Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has backed his former club to win this season’s English Premier League title.The club’s record goal scorer also ruled out a return to the Emirates Stadium on loan and told Arsenal’s current captain, Cesc Fabregas, to forget about the critics.
Henry was speaking at the Football Writers’ Association dinner where he received a Tribute Award, and believes Arsenal can lift this year’s Premier League title – something they have not done since 2003/04.
“I do think they can do it with the style of football that they play,” Henry said.
“I don’t think it’s the only time they’ve had the chance to grab the title. It will be a great thing for the club if they can bring back some silverware, especially for the fans.”
The French international has been training with Arsenal lately but dismissed reports he was about to join them on loan from his current club New York Red Bulls, who he plays for in USA’s Major League Soccer.
“I enjoyed my time here but I’m over there now and I’m happy to be over there,” he said.
“I started to train with them, I had two months off and I’m a bit off the pace right now, and you know how Arsenal play sometimes.”
“I trained with the squad before the game that they played the other day against Ipswich and it’s quick, pretty quick, so no that’s not the plan (to join Arsenal on loan).”
Henry also offered advice and support to Fabregas, who had critics when Arsenal went through a bad patch earlier in the season.
“People are always going to have a go at Cesc, rightly so or not. He’s an amazing player, he won the World Cup, he won the European Championship, he’s the talisman of the club, he’s the club captain,” he said.
“The only thing I will tell him is to not listen, I’ve been through that and there’s nothing you can do about it and that’s the way the game is.”
“If Arsenal go on and win the title they will say he had an amazing season, and nobody will remember what happened at the beginning of the season.”
Two of Henry’s clubs will face off in the Round of 16 in the Champions League when Arsenal take on current La Liga champions Barcelona and the striker rates the London side’s chances.
“I think (they are) probably the two best teams in terms of football, in the way the game should be played. I think for the neutral it’s going to be an amazing game,” he said.
“For me I don’t know, I’m an Arsenal fan and I have a lot of friends also at Barcelona so it’s going to be a tricky one, but as I said its going to be a very difficult game, but if a team can beat Barcelona then it’s Arsenal.”
