THIERRY HENRY is determined to make the most of every minute of his brief return to Arsenal.
The Emirates idol is still in dreamland after celebrating his Gunners comeback with an unforgettable FA Cup winner against Leeds on Monday.
Now he has set himself the task of helping the club he loves back into the Premier League's top four.
Henry, 34, expected to be on loan from New York Red Bulls until the end of February, declared: "There is a hell of a competition to qualify for the Champions League this year.
"The team is fifth in the table and that is not what you want to see as an Arsenal fan and, trust me, as an Arsenal player.
"If you think about the way they have recovered from the beginning of the season, it is clear the team is slowly getting into form.
"I am here to help them do that and, even if it is only for 20, 30 or 35 minutes, I will go out and do my best for the team.
"I know my time back with Arsenal is not going to last long, so I'm just trying to take it all in. That's something I didn't do enough of before.
"You know how it is, you come here for a game every three or four days and you don't enjoy it like you should.
"The last time I didn't know when I was going to leave. Now I know exactly when it will be over and I want to make the most of it."
Henry made a point of celebrating Monday's win with fitness coach Tony Colbert and dedicated his goal to the memory of former laundry woman Jean Scorey and Lynn Ann MacLennan, who used to look after his executive box at the Emirates.
He said: "It's very important for me that the families of these two ladies know that we are thinking of them. We need to recognise the work of the people behind the scenes at the club who the public might not see.
"A lot has changed at Arsenal since I moved to Barcelona in 2007. I don't know a lot of people here now and only played with a few of the current players.
"When I moved to the US, I always said I would never come back to play in Europe again.
"But when the team you love and support asks you back, it's hard to say no."
Manager Arsene Wenger has already decided 21-goal top scorer Robin van Persie will return to lead the attack for Sunday's Premier League trip to Swansea and does not know what role Henry will play at the Liberty Stadium.
Henry added: "I am not stupid enough to think I am going to be starting many games.
"I'm not 25 any more so don't expect me to take the ball from the middle of the park and dribble past five or six players.
"Monday night was one of the best moments of my career because it was the first time I wore the Arsenal shirt as an actual fan.
"I became a fan when I left the club in 2007, so now I know exactly how it feels to score for the club that I support.
"It all still feels like a dream. I just hope I don't wake up tomorrow and someone tells me it didn't actually happen."
The Emirates idol is still in dreamland after celebrating his Gunners comeback with an unforgettable FA Cup winner against Leeds on Monday.
Now he has set himself the task of helping the club he loves back into the Premier League's top four.
Henry, 34, expected to be on loan from New York Red Bulls until the end of February, declared: "There is a hell of a competition to qualify for the Champions League this year.
"The team is fifth in the table and that is not what you want to see as an Arsenal fan and, trust me, as an Arsenal player.
"If you think about the way they have recovered from the beginning of the season, it is clear the team is slowly getting into form.
"I am here to help them do that and, even if it is only for 20, 30 or 35 minutes, I will go out and do my best for the team.
"I know my time back with Arsenal is not going to last long, so I'm just trying to take it all in. That's something I didn't do enough of before.
"You know how it is, you come here for a game every three or four days and you don't enjoy it like you should.
"The last time I didn't know when I was going to leave. Now I know exactly when it will be over and I want to make the most of it."
Henry made a point of celebrating Monday's win with fitness coach Tony Colbert and dedicated his goal to the memory of former laundry woman Jean Scorey and Lynn Ann MacLennan, who used to look after his executive box at the Emirates.
He said: "It's very important for me that the families of these two ladies know that we are thinking of them. We need to recognise the work of the people behind the scenes at the club who the public might not see.
"A lot has changed at Arsenal since I moved to Barcelona in 2007. I don't know a lot of people here now and only played with a few of the current players.
"When I moved to the US, I always said I would never come back to play in Europe again.
"But when the team you love and support asks you back, it's hard to say no."
Manager Arsene Wenger has already decided 21-goal top scorer Robin van Persie will return to lead the attack for Sunday's Premier League trip to Swansea and does not know what role Henry will play at the Liberty Stadium.
Henry added: "I am not stupid enough to think I am going to be starting many games.
"I'm not 25 any more so don't expect me to take the ball from the middle of the park and dribble past five or six players.
"Monday night was one of the best moments of my career because it was the first time I wore the Arsenal shirt as an actual fan.
"I became a fan when I left the club in 2007, so now I know exactly how it feels to score for the club that I support.
"It all still feels like a dream. I just hope I don't wake up tomorrow and someone tells me it didn't actually happen."
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