TT is always the answer, of course, but with the troubles we’re having finding the perfect left 8 I’d love to drop Santi Cazorla into our current team. Incredibly press resistant, works hard, and more than creative enough to make our left side as dangerous as our right.
Sorry for the essay, but in the modern game, Henry wouldn’t have the space/time to operate as a lone striker. defensively, the game has evolved so much more and it operates more of a unit, than a bunch of individual players back in the day.
Henry would have thrived as an inside forward on the left in the modern game, but would be more contained as a lone striker. Henry would like to either drop deep to carry the ball up field, or make line breaking runs. the closest player around to henry would be mbappe, and he openly states that he despises playing as a lone striker.
RVP is more intelligent positionally, liking to drift into pockets between defenders and midfielders. he is also more adept at controlling balls in tighter spaces and honestly think he is a better pure finisher than Henry. Anelka was like Gabby J (without the workrate). You could just ping balls to him and he can hold it up for you, he was decent in the air, good dribbling, good strength and arguably a better pure finisher than Henry too.
Henry was basically playing as an inside forward before it became a thing. He was never as good at playing as a lone 9, his best work with another striker in the early days, or on the wing later on in his career.