Arsenal legend twists the knife on struggling Chelsea

In his new job as a TV pundit for Sky Sports, the former Arsenal and France international forward Thierry Henry has got to at least try to keep his bias in check, as the likes of Gary Neville and the hordes of ex Liverpool players do with varying degrees of success. Everyone knows which teams these different commentators have a preference for but they still have to do their best to see things objectively.

So it must have been hard for Henry to give his opinion on what has happened and is happening to the reigning champions Chelsea, without gloating or bursting out laughing, but the Arsenal legend just about managed it when questioned about it by Sky Sports.

Like the rest of us, Henry is struggling to understand how Chelsea could have fallen so far so fast and he admits that for the last few weeks he has expected them to suddenly click into gear and start to show us all that it was just a blip. After yet another poor result and performance though, the flying Frenchman thinks they have shot their bolt.

Henry said, “You’d like to think Chelsea will come back stronger, but are they going to challenge for the title? I don’t think so any more, but weirder stuff has happened.

“I think they are out of it. Every weekend I think ‘today will be too much for West Ham’ and every single time they win the game. Manchester City and Manchester United are the teams that are going to challenge with Arsenal. Maybe there will be a surprise team in the top four and maybe will push for the title or maybe Chelsea will come back strong at the end?

“Teams find out what you do on the field and they try and come with a different philosophy – that’s why it’s hard to win this league back-to-back. Mourinho did it in his first spell at Chelsea, it’s not an easy thing to do.

“I never did it with Arsenal, so that’s how hard it is. Sometimes you step onto the field and think’s it’s easy because you are the champions but no, the opposition want to beat you more.

“Chelsea are collapsing. We gave them the benefit of the doubt in pre-season, but they still haven’t got it back together. However, I do think people are going a bit too far with what is happening.

“They are still the champions. I think they’ll bounce back. I don’t think Mourinho leaving the club would be a smart move but you never know nowadays.

“You have to give him the respect about what he’s achieved in the game. People forget that he won the treble with Inter Milan. Wherever he’s been, he’s won things. This is one of the first times he’s had to deal with a crisis at a club. I think he’s smart enough to deal with it. He has the team and the experience to recover. Let’s not forget what he’s achieved at Porto, at Inter Milan, at Real Madrid. It’s amazing.”

Knowing how close Henry is to Arsene Wenger, I have to assume that the kind words about Mourinho are just lip service and part of his remit to be unbiased. Behind closed doors however, is there a single Arsenal fan who feels anything but joy at what is happening over at Stamford Bridge?

Tags Henry Mourinho Wenger

14 Comments

  1. if only we had reliable back-ups…….. This is why strenghtening a team is important…….. Feeling so bad bout Walcott and the Ox! *dead face*

    1. Agree. Wenger should have strengthened our outfield this summer. Just getting a DM like Krychowiak or versatile forward could have helped us a lot.

      I’m NOT saying we can’t win, but City getting Sterling and De Bruyne may make the difference for City this season

      That said, I agree with what John Terry said that our CECH is worth 10-15 points at least

  2. looking at the depths of these manu mancity and chelsea squads makes me jealous
    manu
    they have 2 very good dms
    schneiderlin and schweinstiger
    2 very good cms carrick and fellaini
    they have 2 very brilliant ams
    mata and herrera
    they also have 3 very capable goalscorers martial rooney plus mata
    mancity
    they have 5 extremely capable goalscorers
    bony
    aguero
    silva
    toure
    de bruyne
    2 very powerful midfielders
    toure and fernandinho
    plus 2 world class cds and 2 world class rbs
    chelsea
    2 worldclass wingers
    2 creative ams
    2 powerful midfielders
    2 worldclass keepers

      1. thats not it.When i speak of depths i mean the backups.Moments ago an article was written on how injuries prove we are out of depth.
        Its not the first team that im worried about but its what is on the bench that scares me.Are those guys as reliable.Are they pushing for their first team positions?Do we have enough goalscorers do we have strength in our team to win midfield battles and penetrate defences.Does our style of play suit both the starters and the benchwarmers?These are the questions i sm trying to figure out.

        1. Injuries have hurt our depth.. You speak of Silva and Aguero at City. (injured)
          So why aren’t Theo, Ox, Ramsey, Wilshere, Rosicky mentioned for us??

    1. You must’a been high on something cheap and poorly made. United??? A better squad depth??? ….you forgot to “LOL” after. Not cool

  3. Before he makes another comment on Chelsea again, let Thierry O’henry comment on the performances of the academic Gunners he gave the Boss to use yesterday for the Capital One Cup game away against Sheffield Wed. As the coach of the academic Gunners at the Hale End of the club while doing his coaching badges there. Are those the kind of quality youth Gunners he will be producing for the Boss to be using but only crash out of Cup games like the COC of yesterday at Hillsborough? Enh? By the way, what is Thierry O’henry coaching at the Hale End of the club? How to chicken out of a Cup game or what? Let him just keep quiet. We already know about the current Blues and Jose Mourinho’s meltdown. We don’t need to be lectured on Chelsea crisis. We watch their games, read about them in the papers and browse about them on the internet. Can’t we? Must our attentions be cleverly diverted by Thierry’s coaching failures at the Hale End as if we are dullers?

  4. Lol am sure he’s happy secretly..come on guys let go of the past, we didn’t get any player so there’s nothing we can do, lets be there for the team till they come back. Walcott is just 3 games, enough of the negative thoughts please we are winners

  5. Only loosers and quitters moans and complain. we aint either of them, seasons ago liverpool almost did it with a thin squad till they lost focus. I won’t let the latest injuries get at me now,lets focus on what we’re doing not what we could’ve done

  6. Man u knocked out of the league cup on penalties by middlesborough! Hope that trend continues in the premeireship when they face crystal palace away on saturday!

    1. I have confidence that we will finish higher than United. I believe we are better . They made good signings with Schneiderlin, Schweinsteiger and Martial, but we have a stronger defense and better offense.

      I have belief that we can beat City to number 1 but City made very good signings with Sterling and De Bruyne but when Aguero and Silva come back they will be extremely tough to beat

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