You may have seen a certain Tottenham striker gifted a couple of goals against a woeful Everton side in yesterday’s 5-0 victory for Antonio Conte.
Arsenal fans were bombarded with graphics and comparisons that Harry Kane had beaten the Premier League goalscoring tally of Thierry Henry.
It is unsurprising that this was used so ferociously by the Tottenham fans considering there has been little-to-no success at the club since their last trophy win 5,126 days ago. Finals have come and gone but ultimately the ‘Spursy’ characteristic has always ran out victorious condemning their supporters to yet a longer delay until the next piece of silverware.
It is important to remember what a player Thierry Henry was to Arsenal, what he elevated the club to and where he took them.
Scoring goals is the crucial job of a striker but what happens beyond putting the ball in the back of the net from a team perspective is what separates players in addition to simple footballing ability.
Henry helped Arsenal to two Premier League titles including the prestigious invincible 2003/04 season. Two FA Cup wins including the double-winning trophy in 2002 and a Champions League final in 2006.
Individually, Henry was considered to be one of the best of his generation and came in the top three of the Ballon d’Or twice. Wrongly beaten to the win by Pavel Nedved in 2003.
The ability and talent available to the Frenchman were on a different level to Kane who, in a Tottenham team geared around both him and Heung-min Son, has been able to score at a canter.
The Arsenal sides with Henry were a collective with goalscorers everywhere including Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires and Freddie Ljungberg.
Not to mention that Henry reached his tally of 175 Premier League goals in 12 fewer matches. Furthermore, Kane’s 37 Premier League assists are half that of Henry’s 74.
Kane may go on to beat even Alan Shearer’s Premier League goalscoring record, he has the time to do it and with his stock diminishing in the transfer market due to age and price tag, at Tottenham, he certainly could do it.
However, the comparison between Shearer and Henry is in itself hardly a debate with the Frenchman considered a better player than the Blackburn and Newcastle legend.
However, as mentioned at the top, Spurs can enjoy this small victory. It is in their nature to appreciate the little things in life whilst Arsenal look back on their titles and glories.
Many of which were courtesy of the greatness of the one, the only, Thierry Henry.
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