Vieira Was Replaceable, Henry Isn't

Filed in archive Players on March 31, 2006

source: guardian.co.uk

With constant speculation that he will be leaving Arsenal for either Barcelona or Inter Milan, Thierry Henry has set a decision deadline. Henry says future will be sorted "before the World Cup, that's for sure".

Though Arsenal have handled the loss of Patrick Vieira, losing Henry will be a bigger blow. Vieira's performances toward the end of his Arsenal career were still impressive but certainly not up to the high standards he had set earlier. Wenger also had an able replacement in Cesc Fabregas.

By contrast Henry is still in great form, and therefore irreplaceable. The likes of Jose Antonio Reyes, Robin Van Persie and Theo Walcott aren't yet ready to take over the forward line as Fabregas has in midfield.

My feeling is Henry will stay and lead the Arsenal team out at their new stadium. In the meantime he'll stall as long as possible in order to get the most money he can from the Arsenal board.