Thierry Henry in training at London Colney

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Saturday, December 31, 2011 10:00 AM (ET)

Wenger - Henry remains a class act

By Rob Kelly

Arsène Wenger says Thierry Henry has shown he is still a class act as he works hard to seal a loan deal for the striker.

The Arsenal manager is hopeful of wrapping up a two-month agreement soon and he believes the Club’s all-time record goalscorer will add great experience to his squad.

But Wenger warned that, while Henry will be a welcome addition, it’s wrong to expect him to be the player he was in his Highbury pomp.

“You cannot put too much pressure on him. He is here to help out, not to suddenly be the leader, the main player in the squad,” Wenger said.

“I respect his desire to help us get through a period where we lose two strikers [Marouane Chamakh and Gervinho to the Africa Cup of Nations].

“You and I are conscious that he is 34 years old but he has not lost his class or his brain. That will be just enough for us.”

Wenger believes Henry still needs two weeks of work before he is fully match fit, but is confident he will be a major asset over the coming months.

“Thierry still has his pace, because he always had exceptional pace. What you lose with age is the capacity to repeat it,” he said.
 
“He still has class and quality. I don’t worry about him at all. He is there to help, nothing else. When we need him, he will come on and play. He wants to help out for two months, because this is a club he loves.”

[Friday, December 30, 2011]

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