Bergkamp lauds Henry

THIERRY HENRY is the best striker in Europe on current form, according to his strike partner Dennis Bergkamp.

The France forward was at his imperious best at Elland Road on Saturday as he scored two first-half goals and could easily have had another brace with the backside of team-mate Ray Parlour stopping a late goalbound shot which would have brought up a well-deserved hat-trick.

Henry's international team-mate Robert Pires slipped a goal in between Henry's two strikes and Brazilian Gilberto made it 4-0 five minutes into the second half before Alan Smith's clever deflection from youngster Aaron Lennon's cross brought Leeds some consolation.

Bergkamp said: "Leeds are having a difficult time and they gave too much space away. If you give teams like us too much space then you are struggling.

"Thierry's main strength, is to score goals and go forward. I feel I shouldn't be the one who takes that away from him.

"He is the best player in those positions to finish it.

"He is looking strong, he is a great finisher as well. I think it is very hard to defend that sort of player.

"If he doesn't kill you with pace he does it with skill and strength.

"When you look at the whole package, I don't think there is a striker in Europe who has got that."

By contrast, Bergkamp has yet to score this season although he came the closest so far when his shot with the outside of his right foot from the edge of the penalty area rebounded off a post for Henry to net his second.

"It is not as if I am thinking about it a lot because there are players around me who score goals," he added.

"I am happy to be the provider. It is always nice to score goals, I want to score goals and I am getting closer."