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    Dirty Tackle

    Arsene Wenger surprised how good Thierry Henry still is

    By Brooks Peck | Dirty Tackle – Tue, Feb 14, 2012 4:00 PM EST

    Thierry Henry carries Alex Song (and Arsenal). (Getty)

    When Arsenal brought club legend Thierry Henry back for a short loan spell, they probably thought he would provide a morale boost for the squad and impart a bit of wisdom to the youngster. In addition to that, the 34-year-old striker has actually been a spark on the pitch and scored two match-winning goals to keep Arsenal alive in the FA Cup and propel them into fourth place in the Premier League.

    Now, after failing to extend Henry's loan from the New York Red Bulls, Arsene Wenger admits that this wasn't at all what he expected. From the BBC:

    "We didn't expect him to be so important for us when he signed," he added.

    "His talent on the pitch is still much sharper than I expected after being out in the States.

    "I expected him to have more health problems because at the end of the day he left top, top European level football because he was a bit concerned about his knee problems, but he's in good shape."

    Sounds like Arsene learned something about the quality of MLS and that footballers don't turn into lepers as they age. Could this be the dawn of a new philosophical era for Wenger?

    Expect a call, Freddie Ljungberg.

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    19 comments

    • Dan
      Dan  •  3 months ago
      Dirty Tackle future news: Arsenal shifts focus from under-20 French players to over-40 Americans. Wenger signs Alexi Lalas...
      • A Yahoo! User 3 months ago
        Did he ever sign an American?? That would be news to me.
      • Dood
        Dood 3 months ago
        Actually yes. Daniel kombiyasoon (sp?) was a promising player coming up with fabregas but had to retire early. He is now an American scout for arsenal. Try have a few youngsters on their books too
    • jesse
      jesse  •  3 months ago
      Didn't Arsenal learn this when they lost to Henry and the Red Bulls in the Emirates Cup?!
      • Rasooolly
        Rasooolly 3 months ago
        Emirates Cup is just an exhibition... testing the water of the new year as you might put it.
      • Greg
        Greg 3 months ago
        Goons lost to Red Bulls. Hahahahahaha!
      • daniel
        daniel 3 months ago
        didnt actually lose it was a draw, but against the red bulls might as well been a loss
    • Heywood Jablome
      Heywood Jablome  •  Miami Beach, Florida  •  3 months ago
      Quality and MLS do not belong in the same sentence.
    • Jono Loves Bacon
      Jono Loves Bacon  •  3 months ago
      ... and Chelsea sign Wynalda. And his ex-wife.
      • Bill
        Bill 3 months ago
        Please, Lord, no. There are enough dinosaurs on that roster as it is.
      • FC Barcelona
        FC Barcelona 3 months ago
        LOL!!!! :)
      • jacquescousteau
        jacquescousteau 3 months ago
        i used to think wynalda was a punk until i found out john harkes had an affair with wynalda's wife...now harkes looks like a total douche and wynalda looks like a cool dude
    • Robespierre
      Robespierre  •  Pharr, Texas  •  3 months ago
      Hey in today's medical miracles and nutrition advances, 34 is the new 30 in soccer
    • MichaelA
      MichaelA  •  3 months ago
      MLS isn't a "Mickey Mouse" league, as much as the Eurosnobs would like to believe. Henry is challenged in every game he plays for the Red Bulls, especially against teams like LA Galaxy and RSL.
      • Aaron
        Aaron 3 months ago
        True. MLS has really come a long way.
      • Leonel
        Leonel 3 months ago
        No, the MLS is still terrible.
      • Kennean J
        Kennean J 3 months ago
        good comment but remember the talent in the MLS isnt like europe.henry in his prime would make short work of the MLS players.
    • Rasooolly
      Rasooolly  •  San Francisco, California  •  3 months ago
      if he actually bought some good players maybe they would of been in a better position as to now!
      • jcv
        jcv 3 months ago
        or maybe if he used his better players like vela then he would also have better results!
      • Rasooolly
        Rasooolly 3 months ago
        true there so many ways arsenal have lost this year, it just hurts to watch them waste another year.
    • Robin Sparkles
      Robin Sparkles  •  3 months ago
      Summer transfer window. Arsene buys Adu.....
    • Daniel
      Daniel  •  Los Angeles, California  •  3 months ago
      MLS keeps players like Henry and Beckham in shape till their old age because they actually get to start and are important to their teams. That's why all those veterans should come to MLS if they care about the sport still. Ronaldinho, Del Piero, Pirlo, Totti, Raul and Lampard 'we are all waiting for you here'. You'll actually still sell tickets here and get hire pay. MLS is to veteran soccer players as Japan is to veteran rockers.
    • Diavolo Rossonero
      Diavolo Rossonero  •  Butler, Pennsylvania  •  3 months ago
      He's so good that he had his #$%$ hand over 4-0 by Milan on Wednesday!
    • Michael
      Michael  •  Duluth, Georgia  •  3 months ago
      MLS? Is that the so-called "retirement league".

      Keep an eye on your rear-view mirror, Europe. The USA is catching up.
    • Celebrim
      Celebrim  •  3 months ago
      The MLS doesn't have the top level teams that the EPL does.

      But the MLS top is compettive with the EPL bottom, and there is less of a gulf between the top and bottom of the MLS and the top and bottom of the EPL. The EPL isn't a very competitive league. There are only 4 or so teams in a given year that are any good, and the rest are also rans. Eurosnobs always point the large point margins by which ManU and other top flight teams beat MLS teams. But they don't usually point at the fact that ManU and other top flight teams beat other EPL teams by similar margins during the EPL regular season.
    • Habila
      Habila  •  Abuja, Nigeria  •  3 months ago
      Very good but cannot serve his term? Wenger may be joking
    • GowonFirst Name
      GowonFirst Name  •  Lagos, Nigeria  •  3 months ago
      How was your w/ends ?
    • Danny
      Danny  •  Orange, California  •  3 months ago
      With any doubt MLS is catching the eye of european players why? we do have more sunshine days, than they do, we do have more variety of sports than they do, come to Los Angeles, go to New York, Chicago, or Miami...........plus the variety of women...they can't beat that ......right?
    • Jerry M
      Jerry M  •  3 months ago
      Peck loves him some Arsenal, I guess it always brings the hits eh?
    • Tennis Pro
      Tennis Pro  •  Asheville, North Carolina  •  3 months ago
      Summer transfer Window: Wenger tries to bring back the 2004/2005 team. Tries to get Edu to stop coaching and bring Viera out of retirement.
    • Michael
      Michael  •  Encino, California  •  3 months ago
      i guess arsene wenger's age is really catching up with him.
    • A Yahoo! User  •  Los Angeles, California  •  3 months ago
      You didn't get it, did you? Thierry Henry is good has nothing to do with the MLS. What Arsene meant is that he could have played in some remote country amateur championship and still remain good. Arsene knows that the MLS level is made of many retired European footballer and therefore does not compare to the European leagues.
     Post a comment

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