Tag Archives: Henry

Henry back to torment Leeds

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The FA Cup always throws up one or two shocks along the way with Wigan already dumped out by League Two Swindon, while Macclesfield were denied a Premier League scalp by a late Bolton equaliser – although the betting suggests we would be in for the biggest surprise yet if it were to happen on Monday night when Arsenal host Leeds United.

The Gunners are 1/4 favourites to make it through to the fourth round at the first attempt, while Leeds are on offer at 11/1 to enjoy the romance of the cup with the draw priced at 9/2 in the match betting.

It is hard to argue with the betting given that Arsene Wenger’s men have been an elite team in the country for many a season, while the Elland Road outfit are trying to make their way back to the top-flight from League One football just two seasons ago.

There will be those who fancy the price on the away win as in that promotion season, Leeds famously beat Manchester United at Old Trafford 1-0 in the third round, while they also took Tottenham to a replay the same year after a 2-2 draw at White Hart Lane.

Last season, the Whites were at it again and held this year’s third-round opponents to a 1-1 draw at the Emirates, before losing 3-1 in the replay back on home territory.

That previous form may tempt some, but Leeds have endured a difficult run in the Championship of late with a 2-1 home win over Burnley last time out ending a three-match losing streak.

Simon Grayson’s men do still remain in play-off contention but, because of that, it might pay to see what line-up Grayson puts out against the Gunners, particularly with injuries beginning to take their toll.

Centre-back Paddy Kisnorbo has picked up a knee injury which will keep him out for the rest of the season, while fellow defenders Tom Lees and Alex Bruce are struggling to make it.

Captain Jonny Howson and playmaker Robert Snodgrass are also amongst those on the injury list, which is making the case for a shock win all the more difficult, even with a host of changes expected for Arsenal.

Defensively the Gunners are down to the bare bones with Thomas Vermaelen, Bacary Sagna, Carl Jenkinson, Kieran Gibbs and Andre Santos all ruled out through injury, while Johan Djourou is suspended.

Robin van Persie has been on fire for the Gunners this season and has single-handedly kept them in the Champions League hunt, and he has unsurprisingly been installed as the 9/4 favourite to be the First/Last Goalscorer.

The latter of those is more viable as the Dutch striker is expected to be rested for this tie so there could and should be more value elsewhere – and Thierry Henry is worth considering at 9/4 First/Last and 5/4 Anytime as he is set to start on his return to the Gunners.

Marouane Chamakh is also available as Wenger has successfully delayed his departure to join up with the Morocco squad for the African Cup of Nations and may be worth a punt at 5/1 First/Last.

There has generally been a glut of goals between these two in recent meetings and, with both defences shorn of key players, there should be more on Monday evening, which is reflected in the betting – Over 2.5 Goals at 4/9, and 4 or more goals at 6/5.

Providing Arsenal do not get caught up in Henry’s return, they should have too much for an injury-hit Leeds side to cope with, although an away goal cannot be ruled out (Arsenal 3-1 Correct Score 10/1).

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Henry faces up to Liverpool task

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New Liverpool owner John W Henry has admitted he faces a tough task in reviving the club’s fortunes but is confident the Reds will again be able to compete with the best soon (Liverpool 11/1 to be relegated).

Henry’s NESV group finally became the new owners of the Merseysiders on Friday following several nervy days of court battles both in the High Court in London and in Texas as former custodians, George Gillett and Tom Hicks, attempted to block the reported £300m deal.

Henry, who initially said he would not be watching the Merseyside derby at Everton on Sunday but in the end was at Goodison Park for the 2-0 defeat, admitted there is plenty of work to be done to get the club back among the elite – both on and off the pitch.

“What am I thinking? How much work this is going to be. How steep the learning curve is going to be. This is not going to be easy,” he said.

“We realise the challenge that lies ahead if we are going to go toe to toe with the other big clubs.

“We are not asking for a long honeymoon. This is a contact sport we are in and the going can get rough sometimes. We realise that.”

Henry plans to meet Liverpool fans’ groups in the next few days to listen to their concerns but he insisted he has a good track record in reviving sports clubs and hopes the success NESV have enjoyed with the Boston Red Sox can be emulated at Anfield.

“We are not going to make any promises but we are going to listen and consider,” he added in the Liverpool Echo.

“There were big financial issues but in the end we made a decision we really wanted to compete at this level.

“I don’t have ‘Sheikh’ in front of my name but we look at revenues in sports as being the ability to send out a strong team on the field.

“When we arrived at the Red Sox, the New York Yankees were a juggernaut and it wasn’t that much of rivalry.

“I believe we turned it into a rivalry where we have gone toe to toe with the Yankees even though they have got a much higher revenue.

“They keep going up but we have gone up faster. When we looked at Liverpool, the first thing that struck us was there are opportunities here to really build a winner.”

