EPL: Henry, Scholes and comebacks

On January 8th, when Sir Alex Ferguson’s team sheet was announced over the tannoy at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, fans watching the game had every reason to be surprised when a player wearing the number 22 jersey was announced on the Red Devils’ substitute bench. Not just because the player was a living legend, but because no-one at Manchester United had worn the number 22 jersey that season. Until that day, for the man with the number 22 was Paul Scholes, who’d answered Sir Alex Ferguson’s call to come back from retirement and aid his beloved Manchester United. And from the moment Paul Scholes came on at the Etihad – the roar from the away end would’ve made you think the travelling support were the home fans – it was evident that Paul Scholes had lost none of his former flair. The only blip in his game was his incorrectly weighted pass from a throw-in that fell to the path of Sergio Aguero who reduced the arrears with a well-taken goal. In typical Scholes fashion, however, he put that mistake behind him and continued to dictate play with the assuredness that the Old Trafford faithful have been mesmerised by for eighteen memorable years. He looked completely at home, as if he’d never been away. Former Manchester United icon Dennis Irwin recently stated that the experience that United boast should see them win the Premier League this season, singling out Paul Scholes in the process. “Somebody like Paul Scholes is a calming influence,” he explained. “His experience in the dressing room and on the pitch will be a real boost to the lads. He isn’t the most talkative guy but he will lead by example. It’s great to have his experience for the last 3 or 4 months.” [caption id=“attachment_218911” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Getty Images”]  [/caption] And it has been Scholes’ impact that has seen United keep pace with cross-town rivals Manchester City atop the Premier League this season. His experience has been vital to the Red Devils this season, most notably away to Chelsea where he dictated play in the centre of the park after coming off the bench, spurring United to claw back three goals after being three-nil down inside sixty minutes at Stamford Bridge. Scholes, himself, has been quite modest about his return to United’s first team and the impact he’s made. “I missed [playing more than I thought]. At the end of last season, I thought it was the right time to finish. Ask any player who’s finished, they will all miss it for a period of time. I missed it and decided to give it another go. I went to see the manager and said that I wanted to come back playing. I didn’t know what he would say. I didn’t know what his reaction would be. Thankfully it was a positive one,” Scholes said. The return of Paul Scholes - who has been hailed as United’s Xavi by Sir Alex Ferguson - was only made public to the rest of the team the night before the Manchester City FA Cup game, when Rio Ferdinand spotted Scholes’ training gear with the rest of the first team squad. “It wasn’t until the kit man told me before the game that he had brought his gear that I knew for certain,” said United defender Rio Ferdinand. The return of a former Arsenal heartthrob, however, had hogged column inches in newspapers as early as mid-December, a few weeks before the transfer window opened. Manager Arsene Wenger had stated on the 30th of December that Henry’s loan move back to the Gunners would definitely happen, just days after an emotional Henry broke down in tears on seeing a bronze replica of him cast outside the Emirates Stadium, and a week later, his move back to England was made official. Henry himself said he would look to former Gunner Dennis Bergkamp and Giggs for inspiration. “I remember Dennis Bergkamp used to be the main front guy. Suddenly he was playing behind the striker and if you have the awareness to see things before players, you can get away with not having your legs. Right from the start, as I said, it looks like I’m going to be a bench player, or maybe not a bench player but more an out-of-the-side type of player,” Henry said. And we all know what happened on Thierry Henry’s début against Leeds. It took him two touches to show the assembled faithful that he was Arsenal through and through. And his celebration said it all. Gunners legend Martin Keown, who was part of Arsenal’s Invincibles side, said that Henry would restore pride to Arsenal. “I saw him train on a corporate day and I saw the reaction from Arsene. There was a glint in his eye and I wondered if he would bring him back. It will be a great time for fans, the manager and the player himself. It’s like being transported back in time, a fantasy come true for everyone.” Sadly Henry could not inspire Arsenal to salvage something against Swansea, a team that completely outplayed Arsenal at their own game at the Liberty Stadium, and having lost a race against time to be fit for the crunch clash against United at home, Henry could not re-live the years of old as a late Daniel Welbeck goal gave United all three points at the Emirates. [caption id=“attachment_219058” align=“alignright” width=“380” caption=“Henry reacts after their English Premier League soccer match against Sunderland in Sunderland. Reuters”]  [/caption] After making his return from a calf injury against Aston Villa in the FA Cup, Henry found himself on the bench at the Stadium of Light, with Wenger’s men needing all three points to make sure they were in contention for the race for fourth place. Sunderland took the lead in the second half when James McClean’s angled gave the Black Cats the lead and Aaron Ramsey got Arsenal level with a bobbling shot that went in off both posts. In stoppage time, Andrei Arshavin floated a pin-point cross after beating two defenders, and Henry was in the right place at the right time to stab home the winner, giving Arsenal all three points in an extremely crucial fixture. Cometh the hour, cometh the man. And Henry knew how important a moment it was. It was his last domestic goal for the club, and he knew how much it meant to the fans. “I stayed a bit longer with the Arsenal fans because I knew it was my last game in the Premier League and I wanted to say ’thanks, that’s it’,” Henry said. “The cross from Andrei Arshavin was perfect. You have to give him credit.” Unfortunately it was also to be his last goal in his loan spell. His parent side New York Red Bulls had turned down the request for Arsenal to extend his loan spell, and Henry’s last game was at the San Siro in Milan. No 5-1 scoreline this time in favour of the Gunners, although the goal difference was still four. Henry did come on at half-time, but he was unable to influence proceedings on a horrible pitch at the Giuseppe Meazza, though he did provide a creative impetus that saw Robin van Persie sting keeper Cristian Abbiatti twice in the last five minutes. “It’s not always nice and pretty, you have to remember that we had some times when we just wanted to go home at the end of the game. The difference is how this team can react and I think this team can do that. We realise it is going to be a hell of a task but who knows? You have to remember that there are moments when its not always nice.” Henry hasn’t ruled out a third spell with the Gunners either, saying, “I love the club so much that if they need me I couldn’t say no.” Rio Ferdinand said that he was delighted to see Henry and Scholes return to Premier League action. “It’s great to see two of the best players come back. If I was going to name a top five list of players to have played in the Premier League, Scholes and Henry would be in there.” That just about sums up the legends that they are.