Henry answers Arsenal prayers

By Abhishek Mehrotra

One touch to control the ball, one moment to open up the body and a second touch to coax the ball into the far corner. Thierry Henry was back.

It was the second time in two days a club legend had returned to help his team out. Sir Alex Ferguson had sensationally named the recently retired Paul Scholes on the bench for the crunch Manchester derby on Sunday. My colleague Marcus Chhan wrote about what it might mean for United.

If anything, Henry's comeback was even more poignant. He had left the club four-years ago - an eon in football terms - with the well wishes of everyone connected to Arsenal, and not even the most one-eyed fan could have foreseen a return.

In fact, the Frenchman had himself put the lid on any speculation when he joined Major League Soccer's New York Red Bulls, saying he would not be coming back to England. But when Arsenal came calling again, he couldn't refuse. 

"They say love is blind, but it is difficult for me to say no to Arsenal," he explained. A lot of players say a lot of things about their current and former clubs - but it's impossible to imagine what he said about Arsenal was anything but genuine. 

And it is a measure of the man that he agreed to return. He is the club's highest scorer, was voted its best ever player in an online poll on Arsenal.com and in perhaps the biggest tribute of all, had had his statue erected just outside the Emirates a month ago. His place amongst the Arsenal greats was secure; very little could be gained from a return. As it happened, the events of Monday night burnished his legend even more.

Unless it was a brilliant marketing ploy by the Gunners, the image of Henry wiping away tears on the sideline as an adoring crowd rapturoulsy welcomed him back into the fold will surely be one of the abiding memories of the season. Another would be him running all the way from the penalty area to hug Arsene Wenger on the touchline after scoring the winner. 

Later, Wenger said:  "It was a little bit of a dream, because it was a story about football you would tell some young children."

A visibly ecstatic Henry gushed: "I came back from holiday 15 days ago. I never thought I was going to play for Arsenal again or score a winner.

"I don't know what to say. I love the club and I hope I can do more.

"I hope it won't be the last one. The feeling I had when I scored was amazing.

"I rejoined the club as a fan; before I wasn't. Scoring a goal when you support the team, now I know how some of the guys who played for Liverpool or Man United or Chelsea felt when they scored a goal for the club they support.

"With one opportunity, it's very important, you don't know if you'll have a second. You have to make sure you take it. I took it well."

So he did. Of course, if expectations were realistic until that goal, they'll have skyrocketed by now. It would perhaps be wise to temper them a bit. It was an emotional, heartwarming goal and a winner to boot, - but take away the fuzzy factor and it was a goal in the FA Cup third-round against, with all due respect to Leeds, a Championship side.

It remains to be seen how Henry will adapt to the Premier League and for now his mandate remains very much the same as it was when he signed - to support Robin van Persie, fill in when needed to make up for the absence of Marouane Chamakh and Gervinho and mentor those around him in the art of winning as well as scoring goals.

People talk about the importance of having a senior member around in the squad. More than any other side, Arsenal perhaps need it the most at the moment. With a host of youngsters around, and that monkey of six trophyless years still on their back - someone of Henry's experience could prove to be invaluable. 

He has started well, better than most would have expected. And given that he scored for Arsenal in the FA Cup, it would be fitting to end with a chant that's probably still echoing around the terraces at the Emirates and still being sung by Arsenal fans in pubs and living-rooms around the world.

Down the pub,
my mate and me,
bumpted into Thierry Henry.

He said to us, don't make a fuss,
we're gonna be on that bus.

I said to him, what bus will that be,
it's the bus to Wemberly.....

Thierry Henry, Thierry Henry,
we're all off to Wemberly.

Thierry Henry, Thierry Henry,
we're all off to Wemberly.