So we could call it the $1,000,000 question, or we could just say that it was a question worth around £40,000,000 a year ago but only around £25,000,000 now. Whatever the price it’s a popular question worth a lot of thought.

As an Arsenal fan it’s hard to explain my emotions towards TH14. It started off like when you have a jacket that everyone else wants but can’t get, and you don’t care that the people around you can afford to buy more expensive jackets because you know, and they know, your jacket is the best. However, you get to that point where everyone else’s jackets start to look better, suddenly they don’t want yours anymore, you start noticing a few rips and tears and most importantly you can’t score as much! You think you need a new jacket and know the old one will always have a place in your heart, but one question lingers in the back of your head: “Can you bring your beloved jacket back into fashion?”

Let’s face it, we’re not talking about a piece of clothing here. Can Arsene Wenger afford to try and bring this metaphorical jacket back into fashion? I personally don’t want Arsenal to get rid of Thierry. First and foremost, he doesn’t want to leave, and I think it’s disrespectful to force a guy out who really could have gone anywhere in the world over the last three years if he really wanted to. No-one should forget how much he has done for the club. Secondly, I genuinely think he’ll have a better season next year.

I don’t buy this whole ‘tiredness’ thing due to playing the Champions League and World Cup. I never bought it, and I thought it was pathetic how he was comparing himself to Ronaldinho, saying that they were clearly tired too. It’s a like a child being told off by his teacher for falling asleep in class and saying: “But Sir, I was doing extra revision last night, and I’m not the only one falling asleep so you can’t shout at me!”

Firstly, it doesn’t matter how much you play, if you turn up on the field then you can’t make any excuses, and we (your fans) don’t give a toss about how Ronaldinho is playing, you better play your ar*e off regardless or give me the £50 I paid for this ticket back cos it took me a little while to earn that money contrary to the five minutes it takes you.

I think he had other issues. Maybe he realised Cesc Fabregas is the best player in the team and didn’t like the new feeling on being second best. Maybe he sat down one day after the World Cup and said to himself: “This just ain’t as much fun as it used to be…..I miss Patrick and Bobby.” I’m sure he still thinks of the days of 'The Untouchables' and gets goosepimples as Jens Lehmann would say. Let’s face it, how can you score some of the goals that he’s scored and not be having such a great time. That memorable belter beating Manchester United at Highbury, the backheel against Charlton, the time he spun around Carlo Cudicini like he was having a kickabout in the playground. Regardless of what he says about anger driving him on when he plays, you can’t score those goals unless you’re having the time of your life. Hopefully he will put things into perspective and get back that love and connection with the game.

We could say that Arsenal need to be ruthless to compete with the likes of Chelsea, and so out with Henry and in with a new top-of-the-range centre forward. An Englishman maybe, I don’t think so, there aren’t many top English centre forwards available, and none that would definitely fit in at Ashburton. Then again, would Fernando Jose Torres or David Villa definitely get 30 goals at Arsenal? Would Miroslav Klose or Lukas Podolski get 30 goals? How can you be sure? You can’t. What we do know is that Henry CAN score goals in this league. Maybe he won’t score as much in a season as he has done before but if Robin Van Persie stays clear of injury then he will get at least 18 which will help.

Am I also wrong to think that Cesc, Thomas Rosicky and Emmanuel Adebayor can collectively get at least 25 minimum? Can Theo Walcott chip in next year? Will Niklas Bendtner run things like he’s doing in the Championship? When Jeremie Aliadiere leaves and if Julio Baptista doesn’t stay (I’m 75 per cent sure he’ll leave and 85 per cent sure I want him to leave) then they’ll definitely get a new man in, and can this new striker bag 15 goals?

Arsenal fans must take a step back and cool off for a second. It’s been a tough couple of years and Henry has been captain in that time, but the fans should back him 100 per cent. He may be acting like a baby sometimes and talking a lot a rubbish but he really does need his fans’ support. Also remember, that there’s a lot that we don’t see. Walcott will benefit endlessly from being able to train with Thierry every day, as will many of the other kids. He’s an icon and the one superstar Arsenal have, and contrary to most beliefs, having a superstar in your team isn’t always a bad thing, they just need to be managed well……

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