Thierry Henry makes cruel Arsenal admission amid Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta comparison
Thierry Henry, the iconic figure of Arsenal, has revealed that he used to force himself to attend his former team’s matches during their difficult period five years ago.
The Gunners have experienced a recent revival under Mikel Arteta, achieving their best performance since 2016 when they were closely competing with Manchester City in the title race until the last few weeks of the season.
However, this recent success is a significant departure from their previous state a few seasons ago.
In the years leading up to Arteta’s appointment, during Arsene Wenger’s final years and the beginning of Unai Emery’s tenure, the atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium turned negative, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the league.
Henry confesses that at that point, his presence at matches was solely out of loyalty to the club, rather than a genuine desire to watch them play.
Despite his admission, he acknowledges the transformation the team has undergone under Arteta, with Arsenal winning an FA Cup and two Community Shields since the arrival of the Spanish manager.
Even their performance in the current season has caught the attention of the World Cup winner.
The Gunners are currently unbeaten in domestic competitions, winning six out of their first eight matches, and they share the top spot in the league table with their rivals, Tottenham, as they head into the international break.
Following that, they have a challenging fixture against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and a Champions League clash in Spain against Sevilla.
However, it’s in the Champions League where they suffered their sole defeat this season, with Ligue 1 side RC Lens defeating them 2-1 earlier this month, thanks to goals from Adrien Thomasson and Elye Wahi.
Despite this setback, Henry believes it’s acceptable for Arteta’s team to lose matches because they can derive valuable lessons and insights from those experiences.
“I think we are in a way better place than we were before,” he claimed on the Rest Is Football podcast. “I actually see myself in the team now, as a fan, not a player.
“I can accept a result, but you don’t accept defeat. It’s about being able to understand and accept the result, but you can’t accept the defeat. The loss against Lens, it can happen, but I see a team fighting but making mistakes, it can happen. Five years ago I couldn’t relate to the team. I was going to the game because I had to, not because I wanted to.
“Just because I was an Arsenal fan I was going to the game not because I wanted to see them play. But I’d always go to the match if I was in London, because I was an Arsenal fan, that’s how it will always be. But now, I can see what they are about and can see the pieces that are missing.”
Thierry Henry makes cruel Arsenal admission amid Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta comparison