John Terry and Jamie Carragher enjoyed lengthy and successful careers in the Premier League but there was one player in particular that left them frightened to come up against
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John Terry: Chelsea legend battled with Liverpool's Jamie Carragher in the Premier League
John Terry and Jamie Carragher had many battles against each other during their career
(Image: CHELSEA FC )
Thierry Henry easily ranks as the most terrifying player that both Jamie Carragher and John Terry had to face off against during their playing careers. The former England defenders made the revelation during an appearance on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football.
They are certainly among the most qualified to realise the absurd talent the Frenchman possessed during his time at Arsenal. Terry and Carragher were established defenders in the Premier League for the entirety of Henry's eight-year stay in north London.
The 44-year-old – who reigns as the club's all-time scorer with 228 goals to his name – is routinely regarded as one of the greatest players to grace English football and has the silverware, both team and individual, to back it up.
It was in 2017 when they paid the two-time Premier League winner high praise after Terry – a five-time league winner himself – was asked to pick out one player he was terrified of during his playing days.
The Chelsea legend simply responded: "Henry. You would know, mate. He was so quick", before Carragher jokingly interrupted to say: "Honestly, I'm still terrified of him now!"
Terry went on to explain how Henry being the complete player left him worrying about their battle the night before the match. "He (Henry) was the best by far and he had everything," the Stamford Bridge hero said.
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Chelsea legend John Terry was scared to play against Arsenal striker Thierry Henry
John Terry admitted he was terrified of playing against Thierry Henry
(Image: GETTY )
"His movement, he was like a silent assassin, wasn't he, because he score with his head, go short, go in behind, right foot, left foot.
"He was incredible. Literally, the night before games, he would be the one player in my career that I thought, 'Pfft, [it is] gonna be a tough day tomorrow'. And you'd wake up... and no one had that effect me at all but him."
As a right-sided centre back, Carragher was usually matched up with Henry who enjoyed possessing the space of the left channel which the Liverpool icon explained why it made the 1998 World Cup winner such a formidable opponent for him.
Thierry Henry of Arsenal battles for the ball with Jamie Carragher of Liverpool during the FA Barclaycard Premiership match between Arsenal and Liverpool
The former rivals are now CBS Sports colleagues
(Image: Getty Images)
"You would be thinking about him in a big game," he said to Terry. "You played left centre-back so you were okay - he was on the other side!
"The worst position to play against Thierry Henry was right-back not centre-back because he would always be running into that left channel. You'd have Ashley Cole, [Robert] Pires...
"I think if you'd asked me, 'What was the most difficult position – not just for me, for anyone, any player – that you wouldn't want to go back to', it was being a right full-back against that Arsenal team of 2002 to 2004.
"The movement, the pace, things would be happening that quickly you couldn't react to the first thing."
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Now colleagues for CBS Sports, Henry and Carragher are finally team-mates, much to the latter's preference.
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