I gave Thierry Henry key piece of advice during barren spell – he ended up as the best player on the planet

Thierry Henry is arguably the Premier League’s greatest player – but few would have predicted the career he’d have after his early Arsenal struggles. But his ex-Gunners teammate Martin Keown certainly knew he had the quality as he played a key role in his upturn in form just months after his arrival. Arsenal signed Henry in 1999, where he would go on to become their all-time top scorer The Frenchman hit double digits in each of his eight full seasons in north LondonGetty Henry linked up at Highbury in 1999 from Juventus in a then club-record £11million transfer to replace French compatriot Nicolas Anelka. He came with great expectations from fans having top scored for Les Bleus to help fire them to World Cup glory the previous year. And it’s safe to say he surpassed expectations after departing north London in 2007 as Arsenal‘s all-time top scorer with 226 goals – before grabbing a further two strikes during his brief loan spell in 2012. With two Premier League titles and three FA Cups to his name, Henry is widely believed to be the benchmark that strikers strive to emulate. A record four-time Premier League Golden Boot winner, Henry struggled to assert himself in the months that followed his signing, leading to questions from supporters and pundits as to whether he was the right man to lead the Gunners frontline. It was a view shared by Henry, who said of his early failures: “I was more likely to hit the clock at the Clock End at Highbury than break Ian Wright’s record [of 185 goals].” Henry needed eight top-flight matches to register his first goal for Arsenal. By the time Lee Dixon’s testimonial against Real Madrid rolled around on November 8, Henry had found the back of the net on just two occasions from 16 matches in all competitions. Arsene Wenger left him out of his squad to face Los Blancos, with Keown – another player that watched on from the stands – giving Henry a key piece of advice for the match. In his bid to get Henry firing on all cylinders, both Keown and then-Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein encouraged Henry to study Ian Wright, who was at the time the club’s all-time leading scorer. Wright enjoyed seven trophy-laden at Arsenal after arriving in 1991Getty The Gunners icon is second behind Henry on Arsenal’s all-time top scorers list A newspaper article at the time revealed how Dein told Henry to watch a highlight reel of Wright. Meanwhile, it was also said how Keown told Henry to study Wright and his movement once he entered the fray for Dixon’s testimonial – his first match back at Highbury since leaving after the club’s double-winning 1997/98 season. It was claimed how Keown reminded Henry that he was both quicker and taller than Wright, but was keen for his teammate to focus on how the ex-Crystal Palace forward moved. Speaking to talkSPORT.com, Keown revealed the rumoured conversation was true, with the talk leading to a stunning change in Henry’s fortunes. He said: “Training against both those players was a joy. “And I could just sense that Henry, he had been playing out wide on the wing, he was hugely intelligent so he picks it up very quickly. Henry and Keown played alongside each other from 1999-2004Getty Images “But I do recall talking to him about Ian Wright. He was always on your shoulder, always trying to affect me and it was something Henry picked up quickly. “He looked at videos [of Ian Wright], I know David Dein sat down with him. “But he was somebody that I really believed in, Ian was doing this instinctively, naturally. “It took Henry a little bit of time, but once it did, look what happened. “You could say he was a bigger version of Ian Wright, he was quicker, he was stronger. “And once he picked up where to be, he was phenomenal.” Henry has left a lasting legacy in the Premier League after winning two crowns Following Henry and Keown’s conversation, the future Barcelona marksman scored twice on his first Premier League match after Dixon’s testimonial. Henry ended up firing in six times after the chat before the second millennium, where he eventually ended up as his side’s top scorer for the season with 26 goals – as well as chipping in with 11 assists. Keown, who departed Arsenal following their unbeaten 2003/04 season, briefly returned to the club in the 2006/07 campaign as a coach – primarily focusing on the defence. It coincided with Arsenal reaching the Champions League final, where they beat Real Madrid, Juventus and Villarreal in the knockouts, before coming unstuck against Barcelona. Henry’s solo stunner away at the Bernabeu saw Arsenal become the first English side to triumph away at Real – a moment that lives long in the memory of Gooners. And for Keown, it was the match that proved why he was the greatest player in the world during that time – just seven years after he played a role in Henry becomi

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I gave Thierry Henry key piece of advice during barren spell – he ended up as the best player on the planet

Thierry Henry is arguably the Premier League’s greatest player – but few would have predicted the career he’d have after his early Arsenal struggles.

But his ex-Gunners teammate Martin Keown certainly knew he had the quality as he played a key role in his upturn in form just months after his arrival.

