26/01/2010

Thierry Henry: The end of a legend?

Ever since his big-money move from Arsenal to Barcelona, Thierry Henry has flattered to deceive. There have been flashes of the old Thierry in his three seasons at the Camp Nou, but nothing sustained, which for followers of Spanish football is a huge pity. In his days under Arsene Wenger, Thierry was utterly sublime and is without a doubt one of the finest strikers The Premiership has ever seen. Many criticised Wenger for letting his compatriot leave, but if anything the managers foresight has been proved spot on.

Reasons for Henrys decline could well be personal; a divorce from his wife and a legal struggle for custody of his daughter. They could be physical; he's no spring chicken and has lost a yard of that famous pace. When you watch him now, he struggles to find space that used to come so naturally. The technique is still there, but the sharpness has gone. He blames an ongoing injury for his latest run of poor form, but whatever has been holding him back, he may well find himself on the bench for some time as his succesor Pedro goes from strength to strength. The World Cup will be 'Titis' swansong before he makes a decision on his future, with a move to the US Major League or Saudi Arabia most likely: the guaranteed golden twilight for the modern day retiring star. Have we seen the last of Thierry the Great?

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