Thierry Henry has warned
that reports of Arsenal's demise have been greatly exaggerated,
claiming that The Gunners have only deserved to lose two games all
season and that the club's youngsters will ensure a successful
future at Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal have endured their most frustrating campaign to date under
Arsene Wenger this season, with a second trophyless year in
succession being exacerbated by a series of wasteful displays, both
domestically and in Europe.
With the emergence of a talented crop of youngsters has come hope
though, with those resident in North London underlining that this
season has been very much one of transition, with the Frenchman's
next 'great team' just waiting to emerge.
Henry has furthermore highlighted the cyclical nature of success in
football, claiming that the young vanguard of players under
Wenger's gaze have the ability to restore the club to the summit of
the English game.
"Have a look at Manchester United, they dominated in the 1990s,
then they have a break and now they have returned as the
champions," Henry told MF Dnes
"Or Liverpool. They have been waiting for the league title for
almost 20 years.
"You know, if we knew why we are so great one year and so bad the
next, football would be too simple. It would not be entertaining
any longer.
"Arsenal has talent, desire, ambitions, we have got a really good
young team which will grow up. It just needs time.
"Why [is that] risky? The boss does his best for the club, for its
future, and everyone has to respect it. Arsene Wenger is a genius
in finding young players.
"Remember Ajax 12 years ago, [Patrick] Kluivert, [Edgar] Davids,
[Clarence] Seedorf, they were hardly 20 and at that age won the
UEFA Champions League. Our youngsters have played the Carling Cup
final this year and the boss must be proud of them.
"[Theo] Walcott, [Abou] Diaby and Denilson and others, those lads
are 18, 19, they have the best years ahead of them.
"When I came to Arsenal at the age of 22, I was among the youngest
ones. I played with [Tony] Adams, [Lee] Dixon, [Martin] Keown,
[Nigel] Winterburn, all of them legends."
Moreover, Henry has insisted that Arsenal have only truly deserved
to be on the losing side in two of their eight Premiership defeats
this season.
The Gunners skipper has also blamed a substantial number of
injuries to key players for Arsenal's inability to keep pace with
Chelsea and Manchester United in recent months.
"Without disrespecting our opponents, this season we have only
deserved to lose two league games," Henry added. "Only two, at
Bolton and Liverpool.
"Unfortunately we have been beaten more times, the reasons?
Injuries.
"There has not been a series of three games in a row played with
the same line-up. How many times have I played alongside Gallas?
Not many times. Or with Van Persie? We were not in full
strength.
"And then, we have lacked effectiveness. We had loads of chances,
whilst our opponents only had a few of them and we did not manage
to win. In football, only wins are important.
"Nobody will remember after five years that Arsenal played
attractive football this year. Everybody will remember that we were
eliminated from the Champions League and that we did not win any
trophies."