Liverpool’s revival on the pitch cannot come quickly enough following a shocking start that was compounded by the derby defeat on Sunday, but they have a Europa League clash next up on Thursday when they go to Italy to face Napoli (Liverpool 10/1 – Europa League Outright).

Under-pressure boss Roy Hodgson has yet to lose in Europe this term but the Reds’ dismal Premier League form so far has left his side second bottom of the table, ahead of West Ham but only on goal difference.

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Henry wants winning mentality

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New Liverpool owner John Henry insists “we’re here to win” after he finally completed his protracted takeover of the Reds (Evens – Top Six finish).

The New England Sport Ventures group finally crossed the I’s and dotted the T’s on a deal after another day of negotiations, this time out of the High Court after Liverpool’s former owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks had their injunction against the sale dismissed.

Henry’s NESV group agreed in principle a deal to buy the club last week but had been held up by Hicks and Gillett.

However, the American duo finally admitted defeat on Friday meaning the £300million deal could go ahead.

Henry takes charge of a club who have made their worst-ever start to a Premier League season and find themselves currently entrenched in the bottom three with just one win from their last seven matches.

Liverpool (11/1 to be relegated) have looked a shadow of the side that pushed Manchester United all the way in the title race two years ago and Henry appears to have his work cut out to turn the club around.

The Reds’ first test under their new owners will come against local rivals Everton (6/4 to beat Liverpool) on Sunday, who themselves have also made a sloppy start to the season.

The Merseyside duo could both find themselves inside the bottom three by the time they kick off on Sunday – should either Wolves or West Ham win on Saturday.

It would be the first time the ‘friendly derby’ has seen the two sides both start the match in the relegation zone.

Henry has said he will tackle the club’s on and off-field problems “head on” as he looks to restore the Reds’ glory days.

“I am proud and humbled,” said Henry. “We have a lot of work to do and I cannot tell you how happy I am to have finally got the deal done.

“It’s too early to say what we’re going to do but we’re here to win, we have a tradition of winning – we (the Boston Red Sox) are the second-highest spending club in Major League Baseball and we’re here to win, we will do whatever is necessary.”

Given Liverpool’s threadbare squad Henry will be expected to invest heavily in new players if he is to give Hodgson the tools necessary to do the job he was brought in to do.

The former Fulham manager has come under increasing pressure in recent weeks given Liverpool’s poor start to the season, but hopes things will now get better.

Hodgson has admitted that the ownership saga and the instability of the club has taken its toll on the players and is now hoping the takeover will put their minds at rest ahead of Sunday’s big match.

“The fact is we have six points from seven games because we have lost games we should have done better in,” said Hodgson, when asked about how it had affected his players.

“But it would also be naive of me to think that these things don’t matter.

“We are very proud of club, very proud to work at club and when club is in a bad situation it is bound to affect you in some way.”

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Henry keen on US switch?

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Barcelona star Thierry Henry could be set to join MLS side New York Red Bulls after the World Cup, according to compatriot David Trezeguet. (France 16/1 to win World Cup)

Henry has been tipped to leave the Nou Camp this summer after falling down the striking pecking order and with David Villa now on board with the Catalans.

Former club Juventus have been linked with the Arsenal legend, while Premiership side West Ham United have also shown an interest in the 32-year-old, with club co-owner David Sullivan saying he has made the player an offer which would make him the highest-paid player in the club’s history.

But rumours of a switch stateside will not go away and Trezeguet, who is currently with Juve to play against the Red Bulls in an exhibition match, revealed that his former France team-mate has always been keen to play in the USA at some stage of his career.

“I actually don’t know very much about it. I know that he wanted very much to have an experience here in the United States,” he said. “I don’t know if it will be next year, but in any event, I definitely wish him all the best.”

France kick off their 2010 World Cup campaign against Uruguay on June 11 and are the even money favourites to win that clash with the South Americans on offer at 13/5 and the draw priced at 9/4.

Henry is by no means a certainty to start for the French in South Africa as he has failed to recapture his Arsenal form at Barcelona, and it may be that he is used as an impact player from the bench towards the end of matches.

Another star who has been tipped to move to America is Italian legend Alessandro Del Piero, but the 35-year-old made it clear that he has no intention of leaving Juventus just yet.

When asked if he could return to New York as a player in the near future, Del Piero made it clear that he will still play in Turin next season.

“I have no idea; perhaps I will come one more time here on holiday,” he said. “For sure I know that next year I will be wearing the Juventus jersey. But, who knows. Anything can happen.”

Italy are priced at 12/1 to defend their World Cup title this year but will be without Del Piero, whose international days are now behind him, and he can bask in the glory of scoring a penalty in the shoot-out that won the Italians the sport’s most prestigious prize four years ago.

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