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Camden New Journal - by RICHARD OSLEY and PETER KNOWLES
Published: 1 May 2008

Thierry won’t rise again, but Walcott could be the real second coming

YOU got the impression this week that Thierry Henry would rather have been dancing at Derby with Adebayor and Eboue – the pair of them do a mean cha-cha-cha when they are 6-2 up – than being taunted by Sir Taggart and his giant stopwatch at Old Trafford.
Did you see Fergie, standing there, arm at a right angle, moronic glaze over his face, as he counted down the seconds in United’s win against Barcelona? The groundsmen at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow – it’s a little-known fact that Russia’s best footy stadium was named after Oleg Luzhny – will have been immediately put on red alert. If they escape the warm-down in one piece, they will have hosted a good final.
It was sad, though, to see Thierry thrown to the lions as an ineffectual sub. Watching him being terrorised by old enemies was a bit like the scary bit when the witch gets Aslan the Lion in Narnia – but this time there isn’t likely to be a happy resurrection.
Unless, like they once said on the Highbury terraces, that Thierry’s arrival at Arsenal was really a second coming.
It would have been great if he had recalled some of that old magic on Tuesday night and set up a goal with a speedy, dribbling 80-yard run.
But only one player has lit up the Champions League like that this season – and his name is Theo Walcott.

NOW cheer up you Gooners. Although you may not have won anything this season you can bask in a little reflected glory.
West Brom have just been promoted to the Premiership and have been regularly referred to in the media as the “Arsenal of the Championship” – so it is still possible to succeed playing the beautiful passing game.
Come Sunday afternoon at QPR it could be the Championship title as well, which would be the Baggies’ first league title since they won the big one in 1920.

This is what makes it exciting following the Albion – unlike followers of the big four we don’t turn up to games assuming we will win.
You always expect the unexpected, and three promotions and two relegations in the last seven seasons says it all.
Watching the Albion this season has been superb entertainment, with the team scoring more goals than any other in all four divisions.
You supporters of teams in the Premiership are unbelievably lucky to have the chance to watch the Baggies next season, but beware – we passed Portsmouth to death in the Cup semi-final and only lost because the ref failed to see a handball.
Don’t expect the Baggies to do a Derby. You have been warned!

* West Bromwich Albion fan Peter Knowles is a former master at Highgate Boys’ School and member of the London Baggies supporters club

• The New Journal is inviting readers to tackle Osley in The People’s Perch. Send your column and a photo to The Crow, 40 Camden Road, NW1 9DR or by email sports@thecnj.co.uk

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