Thierry Henry: Season Review

Hey there, reader, remember us? We're the Arsenal player Season In Review series! I know you went and got yourselves another hot new thing with that whole European Championship series of threads, but that's a fleeting infatuation - you won't see them for FOUR WHOLE YEARS after they're done, while we're here every game, silent in the background, and we come visit you every year, regular as clockwork.* Needy? Me? What are you talking about? I'M HERE FOR YOU! LOVE ME!

Today, to prove how here for you we are, we're going to talk about Thierry Henry! Do your fancy new European Championship threads do that? NO! THEY DO NOT!

*if your clock only runs on an annual basis, get a new clock.

Paul: In most cases, you’d see a stat line that says seven appearances and two goals and not even notice it. The First Division and Premier League are littered with lines like that – there have been thousands over the years, and they’re almost all unremarkable. However, when your name is Thierry Henry, and in your first game back in your rightful colors your goal won an FA Cup tie, and your next goal in your last game won Arsenal three points late in stoppage time, there almost literally are no words. There is unbridled joy, amazement, gratitude, relief at the quality still in evidence, and no little awe, but there is no way I can grade Thierry Henry objectively, because there is nothing objective about my love for this man. He came back, and the world was in color again; he left, and the world is still in color but the colors lack that sense of wonder they had in January and February.

Grade: Ungradeable. Unforgettable. Irreplaceable. Legendary.

Thomas: Thierry Henry is the greatest player ever to put on the Arsenal shirt. YEAH, I SAID IT. When rumors started swirling about him possibly being loaned to Arsenal during the MLS offseason, there was talk that if he were to come in and disappoint, it would tarnish his legacy as Arsenal's Greatest Player. This made perfect sense, as everyone knows that Michael Jordan's tenure with the Wizards TOTALLY ruined his awesomeness with Chicago. Anyway, that turned out not to be a problem at all because Thierry owned. The goal he scored to beat Leeds United in the FA Cup was one of the best moments in the season for me, and the goal he scored to beat Sunderland in the league was pretty rad as well. He came in a legend, and he left a legend, and thank goodness he was here for the short time he was.

Grade: LEGEND

Aidan: I know I've said this about a lot of players, but without Thierry Henry, we wouldn't be in the Champions League this season. Why? Because without his 92nd minute winner, and 229th Arsenal goal (Yeah, I said 229 FA. Deal with it), Arsenal would've only got 1 point from Sunderland instead of 3. It was a pleasure to have Henry back, and his goal against Leeds in his return was incredible. It was like he'd never left, despite the fact that he's not as quick as he once was. I thought it wouldn't be possible for him to increase his legendary status at Arsenal, but he definitely did in the short 6 weeks he was here. And although it was different from 2004-vintage Thierry, it was still special. Special enough that I bought the 2011/12 away shirt with "Henry 12" on the back of it.

Grade: A+

Ted: Thierry Henry came back and scored two pretty crucial goals at dramatic times and another less dramatic one in a handful of matches. He's 34. He's still really good. He's the best. That's all I got.

Grade: A