Thierry Henry has criticised Mikel Arteta over his failure to sign an out-and-out frontman, insisting the Arsenal manager has “had time to get a nine”. The north London club finished second behind Premier League champions Liverpool this season and failed to add to the single trophy – the 2020 FA Cup – won by Arteta during his five-and-a-half-year reign to date.
While acknowledging that fitness problems had played a part, the Gunners record goalscorer highlighted the lack of a No 9 as a key issue. 80% of all televised Premier League games next season are on Sky SportsTransfer Centre LIVE! | Arsenal news & transfers | FREE Arsenal PL highlightsGot Sky? Watch Arsenal games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW 📺Henry told the Overlap Stick to Football podcast: 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. Im not the coach, I dont 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 didnt need a nine. Arsenal have been linked repeatedly with Newcastles Alexander Isak – the Magpies Champions League qualification is likely to make that even more difficult – and also Sporting frontman Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzigs Benjamin Sesko.
However, Henry – a 1998 World Cup winner with France – believes Atletico Madrids former Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez could be the answer to their problems. He said: One of my favourite nines out there at the minute is Julian Alvarez.
Weve 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 dont hear him saying, Im tired or not tired. Hopefully nothing bad is going to happen to him. Hes played everything and the way he plays, I just like him. Artetas lack of silverware at the end of a season during which Newcastle and Crystal Palace claimed the domestic cups and Tottenham were triumphant in the Europa League has raised questions.
While Henry continues to back the Spaniard, he knows that drought cannot continue. Asked about what Arteta has built, the 47-year-old said admitted he was doing a great job, but added: At the beginning when its 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, weve been in a situation where we should at least bring a cup [to the club], or [be in] a final.
Man Utd played five finals in their last five years – the United that everyone laughs at. In the last three years of building, you [Arsenal] didnt 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 didnt compete with Liverpool. I dont know what people think, but we didnt compete, not once. Im not saying [this season was a] disappointment, but its normal that people are raising questions now about what the team is doing.
Sky Sports to show 215 live PL games from next season From next season, Sky Sports Premier League coverage will increase from 128 matches to at least 215 games exclusively live. And 80 per cent of all televised Premier League games next season are on Sky Sports
