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Arsenal striker Thierry Henry has won the PFA Player of the Year award and Newcastle midfielder Jermaine Jenas has been named Young Player of the Year.
Henry beat Manchester United rivals Ruud van Nistelrooy and Paul Scholes to the prestigious award voted for by the professionals.
Players are asked to consider the performance of their preferred candidate between February 2002 and February 2003 - rather than from the start of the current season, in August, up to now.
Henry said: "When I was in France I won the Young Player of the Year award there which is also voted by the players but maybe I didn't stay there long enough to win their main award. I was 19 at the time.
"I don't know if I'm in the best form of my life, I just try to do my best on the pitch. What has been important for me this season is not just how many goals I've scored, but how many I have set up.
"I know that goalscorers get judged at the end of the season by how many they score but if you can set up some as well then it is good for the team and I think I've had a bit of both this season. I am happy doing either.
"As long as the team does well I am happy and I always try to do my best. Winning is the most important thing no matter who scores."
But Henry could not find the net as the Gunners were held to a 2-2 draw at Bolton on Saturday and Manchester United opened up a five-point lead at the top of the Premiership with a 2-0 win at Spurs.
Jenas wins the Young Player award at the end of his first full season in the Premiership. The title comes two months after he won his first full England cap.
The 20-year-old said: "Winning this award is the highlight of my season, it's the biggest achievement I've had in my career so far. My England debut was special but I hope there's going to be a lot more of them, whereas this award comes from your fellow professionals. They judge you on your season's performance and footballers know other footballers and that's a special feeling."
However, Jenas did not make the PFA Premiership Team of the Season. The chosen 11 are: Brad Friedel (Blackburn); Stephen Carr (Spurs), Ashley Cole, Sol Campbell (both Arsenal), William Gallas (Chelsea); Patrick Vieira (Arsenal), Paul Scholes (Manchester United), Robert Pires (Arsenal), Kieron Dyer; Alan Shearer (both Newcastle) and Henry (Arsenal).
> Is all you do post news?
---
He reminds me of someone.
Someone who copied reports and news stories and never gave the source.
Someone who also copied reviews and was eventually banned because of it...
> I think Van Nistelrooy is a great player but I also feel that he
> relies too heavily on support from Scholes, Beckham and Giggs.
Well, cosidering he has played most of the season up front on his own...
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What a Hat-trick today!
Van man for the golden boot!
The 25-year-old French star denied Manchester United's Dutch goal-machine Ruud van Nistelrooy for the second time in a week to complete a prestigious double of awards.
Henry becomes only the fourth Frenchman to lift the Football Writers' Association (FWA) award, following in the footsteps of compatriots Eric Cantona, David Ginola and last year's winner, Robert Pires.
The Frenchman, who is on course to claim the Barclaycard Premiership's Golden Boot for the second season in a row, is also the 11th player to scoop both the PFA and FWA's trophies in the same season.
The chairman of the FWA Gerry Cox said: "Thierry Henry is a worthy winner who has scored some magnificent goals this season and made another massive contribution to Arsenal's season.
"Henry made all the early running when the poll opened, but was challenged by van Nistelrooy in a race which mirrored Arsenal and Manchester United's fight for the title."
Henry will be presented with his trophy at the FWA's annual dinner at the Royal Lancaster Hotel on May 15.
He beat off 12 other players, including van Nistelrooy, Newcastle skipper Alan Shearer, Chelsea's Gianfranco Zola and Arsenal skipper Patrick Vieira.
And Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said of Henry: "He is a fantastic striker. He has made the exceptional become normal."
> But what has he really done for his club this season??
> Knocked-out of Europe
At the same stage as Europe.
> stuttering in the Title Race
Unlike Newcastle, who CRASHED AND BURNER in the title race after a 6-2 hammering.
> and up against
> Sheffield United in the FA Cup Final who could really teach them a
> lesson about cockiness on an off-day!
You mean Southampton? So you're saying that getting to the FA Cup Final is a BAD thing?
> Alan Sheaer's carried Newcastle much-further than anyone could've ever
> expect, this season...
His goals have helped, but they haven't made the season. A more stable back four bolstered by Woodgate, a battling yet quick midfield with Dyer on the flanks, Jenas in the centre and Solano and Robert popping up with a few goals and of course Bellamy who does all the legwork for Shearer now he can't move about as much.
> They almost reached the Quarter-Finals of the
> Champions' League - and at the start of the season
Arsenal came closer
> you'd be lucky to
> find a number of people who'd believe they were even capable of
> reaching the 2nd Round!!
Going by your logic, Chris bleeding Marsden would be player of the year.
> And who'd have ever thought of them as serious Title Contenders,
> also?!?
> OK, so they're only third, now. But they've been pushing
> Arsénal and 'United all-the-way this season, sniffing-behind,
> waiting for a slip-up, so they can nick second-place.
10 points behind. Hanging on to third.
> The Player of the Season award shouldn't be just about a player's
> abillities on the ball, or how good his tallys are!
So it shouldn't be about how good the player is and how many goals he scores, it should be how his club does?
You are talking completely out of your , Solskjaer.
But what has he really done for his club this season??
Knocked-out of Europe, stuttering in the Title Race, and up against Sheffield United in the FA Cup Final who could really teach them a lesson about cockiness on an off-day!
Alan Sheaer's carried Newcastle much-further than anyone could've ever expect, this season... They almost reached the Quarter-Finals of the Champions' League - and at the start of the season, you'd be lucky to find a number of people who'd believe they were even capable of reaching the 2nd Round!!
And who'd have ever thought of them as serious Title Contenders, also?!?
OK, so they're only third, now. But they've been pushing Arsénal and 'United all-the-way this season, sniffing-behind, waiting for a slip-up, so they can nick second-place.
The Player of the Season award shouldn't be just about a player's abillities on the ball, or how good his tallys are!
Henry has one (very big) asset that Ruud doesn't, and that is the fact that he sets up a lot of goals for his team mates. That's what separates him from the rest.
> Ruud can't create his own goals, eh?
>
> Well, I suppose there was that sitter he dribbled from the halfway
> line against fulham. And then that effort against Arsenal not so long
> ago...
I thought he elbowed a player while doign that..
> Ruud can't create his own goals, eh?
>
> Well, I suppose there was that sitter he dribbled from the halfway
> line against fulham. And then that effort against Arsenal not so long
> ago...
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But that is pales in comparison to Henry and it's exactly what we see the Frenchman do week in and week out.
I think Van Nistelrooy is a great player but I also feel that he relies too heavily on support from Scholes, Beckham and Giggs.
> I feel it should've gone to Alan Shearer - just look at where
> Newcastle have gotten to this season, thanks, mainly to HIS goals!
That's ridiculous, following on from saying Henry didn't deserve it. You've described the same situation with Henry and Arsenal (with Henry being ahead of Shearer in the goals table and Arsenal ahead of Shearer in the league).