Thierry Henry: Arsenal critics are correct to question Mikel Arteta's lack of trophies

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·28 mai 2025

Thierry Henry: Arsenal critics are correct to question Mikel Arteta's lack of trophies

The club have now gone five years without silverware, or even a final, under their big-spending boss

Thierry Henry says it is only normal that people are questioning Arsenal’s lack of silverware under Mikel Arteta and has urged the club to sign “a proper nine” this summer.

Arsenal won the FA Cup back in 2020, during Arteta’s first season in charge, but since then they have not lifted a major trophy.

The Gunners have finished runners-up in the Premier League in each of the past three seasons, while they also reached the semi-finals of the Champions League this year for the first time since 2009.

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Arteta has come under fire for the lack of silverware and Henry believes that is understandable when you look at how other sides have won trophies in the same period.

“I understand that at the very beginning [for Arteta] 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,” Henry told the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet.

Thierry Henry on the Stick to Football Podcast

Stick to Football Podcast

“It takes time and you have to give a manager time to be able to implement what he wants to do. Now, for the last three years, Arsenal have been in a situation where they should have at least brought one cup in or a final.

“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.

“So, I do understand when people ask the question: ‘Surely you should compete for a trophy?’

“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.”

Arsenal are expected to bolster their squad this summer as they bid to end their trophy drought next season. Henry has urged the club to bring in an out-and-out striker that can lead the line for them going forward.

[Arteta] brought players – he got Sterling when everyone wanted a no9, and he had time to get a no9

Thierry Henry

“When you look at the injuries [for Arsenal] and the players that came, [Arteta] brought players – he got Sterling when everyone wanted a no9, and he had time to get a no9,” said Henry.

“I’m not the coach, I don’t know the discussions, but everyone has been screaming for a no9, apart from when we win.

“When we beat Real Madrid, we don’t need a no9 apparently. I don’t understand the way people change the way they talk – we need a no9 when we’re not scoring and then suddenly, we go on a winning run, and no one mentions it. [Arsenal] need a no9, a proper no9.”

Arsenal’s season was marred by injuries, with Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard all out for three-month periods.

The Gunners were hit especially hard by hamstring injuries, and that is what kept Havertz and Saka out.

Gabriel also had his season ended in April by one and Henry believes the club must discover the root cause of the repeated hamstring injuries.

“This isn’t an attack, it’s a fact,” he said. “How come Arsenal have so many hamstring injuries? We all played and it’s usually on how you train.

“For the last three years, go and check out how many hamstring injuries Arsenal have got, and it’s gotten worse, so surely, there is something to work on here?

“Buying players, going to the right training camp, doing your cold bath, training well and not getting players injured – that’s on the staff.

“So, that’s also an area where work needs to be done. We can talk about bringing a player in, but what about if he pulls a hamstring? Where do we go?”