Thierry Henry has questioned Arsenal’s lack of silverware under Mikel Arteta.
The Gunners have made steady progress since Arteta returned as head coach in December 2019 but the FA Cup victory achieved later that season remains the only trophy won under the Spaniard.
Arsenal finished second in the Premier League for the third successive season and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, both notable achievements but Henry says titles are what really matter.
Normal to raise questions over lack of trophies – Henry
He told the Stick to Football podcast: “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,
“I understand that at the very beginning [for Mikel 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.
“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?’”
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Arsenal’s progress has been hampered by the lack of an out-and-out striker, according to Henry.
They lost both Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus to injury after Christmas and that contributed to a lack of firepower at crucial times.
“When you look at the injuries and the players that came, [Arteta] brought players – he got [Raheem] Sterling when everyone wanted a number nine, and he had time to get a number nine,” added former Gunners hero Henry.
“When we beat Real Madrid, we don’t need a number nine apparently. I don’t understand the way people change the way they talk – we need a number nine when we’re not scoring and then suddenly, we go on a winning run, and no one mentions it. [Arsenal] need a number nine, a proper number nine.”
Arsenal have already been linked with the likes of Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokores and are expected to recruit a centre forward this summer.
