for a little while but his attitude has been great.
“His problem has been his back and that his hamstring has been tight. It has been that way the whole season. If the injuries get worse, then we will stop him completely for a while.”
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