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Thierry Henry explains defensive philosophy ahead of Monaco bow

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Thierry Henry said teams concede goals when the whole group of players are not pulling their weight, ahead of his first game as Monaco manager

Thierry Henry said his Monaco players will be expected to defend as a team under his management as he looks to arrest an alarming slide towards the foot of Ligue 1.

The former Arsenal striker will take charge of his boyhood club for the first time away at Strasbourg on Saturday evening.

Monaco fans will be desperate to see Henry succeed after just one win from their opening nine league matches led the club to part with former manager Leonardo Jardim.

"We often say that the defence leaks, but it's also because the forwards and the midfielders didn't do their job," said Henry.

"When we say that the forwards don't receive good balls in the right positions, it is because the defenders didn't get out well.

"It's a cliché but when you concede goals, it's not just because of the defence but the whole team."

Henry clearly knows about finding the net, but having a strong defensive strategy will please fans.

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Thierry Henry celebrates scoring the Arsenal goal during the FA Cup Third Round match between Arsenal and Leeds United at Emirates Stadium on January 9, 2012
Image: Henry celebrates scoring for Arsenal during his second stint at the club

Henry scored 25 goals in his time at Monaco, before moving to Juventus and then Arsenal in 1999, where he would go on to become the club's record goalscorer.

His captain at Monaco is also a centre-forward and goalscorer, Colombian Radamel Falcao, a player Henry is relying on to drag Monaco up the table.

"Radamel Falcao is the captain, the leader and the goalscorer. It is true that we had the chance to speak a little before training.

"He did not train much because he came back late. But he has scored the very few goals that the team were able to score lately.

Falcao in Champions League action for Monaco
Image: Henry is retaining Radamel Falcao as the Monaco captain

"Youri [Tielemans] also had two incredible goals against Toulouse and Marseille. But Falcao is the scorer and the charismatic leader of this team."

Just four days after taking on ninth-placed Strasbourg, Monaco visit Club Brugge in the Champions League before Henry's first home game against Dijon next Saturday.

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