Henry: Arsenal below expectation in last three years as he criticises Arteta over lack Of striker signing
Amidst Arsenal’s struggle to win a major trophies for four years after the FA Cup success in 2020, Thierry Henry says his old club are below expectation.
Arsenal record goalscorer and legend Thierry Henry has slammed his former club underachievement in the past three years as compare them with other top-flight clubs.
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has had a firm grip on the club since joining from Manchester City in 2019.
Making the Gunners frequently challenge for titles every season.
Howbeit, the club have not been able to win any piece of major trophy since defeating their London rivals, Chelsea, in the FA Cup final during Arteta’s first campaign in 2020.
Arsenal Below Expectation In Last Three Years – Henry
The Gunners have finished as runners-up in the last three Premier League campaigns, and were just knocked out by Paris Saint Germain (PSG) in the semi-finals of the current UEFA Champions League season.
“I’m not saying that I’m disappointed with Arsenal, but it’s normal that people are raising questions now about what the team is doing,” Henry told the Stick to Football podcast.
“I understand that at the very beginning you arrive and it’s not your team. You need at the very least three or four transfer windows to change everything that you want to.
“It takes time and you have to give a manager time to be able to implement what he wants to do.
“For the last three years Arsenal have been in a situation where they should have at least brought one cup or [reached] a final.”
Arsenal are on the average of 82 points per season over the last three EPL seasons, but Henry compared his former club with Manchester United, who have lifted two titles and appeared in five finals during the last five years.
Arsenal Below Expectation In Last Three Years – Henry
“Manchester United have played in five finals in the last five years, the United that everyone laughs at−whereas for Arsenal in the last three years of building, they’ve not reached a final,” said Henry.
“So I do understand when people ask the question, ‘surely you should compete for a trophy?'”
Arteta Had All The Time To Sign A Striker – Henry
Thierry Henry appears critical of Mikel Arteta’s transfer dealings as he said the coach should have signed a No. 9 by now, and quizzed why his former club have not reached finals in any tournament in recent seasons.
Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta has been pierced once again by the criticism from former Arsenal captain and striker Thierry Henry for having not signed a striker yet.
The stern criticism came after Arsenal have failed again to win any silverware this season, and claimed that the Arsenal manager has “he had enough time to get a nine.”
While acknowledging the fact the injuries to key players hampered their season, the Arsenal legend cited the lack of a proper fronts man as the main issue.
Arsenal Below Expectation In Last Three Years – Henry
In his recent podcast with Overlap Stick to Football, Henry said: “When you look at the injuries and you look at the players that came, he brought players.
He got [Raheem] Sterling when everyone wanted a nine. He had time to get a nine.
“I’m not the coach, I don’t know how the discussion (went)…everyone has been screaming for a nine – apart from when we win, by the way. When we beat Real Madrid, we didn’t need a nine.”
In recent times, Arsenal have been linked with Newcastle’s Alexander Isak, Sporting Lisbon’s frontman Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, but the former French attacker believes his former club should all out for former Manchester City’s forward Julian Alvarez, whom he claims would be answer to their attacking problems.
He said: “One of my favourite nines out there at the minute is Julian Alvarez. We’ve been talking about it, putting pressure, playing alone, low, whatever you want to do. Did you see the free-kick he scored the other day?
“He can hold the ball alone, he played at the Olympic Games, he played in the Copa America. I don’t hear him saying, ‘I’m tired’ or not tired.
“Hopefully nothing bad is going to happen to him. He’s played everything and the way he plays, I just like him.”
In a season when Newcastle United and Crystal Palace won the domestic cups and Tottenham and Chelsea winning the UEFA Europa League and Conference League respectively, Arteta’s lack of silverware has raised critical questions.
When Henry continues to throw his weight behind the Arsenal manager, he knows the drought cannot continue.
Arsenal Below Expectation In Last Three Years – Henry
When asked about Arteta’s project at Arsenal, the 47-year-old admitted that the Spaniard was doing a “great job”, but stressed that: “At the beginning when it’s
not your team, you need at the very least three to four transfer windows to be able to change everything that you want to change.
“It takes time. You have to give a manager time to be able to implement what he wants to do.
“Now, the last three years, we’ve been in a situation where we should at least bring a cup [to the club], or [be in] a final.
While on the Transfer Talk podcast, Sam Tighe proposes that Arsenal should go all out for Real Madrid’s Rodrygo and claims he is the calibre of player the Gunners should look to sign.
“Man United played five finals in their last five years – the United that everyone laughs at. In the last three years of building, you [Arsenal] didn’t reach a final.
“So I do understand when people ask the question – surely you should have competed for a trophy being in the final.
“This year we didn’t compete with Liverpool.
I don’t know what people think, but we didn’t compete, not once.
“I’m not saying this season was a disappointment, but it’s normal that people are raising questions now about what the team is doing.”
Arsenal Below Expectation In Last Three Years – Henry