1. Thierry Henry – Click right to see Arsenal's best signings of the Premier League era — Arsenal signed Henry in 1999, where he would go on to become their all-time top scorer

The Frenchman hit double digits in each of his eight full seasons in north London

Henry linked up at Highbury in 1999 from Juventus in a then club-record £11million transfer to replace French compatriot Nicolas Anelka.

He came with great expectations from fans having top scored for Les Bleus to help fire them to World Cup glory the previous year.

And it’s safe to say he surpassed expectations after departing north London in 2007 as Arsenal‘s all-time top scorer with 226 goals – before grabbing a further two strikes during his brief loan spell in 2012.

With two Premier League titles and three FA Cups to his name, Henry is widely believed to be the benchmark that strikers strive to emulate.

A record four-time Premier League Golden Boot winner, Henry struggled to assert himself in the months that followed his signing, leading to questions from supporters and pundits as to whether he was the right man to lead the Gunners frontline.

It was a view shared by Henry, who said of his early failures: “I was more likely to hit the clock at the Clock End at Highbury than break Ian Wright’s record [of 185 goals].”

Henry needed eight top-flight matches to register his first goal for Arsenal.

By the time Lee Dixon’s testimonial against Real Madrid rolled around on November 8, Henry had found the back of the net on just two occasions from 16 matches in all competitions.

Arsene Wenger left him out of his squad to face Los Blancos, with Keown – another player that watched on from the stands – giving Henry a key piece of advice for the match.

In his bid to get Henry firing on all cylinders, both Keown and then-Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein encouraged Henry to study Ian Wright, who was at the time the club’s all-time leading scorer.

Wright enjoyed seven trophy-laden at Arsenal after arriving in 1991

The Gunners icon is second behind Henry on Arsenal’s all-time top scorers list

A newspaper article at the time revealed how Dein told Henry to watch a highlight reel of Wright.

Meanwhile, it was also said how Keown told Henry to study Wright and his movement once he entered the fray for Dixon’s testimonial – his first match back at Highbury since leaving after the club’s double-winning 1997/98 season.

It was claimed how Keown reminded Henry that he was both quicker and taller than Wright, but was keen for his teammate to focus on how the ex-Crystal Palace forward moved.

Speaking to talkSPORT.com, Keown revealed the rumoured conversation was true, with the talk leading to a stunning change in Henry’s fortunes.

He said: “Training against both those players was a joy.

“And I could just sense that Henry, he had been playing out wide on the wing, he was hugely intelligent so he picks it up very quickly.

Henry and Keown played alongside each other from 1999-2004

“But I do recall talking to him about Ian Wright. He was always on your shoulder, always trying to affect me and it was something Henry picked up quickly.

“He looked at videos [of Ian Wright], I know David Dein sat down with him.

“But he was somebody that I really believed in, Ian was doing this instinctively, naturally.

“It took Henry a little bit of time, but once it did, look what happened.

“You could say he was a bigger version of Ian Wright, he was quicker, he was stronger.

“And once he picked up where to be, he was phenomenal.”

Henry has left a lasting legacy in the Premier League after winning two crowns

Following Henry and Keown’s conversation, the future Barcelona marksman scored twice on his first Premier League match after Dixon’s testimonial.

Henry ended up firing in six times after the chat before the second millennium, where he eventually ended up as his side’s top scorer for the season with 26 goals – as well as chipping in with 11 assists.

Keown, who departed Arsenal following their unbeaten 2003/04 season, briefly returned to the club in the 2006/07 campaign as a coach – primarily focusing on the defence.

It coincided with Arsenal reaching the Champions League final, where they beat Real Madrid, Juventus and Villarreal in the knockouts, before coming unstuck against Barcelona.

Henry’s solo stunner away at the Bernabeu saw Arsenal become the first English side to triumph away at Real – a moment that lives long in the memory of Gooners.

And for Keown, it was the match that proved why he was the greatest player in the world during that time – just seven years after he played a role in Henry becoming the striker he turned out to be.

Henry scored a famous winner at the Bernabeu in 2006 after gliding through the Real defence

Commenting on his Arsenal return, Keown added: “He [Henry] played in 2006, I came back to the club, working with the defence that season.

“We were very proud we didn’t concede – ten games I think we went without conceding.

“But the game against Real Madrid [quarter-final first leg at the Bernabeu] was really the night when I think Henry says, ‘You know what? I’m the best player on the planet.

“‘I don’t care who is out there today, Ronaldo, [Zinedine] Zidane, forget them.

“‘No-one is going to vote for me [to win Ballon d’Or], but I’ll show you I’m the best player on the planet.’

“And he certainly did that night with the goal that he scored, it was amazing.”