All three Arsenal players had begun on the bench, with Henry applauded by Sunderland fans when he initially warmed up and then later replaced Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Little did those home supporters know what the striker, who returns to the New York Red Bulls on Thursday after the end of his loan stint, had in store for them, but even the most one-eyed would surely acknowledge it was some way to sign off from an emotional Premier League sabbatical.
"Thierry finished the story of the legend today," said Wenger, who had thought long and hard before bringing Arsenal's ageing former idol back to north London. "Thierry showed that exceptional talent survives."
Helpfully, Henry's rare gift extricated Arsenal from a tight spot. "It was very difficult," Wenger said. "Sunderland have a lot of spirit now, they were trying to catch us on the break all the time but we were intelligent and patient." His team, minus Henry, will be back on Wearside next Saturday to contest a fifth-round FA Cup tie, with neutrals hoping it will mirror today's second-half excitement rather than the opening period's disappointment.
Maybe Sunderland were simply exhausted after Wednesday's extra-time replay efforts against Middlesbrough and perhaps Arsenal had one eye on Wednesday's Champions League trip to Milan, but the first 45 minutes proved infinitely forgettable. The sight of Theo Walcott miscontrolling a routine pass seemed emblematic of a frustratingly low tempo opening in which Arsenal monopolised possession but rarely penetrated. Sunderland's gameplan was all about double marking Oxlade-Chamberlain before catching Wenger's team on the counterattack. Unfortunately, when they did break, the necessary speed, both physical and mental, was missing.
Granted, Simon Mignolet, Sunderland's goalkeeper, had reason to thank Jack Colback for a splendid block on Tomas Rosicky's goalbound shot but the only real early excitement surrounded a forlorn penalty appeal.
Although a stumbling Per Mertesacker clearly handled, Neil Swarbrick, the referee, dismissed Sunderland's spot-kick claims, suggesting it was accidental. Unfortunately for the heavily jeered Swarbrick, his was a decision shrouded in grey as it looked a clear case of hand to ball. Indeed, Arsenal's lamp post of a centre-half seemed to be somehow attempting to regain his balance by grasping at the airborne ball. "It looked a penalty," said Martin O'Neill. "We didn't deserve to lose."
Things were livening up. Wojciech Szczesny repelled Craig Gardner's fierce volley, Henry replaced Oxlade-Chamberlain and then Sunderland scored. Injuring ankle ligaments as he attempted to control the ball, the unfortunate Mertesacker lost his footing and collapsed, permitting James McClean to accelerate down the left wing before defying an awkward angle to sweep a left-foot shot into the bottom corner.
Little had been seen of Wenger since an early foray into the technical area left the Frenchman scraping mud off his smart black shoes. Now Arsenal's apparently world weary manager sat slumped, arms folded deep in the dugout. Evidently no one had reminded him that, sometimes, clouds really do come silver-lined. With Mertesacker carried off on a stretcher, Ramsey appeared and, with virtually his first touch, he equalised, his shot from the edge of the area flying in off the inside of a post. Henry's denouement beckoned. Sneaking in front of Michael Turner he expertly volleyed Arshavin's looping cross past Mignolet. Suddenly Wenger was back on his feet and in the technical area, his smile dazzling.
Source: Louise Taylor, The Guardian on 11 Feb 12
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