Arsenal legend Thierry Henry was not an easy man to win the ball from.
Not only is the Frenchman considered to be one of the greatest players in Premier League history, but his playing style made him a particularly challenging opponent for defenders. Able to combine world-class creativity and technique with a unique level of speed, anyone attempting to tackle Henry was inevitably prone to conceding fouls - that's if you were even quick enough to make contact with him.
So perhaps it's not too surprising that back in 2006, at the start of what proved to be Henry's last season at the Emirates, the forward complained that almost all Premier League defenders resorted to the dark arts of holding and shirt-pulling.
However, the World Cup winner named one exception who plied his trade on the opposite side of North London.
Henry Revealed Only Premier League Defender Who Could Win the Ball Cleanly
"He is the only guy who doesn't hold players"
thierry henry jamie carragher micah richards
As reported by The Independent, Henry named Tottenham legend Ledley King as a rare exception to the way most defenders tried to contain him in the Premier League. King, often referred to as a 'rolls-royce centre-back', was mainly known for two things - a horrendous injury record, and an elegant, almost effortless playing style. Speaking of King in August 2006, Henry said...
"I don't like defenders who hold the shirts of other players. The only defender here who doesn't do that and sometimes still gets the ball off my feet easily is Ledley King. He is the only guy who doesn't hold players. He will get the ball off you without you even noticing. For me, that is a good defender. He plays without any contact yet is somehow still strong and gets the ball without doing any fouls."
Interestingly, this wasn't the only time King was praised for his tackling, either. He's often credited with having made the greatest tackle in Premier League history when he stopped Chelsea's Arjen Robben from scoring despite the speedy Dutchman having a seven-yard head start in a one-on-one situation.
Thierry Henry's Record Versus Ledley King
King often had Henry's number
Robbie Keane and Ledley King celebrate winning the League Cup
While Henry may have admired King's playing style, it wasn't especially effective at stopping Arsenal from continually taking points from Spurs during the period in which their careers crossed over. In fact, King never beat an Arsenal side with Henry in the team; the Frenchman won six and drew three of their nine meetings.
On an individual level, though, the statistics suggest Henry found it more difficult to score against King than other opponents. He only scored twice during those nine games, with both netting in their ultimate encounter - a thrilling 5-4 victory for the Gunners in the Premier League. Compare that to Henry's career strike-rate of 0.45 goals per game, and there's a notable difference.
King also drew plaudits for his performance against Henry in the Group Stages of Euro 2004, when he stood in for an injured John Terry. As the reigning European champions and 1998 World Cup winners, France were a formidable side and came out as 2-1 winners. But Henry had a reasonably quiet afternoon, except for winning a last-minute penalty thanks to a David James foul, which Zinedine Zidane converted to complete a brace.
Unfortunately for King, that was the only occasion in which he played a full ninety minutes for England at a major tournament due to injury issues and the strength of competition for a place in the side. Nonetheless, King is well remembered for the quality he continually showed during a career that might have been even better, had it not been for fitness problems.