The End of an Era: Thierry Henry Moves to Barcelona
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by user Tyduffy
After much hubbub and conjecture, it merely awaits the formal announcement(probably a while in coming as Arsenal still have not removed Henry's picture from their new away kit advertisements). Thierry Henry, at last, will be transferred to Barcelona for a fee of 16mGBP (because he is apparently worth as much as Darren Bent). Henry scored an astounding 226 goals over 8 seasons at Arsenal. He led Arsenal to two Premier League Titles, three FA Cup victories, and to the finals of both the UEFA Cup and the Champions League. He won the European Golden Boot twice and led the Premier League in Goals four times. He leaves England the greatest player to appear in an Arsenal Shirt, and arguably the greatest player of the Premier League era.
Fans who would undoubtedly leap at the opportunity of more money and a better work environment in their own line of work, will undoubtedly pepper him with accusations of disloyalty to the club. However, the move makes a great deal of sense for Henry. He has nothing left to prove in England. As he moves into the downphase of his career, his declining form would only tarnish his stellar legacy at Arsenal. The only hole on his resume is a victory in the Champions League, and Arsenal's young kids are, realistically, another 2-3 years away from mounting a serious challenge. He moves to a Barcelona squad that, with him in it, would be the definitive favorite in next year's Champions League. The presence of other stars would lessen the burden and pressure on him, allowing him more rest for his sciatica. There are also worse places to reside than Barcelona. Intangibles aside, it makes clear sense for Henry to make this move.
It makes clear sense for Barca as well. On the pitch, he gives them an attack force that will feature Thierry Henry, Ronaldinho, Leo Messi, and Samuel Eto'o (more simply: the four best attacking players in the world). If they stay healthy, each should be counted upon to put in 20 or more goals. Off the pitch, he may also help to placate his friend Samuel Eto'o and heal the rift between him and Ronaldinho. He also comes at about half the cost that it would have taken to bring in Carlos Tevez or the equivalent. The worst that happens is he gets hurt, in which case Barca have enough firepower to cover for him and can afford to have thrown the money down the drain. This move makes complete sense for Barca.
The big question is why Arsenal finally decided to cash in on Henry? Last summer they had a much larger offer on the table for him, and turned it down, chosing to resign him to a new contract. Something changed in the interim. Was David Dein's departure the tipping point for Henry or a convenient excuse for him to demand a transfer? Did the relationship between Henry and Wenger decline over the club's transfer policy? Do they believe that his sciatica will prevent him from ever regaining the form that made him one of the game's all-time greats? There are questions galore, yet few concrete answers.
A more exigent issue for Gooners is where does Arsenal go from here? Wenger transformed the club into a European powerhouse and perennial Champions League qualifier during the last decade and Henry was a crucial part of that success. Whether or not their play on the pitch is that affected, does Arsenal have the cache without Henry to both attract and keep elite level players, most importantly Cesc Fabregas. Does the 16m GBP transfer fee go toward the big signing that will be Henry's replacement, or is this a cost-cutting measure to help the club manage the debt from the Emirates stadium construction? Will those younger players be able to step into his leadership role and fill the gap up front? Has Arsene Wenger become over confident with his ability to find replacements on the cheap for established stars? Does this give Tottenham an opening to supplant Arsenal in the "Big Four"? Again a number of questions, with no clear answers.
Thierry Henry was the relic of a bygone era. With the departure of familiar faces like Viera, Bergkamp, and Pires over the past couple of seasons, the club is fully invested in rebuilding through a youth movement. The odd man out was Henry and it seems only natural that he would join his contemporaries in exiting the club. The uncertainties about how and why this came about, and what the lasting affect will be on both the player and the club, can only be solved in one place, on the pitch. Though many will be temporarily relieved, believing that they have escaped a summer long soap opera, this subplot will last far into next season.
