Arsenal legend Thierry Henry believes that Arsenal can give a fight to Chelsea for the Premier League title next season but only if they strengthen further.
Arsene Wenger started the transfer window brightly by acquiring the services of Petr Cech from Chelsea. But, after that, there is a big lull at the Emirates Stadium while the competitors have started making their own buys. Manchester United have had a very busy time so far with the signings of Memphis Depay, Morgan Schneiderlin, Matteo Darmian and Bastian Schweinsteiger. Liverpool added many more players to their squad including Nathaniel Clyne and Firminho.
Henry believes that the next season title race is going to be far closer than what it was last season. Chelsea will try with all might to defend the tile while he believes that the strike power of Sergio ‘Kun’ Aguero could be the difference for Manchester City. His favorite opponents United will be trying to get closer to the top and Henry believes that they will be a threat.
More importantly Henry believes that Arsenal has the mentality and top-quality players to go all the way for the title but he thinks that we still need to invest. He said on SkySports: “That team, I think, has great mentality, top-quality players and match-winners. I still think they need four players to get closer to Chelsea,”
“I compare it to my generation. I knew, for example, when I first arrived at Arsenal that if I was not performing after an hour, Dennis Bergkamp was on the bench sometimes or Kanu or Sylvain Wiltord or Davor Suker. Whoever it was, I knew I had an hour to perform.”
Goal understands the Gunners are prepared to be patient in their pursuit of Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema with Wenger refusing to rule out a move, and Henry feels another forward is important.
“Olivier Giroud alone there as a natural-born striker, it is difficult, because they say when he does not score, it is very difficult,” he added.
“Hopefully Theo Walcott could be the answer. You have a guy who you did not think was going to play as a striker, although he has been the talk of the town for a little while, him playing as a striker.
“You know some people still question Arsene Wenger, but I still think that Arsene has the right attitude and fire; the fire in his belly to try to make sure that team can win another title.”
It is not difficult to see why Henry spoke about reinforcements. Currently we have only Olivier Giroud as the natural striker leaving the injury-prone Danny Welbeck and probably Theo Walcott as the back-up. Any side that wants to win a title will be well served by a 25-goal scoring forward. Arsenal is no exception.
Arsenal are blessed with an array of attacking midfielders but they could be well served by a defensive pass master. Wenger was looking at Schneiderlin for a long time but passed the opportunity to sign him this season. William Carvalho was another name that was mentioned quite often but he is injured now. The Gunners could also look at recruiting another central defender to add cover and experience. Several names were mentioned but apparently no concrete efforts were made to sign any of them.
Henry’s Arsenal side had a number of world-class players at all positions. It must be hurting him to see Arsenal go these many years without a Premier League title. It is a cliché at Arsenal to say that the side will challenge for title this year. But, Wenger will want to make sure that he can add another title to his resume.
Sridhar
Oh Henry! Come and manage this team. He says 4 i would be happy with 2 excellent players that can up the quality of the team. Vidal would have been perfect in the middle or Lewandowski or Cavani as strikers.
We might wait until the end and get Benzema but to be perfectly honest, I dont think he is what we need.
I don’t think Lewandowski will be going anywhere. Bayern fans were very angry that the club let Schweinsteiger go. I don’t think they’d accept the sale of another of their best players, especially since they’re under no pressure to sell, they’ve got plenty of money of their own.
At least they are getting Vidal to ease their Schweiny pain. Hear you regarding Lewandoski – but that Pep is both brilliant and odd – if he doesn’t like you/rate you then you are history, doesn’t matter who you are. Nothing would surprise me with him. Still seems odd playing RL as a wide forward – not as if Bayern are overflowing with CFs.
All comps last 2 seasons:
Benzema 46 goals.
Alexis 46.
Giroud 41.
Slightly unsettling that Henry thinks we need FOUR more signings. After watching the game today it’s pretty clear that we’re almost complete. To get a striker better than giroud will cost 35mil+ and i personally love watching Theo upfront. People are so divided about if he should play up front or on the wing but his movement as a forward is beyong exciting and he can clearly finish.
I think two is the general consensus among Arsenal fans. But with Walcott I think he’s more dangerous on the wing. Being out wide it’s easier to get in behind defences, you can run between the fullback and centre back – exactly what he did for his goal today. Playing in the middle, it’s a lot more difficult because there’s less space so you can’t accelerate as much and it’s a much more difficult pass for the midfielders to play.
Yes, we look pretty complete in an uncompetitive pre-season game against Everton.
Giroud was also world class today as usual.
I think Thierry is having memory lapses and a touch of the rose-tinted syndrome. Some of our younger fans might be forgiven for imagining Thierry and the boys were knocking them in for fun every game.
Arsenal scored at a rate of 1.94 goals a league game in the time Thierry was with us (1999-2007).
