Monday, May 4, 2009

What will Thierry Henry do?


Should he stay at Barca or move on? He appears to have adapted quite well to the left flank this season, and his current form is absolutely torrid. 2 goals in El Clasico, 19 in the league, and 25 overall on the year. Roughly 60% of his shots on frame leading to ample poaching oppportunities for Eto'o and co. On the other hand, he continues to age like the rest of us mere mortals and this summer will probably be the only chance the Barcelona FO will have to recoup anything close to what they paid for him. Messi will be around for some time to come, and Eto'o, if his heart remains with the Catalans, still has a few years yet to contribute to the side's efforts. Any cash from an Henry sale could be applied toward purchasing Benzema, Villa, or even the breathtaking Aguero, and moving Messi back to attacking mid. The shape of the squad need not be substantially altered through the loss of Henry, nor should it be considering the results garnered.

As for Henry, does he want to stay with Barca or move back to the Premier League? He's still got too much in the tank to start considering MLS or even a return to Ligue 1. Italy seems anathema to his style of play (his time at Juventus was mercifully brief) and I doubt that Trezeguet would do much to recommend it given his own recent struggles with the Old Lady. The Premier League would be modestly enticing as the former stage for his greatest feats, but he has repeatedly argued that his soul is Gunner through and through. I can't see him suiting up for Man City, and I don't see the ever-pragmatic Wegner breaking with his youth movement to offer Henry the security of anything more than a 1-yr deal.

In the end, he'll probably stay and start his evolution into a super-sub role, particularly as the Copa del Rey, Champions League, and La Liga schedule conspire to wear him down in the latter stages. It'll be at the end of next season that he takes his leave of Barcelona, sent off with honor by the club and its fans, and tests new pastures elsewhere.

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