Providing assists was better than scoring goals ―Henry

Thierry Henry, Arsenal’s greatest ever striker, claims creating goals was better than scoring them.

The French hitman found the back of the net a club record 228 times for the Gunners, including 175 in the Premier League. In addition, he won the Golden Boot four times.

However, speaking as part of his role as ambassador for Cadbury, who will present a new Premier League Playmaker award – given to the player who registers the highest number of assists in a season – Henry insisted setting his team-mates up was a better feeling.

“I personally enjoyed providing assists more than scoring,” he said. “Being able to provide those moments for your team-mates brings great joy and I’m sure this award will inspire many more in the future to create great chances and even greater goals.”

Henry, now 40, had everything. He was quick, strong, possessed bags of skill and could conjure goals from seemingly impossible situations, which makes the fact he wasn’t even a recognised striker when he joined Arsenal in 1999 all the more staggering.

But his transformation from winger to top scoring hitman was quick and he tormented defences right up until leaving for Barcelona in 2007.

In a stellar career that also included two Premier League titles and two FA Cups, Henry actually recorded 74 Premier League assists and holds the record for the most in a season, when he set up 20 goals in the 2002/03 campaign.