Can an Unfit Henry get us the Goals We Need Today?

by Joel Martin

This could be the only meaningful game remaining in the season. If we lose, and with 3^rd or 4^th essentially wrapped up already, the season will be over for all intensive purposes.

Our fate rests in the hands of our captain, Thierry Henry. We could need multiple goals, hopefully just one or two, but we need to be prepared to score 3 if PSV pulls a goal out of nowhere. Henry has been sitting out recently with a foot injury, but has rapidly regained fitness for this match-which is the biggest match in the young history of Emirates Stadium. Last time Henry returned from a spell on the sideline, he came out on fire, scoring two goals in a 4-0 victory over Charlton. Today we’ll need him to pull that magic out of his bag one last time. Henry is yet to have a big game in a big game this season—he’s tended to disappear in the games in which he’s been healthy. This is his chance. He needs to get the Gooners behind him again; he’s no longer worshiped like an idol (and many are whispering about him leaving the club soon). I personally think he has plenty left in the tank, and that tonight could be his stage to win back his place in the hearts of Arsenal fans worldwide.

Adebayor, who should have fresh legs from sitting out the last ten days for a bogus red card, will probably partner our captain up top. I expect him to run, run some more, and run some more after that. When he is active, it causes major problems for defenses—when he isn’t, it’s like were playing with 10 men.

Hleb and Ljungberg will most likely start on the wings. Oh wouldn’t a clinical goal (like the Bolton one) from Ljungberg be sweet tonight! If he could pull another one of those out I wouldn’t care how many times he falls down. We will win if we get a goal from the midfield tonight, and Ljunberg could be just the guy to get it now that Rosicky is sitting out.

Fabregas and Gilberto need to dictate the game, which will be tough. Cocu is a crafty vet, and Simons and Mendez are both strong, strong players. Cesc will need to put that sitter against Reading behind him, too. The longer he remembers that the worse he’s going to play. Gilberto will need to play good passes and be a threat on set pieces. We cannot afford to take 20 corners and not make them pay once, like we’ve done all season. Either Gilberto, Gallas, Adebayor, Toure, or Djourou need to at least make Gomes save one header from a corner, just so they know they can’t just give us a corner when we’re pressuring their defense. We also need to stay away from corners because they’ll give PSV good opportunities to counter, which could lead to lethal away goals if converted. The less chances PSV has to counter the better, as far as I’m concerned.

Gallas and Toure will not be beaten tonight. If PSV is going to score its going to be on an Arsenal mistake. I’m confident Clichy will dominate again like he’s done all season. I’m also confident that Eboue, if he is fit, will have a great game tonight. He is amazing in big games (i.e. ManU), and the Champions League always seems to get the best out of him. Make no mistake, we are a much better team when Emanuel Eboue is tearing down that right side, making opposing defenses panic with his swift overlapping runs.

Both Jan Kromkamp and Manuel Da Silva are out for PSV, so their defense will be suspect. Jefferson Farfan returns, however, so they will look more likely to score than last time. Farfan’s presence alone makes it all the more important that we do not beat ourselves tonight with a dumb mistake, because Farfan, just like Kone, just like Mendez, and just like Cocu, has the ability to capitalize on any opportunity.

Their Brazilian center-half, Alex, is back. He put on a show last time, bullying our players around the entire pitch. Henry needs to burn him, just once, and put him back in his place. Right now he thinks he’s going to be the best player on the field tonight. Henry needs to prove him wrong, and I think he will.

This is the opportunity for Henry to win our hearts back. He has been amazingly underwhelming this year, and even though he has claimed to be playing with an injury for a large majority of his games this season, he still needs to produce like we know he can. Thierry Henry is still a world-class striker, and I think he’ll prove that not only to the world but most importantly to himself tonight. He needs a big game in a big game to get his confidence back up, to remind him that he is Thierry Henry, and that he scores goals at will.

He’s going to get that game.

My prediction: Arsenal 3 – PSV 0 - an Henry hat-trick.