Even a sulking Henry is capable of moments of matchwinning brilliance

In times of trouble, a team looks to its senior players and, above all, to its captain, but what if the captain himself is desperately in need of a lift? That is the problem at Arsenal where, although Thierry Henry’s groin has healed, there are fears that his melancholy could last for months.

His malaise, a common one that has been known to twice afflict Steven Gerrard before he made a full recovery, begins as a nagging concern that everyone else is winning medals. Before too long, the player is refusing to sign a new contract or dropping hints through the newspapers (and often denying the quotes afterwards) that his ambition is not being matched by his club.

In Henry’s case, recovery from injury may see an immediate upturn in his mood but there are grave concerns among his employers that only a transfer to Spain can act as a permanent cure for his frustrations.

The prospect of him forming a fearsome attacking trident with Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto’ is said to be the talk of the Barcelona dressing room.

Arsenal, however, have not given up all hope of persuading Henry to extend his contract but well-placed sources are already saying that the best they may be able to hope for is an auction between Barcelona and Real Madrid to drive up the price.

Otherwise, it is a buyer’s market as Liverpool discovered to their cost when they had to sell Michael Owen to Real Madrid for ?8 million rather than risk him walking out for nothing 12 months later.

Henry will have only one year left and so expect an opening bid from Barcelona to be about ?20 million; less than half the ?50 million Roman Abramovich once offered which, given the lingering emnity between Arsenal and Chelsea, would still not be nearly enough.

Even a sulking Henry is capable of moments of matchwinning brilliance but the uncertainty over his future, and his inability to mask his disenchantment at Arsenal’s decline in the 12 months since they were renowned as the Invincibles, could overshadow a campaign that, in managerspeak, was always likely to be “transitional”. Or “bloody frustrating” in terrace vernacular.

Selling Patrick Vieira, at 29, to Juventus for about ?14 million made sense to Wenger and his board but the players have performed as though they still need convincing that it was the right decision. At times, like in surrendering the lead to lose 1-2 at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, a young team has been searching for its leader.

Vieira has gone and, for all his many gifts, Henry is not a natural successor to Tony Adams.

It all adds up to a difficult campaign for Wenger so it is as well that he has more credit than Abramovich’s savings account. Arsenal owe more to the Frenchman than to the financial organisations who have funded the new ?400 million stadium at Ashburton Grove.

There are valid criticisms, such as his failure to reinforce his squad ? with ?20 million-plus available according to some sources ? but, in football’s world of excess, it seems rich to have a go at a manager for spending his club’s money as if it was his own. Particularly at Highbury, where one manager thought Arsenal’s money was his own, and had to give it back.

The other, common “failing” of Arsenal is said to be their over-elaboration. Unashamedly aesthetic, Wenger can hardly be expected to apologise for trying to play pretty football at a time when the whole country is supposedly pleading for a break from 4-5-1.

With his squad at present depleted by injuries, the passing patterns are all too easy to disrupt and Wenger can be sure of a lack of sympathy from a couple of his managerial counterparts. Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson seize every opportunity to undermine the Frenchman ? or “old vinegar face” as one of his rivals has been known to describe him.

After their recent disputes, Chelsea, in particular, will take glee from Arsenal’s lowly eighth-place but, if this campaign represents one of Wenger’s biggest tests, there is an enduring faith beyond N5 that ‘The Professor’ can return with another great team.

If you doubt that, just ask most neutrals in London whether they would take a season ticket to Highbury or Stamford Bridge. The majority would not choose the home of the English champions, even after a weekend when the gap between them stretched to 14 points.