'It's not a one-man show'

By Michael Harrold

Arsenal FC striker Thierry Henry insists the English champions have every chance of reaching the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League. But that's providing they put the team above the individual to cancel out FC Bayern München's 3-1 first-leg lead.

How much pressure is there on you?
Thierry Henry: People keep on talking about Thierry Henry but it won't be Thierry Henry against Bayern, it will be Arsenal against Bayern. It's not a one-man show. The only player I saw winning games on his own was Diego Maradona. Everyone who knows me will tell you after the game, even when I score, this is the only thing I always say - without my team I am nothing.

Is too much expected of you?
Henry: Not too much is expected of me, that's my job. From time to time I can change the situation of a game. I have been part of the success of Arsenal in Europe, that day when we played against [AS] Roma [in 2002], yes I scored a hat-trick, yes I scored two [against FC Internazionale Milano in 2004] but everyone was outstanding. Not me. I didn't take the ball from defence and run at people alone. You do that maybe once or twice a year. I don't like to take the credit after a game, even when I score. I'm only there to finish the job of my team.

How important will it be to have Dennis Bergkamp back?
Henry: Having Dennis Bergkamp will change things. When Dennis plays, I play stronger because of him. Whatever you do it seems like he is aware of it. He links the midfield to the strikers. I've played with a lot of players, but he is the best I have ever had as a partner.

How do you measure this season so far?
Henry: After the season we had last year, it is going to be a massive disappointment. Everyone turns on the big players when things are not going well and that's normal, but at Arsenal we do what we can do. For a long time this season we have played with a lot of youngsters. They did really well, but sometimes there is only so much you can ask of them. If we don't win the game against Bayern, you can blame it on me. I can take it.

Is Arsenal's season on the line?
Henry: If I don't score or do something great on Wednesday, I know it's going to be me [blamed] again. But I'm used to that. It was like that even when I was young. My dad used to do it to me, even when I was eleven or 12, when I scored goals he would say to me, 'Why didn't you give any [assists]?'. You give some and he would say, 'You didn't score', you do both and he said, 'You should have given that ball' and this and that. Everyone who knows me knows I'm never satisfied with myself.

What do you expect from yourself?
Henry: I think you can see when I'm really upset. It's the way I am. Everything I do has to be done well. When I have a go at someone else, more often it is because I am upset with myself. I don't think I'm a perfectionist. I'm trying to be a perfectionist, you can always progress. No one can ever be the best. For me the best is a bit difficult to define. You can always try to improve but to reach it is practically impossible.