Thierry Henry: Arsene Wenger must see something we don’t when he is around Arsenal in training
The Gunners suffered an embarrassing 5-1 defeat in the Champions League midweek but must show Arsene Wenger they have the right mental strength
KO’D GUNNERS must show Wenger they have mental strength to bounce back.
It was a miserable night for Arsenal against Bayern but it’s not how you fall, it’s how you bounce back up.
That depends on the players’ mentalities.
And that is a word Arsene Wenger keeps coming back to.
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After the Watford defeat he said: “Mentally, we were not ready.”
After Bayern he said: “We looked mentally jaded.”
He is not talking about tactics – he is questioning their mental strength.
We could all see that mental fragility was the problem when they folded in Munich. It was clear.
But Arsene must see something we don’t when he is around them in training to put his trust in them.
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You get judged in games though, not training, and we are not seeing them perform at the moment.
He’s the best man to assess the team. He knows what they are capable of. Better than me, ex-players, pundits. He’s their boss and he’s questioning their mentality.
The players need to prove him wrong.
One-one at Bayern Munich after 50 minutes was a great scoreline. They should have been feeling great about themselves.
The team in trouble then was Munich. And then even 2-1 is good. Even 3-1 is doable, just win 2-0 at home.
But they fell apart.
Arsene has taken all the bullets at Arsenal for a long time.
He gave that club success when it was struggling. I know it was successful before but he changed the club, took them into the new stadium: built the modern Arsenal.
Everyone goes on about ‘Arsene this’ and ‘Arsene that’ when the defeats come but the players need to stand up and be counted too.
OK, it is his team, he’s the leader, he created that side. He’s at fault because he’s the boss. But the players must look at themselves too.
If you’re a real Arsenal fan you don’t want to see Arsene suffering the way he is right now.
I certainly don’t.
And he looked pained after the Bayern defeat.
He’s hurting because he’s a competitor – and it has been more bad memories than good over recent seasons. More pain than joy.
That’s why he’s hurting. It will pain him that Europe is over for Arsenal by February again.
I don’t want to see that as an Arsenal fan. I don’t want to see the club suffer or Arsene suffer like he was on the bench in Munich.
His brief press conference after the game spoke volumes. He’s usually very eloquent.
I know Arsene and I know he won’t want any sympathy.
Look, I got smashed in the Champions League playing for big teams with plenty of big characters. It happens. I lost 4-0 with Arsenal in Milan.
Barca lost 4-0 against PSG on Tuesday. In 2013 they lost 4-0 to Bayern. So, it happens.
But big teams respond. That’s the key. They react.
Do Arsenal have the mentality to respond?
I do know it’s not easy when you lose confidence. It’s so hard to take stock and get your stuff together. It takes a long time to build something up and a split second to destroy it.
I went to the World Cup in South Korea with France in 2002 and we were world champions, European champions and Confederations Cup holders.
I was top scorer in the Premier League the previous season, David Trezeguet was the same in Italy. We had characters, leaders, great players…. Confidence was sky high!
And we didn’t score a single goal and went out in the group stage.
So it’s not always about leaders or characters. Yes, these things help but when you lose your cohesion and togetherness it’s hard to retrieve.
The Arsenal players need to tap into Wenger’s belief for the rest of the season. Wenger is a big believer in his players, in his abilities.
Next up it’s Sutton on Monday. I hope they can win that!
Then it’s Liverpool away. That’s a massive game.
It’s the best fixture they can have. If I was an Arsenal player that is just what I’d want coming up.
It’s a chance to shut up the detractors, to prove you are good enough. I’d be saying bring it on. Time to show we can be strong away from home, lift confidence.
But if Liverpool are allowed to play the way they did against Tottenham or Chelsea it could be a long day for Arsenal.
I know the job of a coach having been involved in it now and it’s not easy. You need to find some positivity and latch on to it especially when the world and his wife is having a go.
Arsene needs to find some positivity and some answers - and soon.
Manchester City will not be taking Monaco lightly next week – and rightly so.
My former club is flying right now in the French league and banging in goals for fun. Manager Leonardo Jardim has assembled a great side with a brilliant blend of experience and youth.
Midfielders Tiemoué Bakayoko, Fabinho and Thomas Lemar are all fine young players with bright futures and same goes for striker Kylian Mbappe, who will probably come off the bench against City.
I’ve met Mbappe and he’s a nice lad with a good head on his shoulders. He is very respectful and quite quiet. But give him the ball and he talks and he isn’t very nice anymore!
He is determined and never gives up.
He is the talk of the town and has so much talent. He has skills, goals, assists. He can do what he wants with the ball.
I know people have called him “the new Thierry Henry” but I don’t like those tags. He needs to be him and just be the best he can be.
Monaco have a good record against the English, too. We beat Manchester United when I was there, they have beaten Spurs twice this season, once at Wembley, and beat Arsenal at the Emirates recently.
City need to be at it or they’ll be next.