Arsenal and the ‘One Man Team’ Syndrome

A word or two of advice for anyone thinking of climbing on the current bandwagon about Arsenal being a ‘one man team’.

First, listen carefully to Thierry Henry’s interviews. The man is undeniably a superstar and arguably the best striker in the world, because in addition to his phenomenal scoring record he is also a prolific maker of goals. In other words, he is first and foremost a team man, and as such he is always anxious to give public credit to the team and to emphasise their essential contribution to his personal achievements within that unit. He did it immediately after the European match in Prague when he broke Ian Wright’s scoring record with two magnificent goals. He has continued to do it in the many interviews which have taken place since. And he is equally meticulous about acknowledging the part which his manager Arsene Wenger has played, both at the start of his career at Monaco and throughout his meteoric development at Arsenal.

Secondly, anyone contemplating reiterating this ‘one man team’ nonsense in the presence of Thierry Henry, or his manager, or any other Arsenal player, would be well advised to do so from a safe distance – because there are signs that they’re all getting pretty fed up with the injustice of it all, and rightly so.

The truth is that Arsenal have missed the injured Thierry Henry and the departed Patrick Vieira because these are massive assets whom any team would miss – in the same way that Manchester United (and England) miss Rooney, Liverpool miss Gerrard and Newcastle miss Owen. What they all have in common is that they are not only great and unique players, they are also great team players – and that is why they are so difficult – if not impossible – to replace.

But those who are consumed with pessimism and fearing for Arsenal’s future should remember this. There was gloom and doom when Anelka, Overmars and Petit left Highbury. Now who would swap them for Henry, Pires and Gilberto?

What makes Arsenal so very special is that they have no fewer than three players who are touched by genius – Thierry Henry, Denis Bergkamp and Robert Pires – something that no other premiership club can match. So perhaps they should be accused of being a ‘three man team’. Of course, for many Arsenal fans the worst case scenario is that all three might leave at the end of the current season. A potential disaster – just like it was when Anelka, Overmars and Petit moved on. And the reason the disaster will be averted is exactly the same as it was before – the fourth genius on the Arsenal staff. Arsene Wenger.

Don’t forget to click on the sponsors’ links!