{"id":1979,"date":"2026-04-03T17:57:26","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T17:57:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/?p=1979"},"modified":"2026-04-03T17:57:26","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T17:57:26","slug":"thierry-henrys-rodri-comparison-with-arsenal-star-speaks-volumes-for-mikel-arteta","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/?p=1979","title":{"rendered":"Thierry Henry&#8217;s Rodri comparison with Arsenal star speaks volumes for Mikel Arteta"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_e792fe\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">Thierry Henry has had his say on Arsenal as his former side chase a first Premier League title since they last won it with the Frenchman in 2004<\/h2>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"33709166\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Thierry Henry looks on \" loading=\"eager\" sizes=\"(max-width: 508px) 508px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.football.london\/article33709166.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_Thierry-Henry-file-photo.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.football.london\/article33709166.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s508\/0_Thierry-Henry-file-photo.jpg 508w, https:\/\/i2-prod.football.london\/article33709166.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615\/0_Thierry-Henry-file-photo.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.football.london\/article33709166.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_Thierry-Henry-file-photo.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Thierry Henry has delivered his verdict on Martin Zubimendi at Arsenal\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Thierry Henry has delivered his verdict on Martin Zubimendi at Arsenal<cite aria-label=\"Image: PA\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: PA)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has urged Martin Zubimendi&#8217;s critics to remember the uncertainty over Rodri when he first arrived in the Premier League. The midfielder has been criticised in some quarters for his unconvincing performances in big matches for Mikel Arteta&#8217;s side.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The 27-year-old arrived in north London from Real Sociedad on a five-year deal last summer. The Gunners beat competition from Real Madrid for his signature and paid slightly above his \u00a351million release clause to avoid paying the full transfer fee upfront.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">But the Spaniard has been unconvincing for Arteta&#8217;s men &#8211; leading many to question whether Arsenal should look for a summer upgrade. Newcastle United&#8217;s Sandro Tonali has been among the names linked as a possible replacement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">However, former Gunners striker Henry has defended the Basque midfielder. In an interview with <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.betway.com\/ca\/soccer\/thierry-henry-arsenals-mentality-should-be-one-game-at-a-time\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">Betway<\/a>he urges Zubimendi&#8217;s critics to remember the questions initially raised over Manchester City star Rodri when he joined Pep Guardiola&#8217;s team from Atletico Madrid in 2019.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">FOLLOW OUR ARSENAL FB PAGE!<\/strong><a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AFCFootball.London#\" rel=\"nofollow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"> <\/strong><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><u>Latest Gunners news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He said: &#8220;People like to talk a lot about everything and everyone. First it was Bukayo Saka, then (Martin) Odegaard, then (Viktor) Gyokeres, Chelsea, Cole Palmer, the referee etc.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;You can always raise issues. Zubimendi just arrived in the league, and when Rodri first arrived I remember people weren\u2019t sure about him.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-33363642\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"33363642\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Martin Zubimendi points \" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.football.london\/article33363642.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/1_MZ.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.football.london\/article33363642.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/1_MZ.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.football.london\/article33363642.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/1_MZ.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.football.london\/article33363642.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/1_MZ.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Arsenal great Thierry Henry has defended Martin Zubimendi \" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Arsenal great Thierry Henry has defended Martin Zubimendi <cite aria-label=\"Image: Photo by Alex Burstow\/Arsenal FC via Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Photo by Alex Burstow\/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;People can say whatever they want, and rightly so. Everything is so analysed by everybody, including myself, but that\u2019s how it is at the top.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;If you\u2019re not at the top or the bottom, I\u2019m not sure people will talk about you. I\u2019ve been there, so embrace being criticised, and make sure that at the end you can show something that might prove people wrong.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure data-testid=\"embed-placeholder\" class=\"EmbedPlaceholder_figure__NLMFl undefined false\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"90\" height=\"90\" viewbox=\"0 0 90 90\" fill=\"none\" data-testid=\"consent-placeholder-icon\"><g clip-path=\"url(#clip0_10846_5865)\"><circle opacity=\"0.16\" cx=\"45\" cy=\"45\" r=\"33.75\" fill=\"var(--color-sem-icon-neutral-default)\"\/><path d=\"M21.1351 21.1351C15.0276 27.2427 11.25 35.6802 11.25 45C11.25 63.6396 26.3604 78.75 45 78.75C54.3198 78.75 62.7573 74.9724 68.8649 68.8649M21.1351 21.1351C27.2427 15.0276 35.6802 11.25 45 11.25C63.6396 11.25 78.75 26.3604 78.75 45C78.75 54.3198 74.9724 62.7573 68.8649 68.8649M21.1351 21.1351L68.8649 68.8649\" stroke=\"var(--color-sem-icon-neutral-default)\" stroke-width=\"7.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/><\/g><defs><clippath id=\"clip0_10846_5865\"><rect width=\"90\" height=\"90\" fill=\"white\"\/><\/clippath><\/defs><\/svg><figcaption>Content cannot be displayed without consent<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Zubimendi was forced to withdraw from international duty last weekend after experiencing a knee issue with Spain. He played 13 minutes of La Roja&#8217;s friendly clash against Serbia last Friday, but experienced &#8216;discomfort&#8217; in his knee before leaving the squad to avoid any further risk.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">It is currently unclear whether he will be fit enough to play a part in Arsenal&#8217;s FA Cup quarter-final at Southampton on Saturday night (8pm BST). The Gunners then travel to Sporting in the first leg of their Champions League last eight clash three days later.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"Factbox_factbox-container__hSMOa\" id=\"factbox\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Entering Factbox content\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"33693842\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"factbox\" data-testid=\"factbox\">\n<h3 class=\"HeadingThree_heading-three__PBHLs Factbox_heading-three__NXU52 __className_18bd99\">Grand National 2026 Preview: 48-Page Guide with Tips, Runners &#038; Expert Analysis<\/h3>\n<div class=\"Factbox_content__xdMV8\">\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The 48-page guide to the 2026 Randox Grand National is packed with interviews, features, stats and all you need for the 178th running of the world&#8217;s greatest steeplechase &#8211; <a aria-label=\"click here to order your copy todayLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/shop.regionalnewspapers.co.uk\/grand-national-preview-2026-5688-p.asp?utm_source=Grand+National+2026+-+All&amp;utm_medium=converse&amp;utm_campaign=Grand+National+2026&amp;utm_id=Grand+National+2026\" rel=\"nofollow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">click here to order your copy today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-33693839\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"33693839\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.football.london\/article33693839.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_GRAND-NATIONAL-NO-BRANDING-1.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.football.london\/article33693839.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_GRAND-NATIONAL-NO-BRANDING-1.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.football.london\/article33693839.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_GRAND-NATIONAL-NO-BRANDING-1.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.football.london\/article33693839.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_GRAND-NATIONAL-NO-BRANDING-1.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Thierry Henry has had his say on Arsenal as his former side chase a first Premier League title since they last won it with the Frenchman in 2004 Thierry Henry has delivered his verdict on Martin Zubimendi at Arsenal(Image: PA) Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has urged Martin Zubimendi&#8217;s critics to remember the uncertainty over Rodri [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1980,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arsenal"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1979","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1979"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1979\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1980"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}