Arsenal has scored at a rate of 1.91 goals a league game since he left (2008-2015). Put simply, an extra goal a season. During our most successful years we scored at 1.88 goal per game for the period covering our 3 PL titles from 1998-2004. The 3 seasons with Giroud we are at 1.85. The bigger differences are with goals conceded/game.
As I and other have said before, not conceding is a greater problem for us than not scoring enough. Of course it wouldn’t hurt to improve both numbers in the right direction.
Arsenal vs Chelsea
Very important game
0-0
The difference between a title winning team and a pretender is the striker.
Terry and his partner totally marked him out.
Giroud is only good for the stokes , Everton,Swansea etc of this world
Totally…we need a striker like Falcao, Cavani that guarantee goals
I’d like Cavani. Can’t see it happening though, PSG don’t want to sell by the look of it. Plus even if they were going to sell, it looks like United are after him, and they have Di Maria as a bargaining tool.
if we pay them what they wants…we will get Cavani
Well even Aguero failed to score, in both games, when Chelsea parked the bus against Man City at the Etihad and Stamford bridge. Giroud scored against Man United, Man City and Liverpool this season. He still isn’t the quality we need for a first choice striker, but he has improved and is a good player nonetheless. We all want to see someone better, but let’s not go overboard with criticism.
I think Giroud can have an exceptional season. He’s extremely good.
Yes, he is world class. We don’t need another striker. Giroud has given us 3 great seasons and we have won the EPL in two of those seasons.
Hey k….read above what hnry said about himself buddy. It’s not getting rid of giroud…it’s getting someone else.
As Titi said….sometimes he didn’t perform for an hour and then there was wltord etc
Same here. I didn’t say sell Giroud. As a backup he will be very good. Not as Arsenal’s main striker.
He has been here for 3 seasons and fit most of the time and yet has barely been brilliant or achieved anything.
He didn’t win the golden boot in the EPL. He hasn’t been in the shortlist for EPL player of the year. Henry, RVP, Adebayor were all brilliant and won those awards or were shortlisted for it.
What have personal awards got to do with it? Giroud has won more Arsenal silverware in 3 seasons than RvP managed in 8 seasons, and the little boy had the help of Adebayor and Henry along the way.
Arsenal’s top 11 are fine.
Cech Bellerin Koz Mertz
Monreal Coq Santi
Rambo Ozil Alexis Giroud.
Getting the best out of
the 17 second tier is the most
challenging issue.
Szcz Martinez Gabriel Chambers
Jenkinson Debuchy Gibbs
Arteta Flamini Rosicky
Wilshere Ox Theo Gnabry
Wellbeck Sanogo Campbell.
We also have a very promising youth squad.
Hayden Moore Bielik Kamara Zelalem Crowley
Adelaide Fortune Niles Toral Iwobi Akpom
Sanogo Campbell Graiciar.
43 players to find roles for.
Find a suitable back up for coq and another striker to compete or even replace giroud and we’re set. I think arsenal as a unit is quite impressive at the moment. Cohesiveness is there, belief is at an all time high, and we finally have leaders all over the pitch. Even our subs are top notch. Just need one more option up front.
And shout out to the ox. That guy is gonna make defenders cry this season no doubt. Probably the only player who has adopted alexis “chase everything, gimme back the ball” style.
He must have said this because of our lack of action in this transfer window, thinking if he says four signings, Wenger might end up signing two players, which we all fans think are required. Holding midfielder and a striker……!!!!
I line what Henry said here. Proves that even the king himself didn’t perform at times.
So the unfair salting of some players is not even supported by the king.
It’s not about firing those players it’s about getting others in their position.
Now..who….that’s the key question
The fact is that arsenal have a dull moment in window which a Wenger special and all of the media have witnessed in recent transfers. Players like Kramer,bender are good solid defensive mids who are good and not highly priced. Karim benzema looks as the only striker at Madrid who gets goals other than ronaldo. Lacazette is young and can be mistake prone in premier league. Arsenal have wait for benzema for at least some time.
if we don’t get a better Striker than Giroud in, this season will be another mistake and frustrating for the Big players we have. And the result will be…. They would want to move on to other teams since we lack ambition to sign players that would complement their efforts. Ozil, Santi, Sánchez, Koschieny will get huge offers from other clubs and will demand transfers. Then we’ll start all over to build a team again. Pls Wenger do d needful, show these guys ambition Pls!!!!!!!!
If the Ox can get his act together and form a wing partnership with Sanchez we have enough mid field feeders to give Walcott the opportunity to share the striker role with Giroud. It really is up to Wenger how he rotates.
Know what you mean AJ – if Ox could pass and score he would be Ballon D’ Or nomination material. At the moment though looks like quite a big “if”. Love the guy, really hope he has his proper break-out season – and I keep forgetting the guy is only 21. Seems like he has been with us forever.
The Anfield boys didnt exactly have the best team in the league when they almost took the league 2 seasons ago.What really matters is the desire and fight in the team.They had the hunger and you would see it in every match. If we dont get injuries to our key lads and have that fight in us,am sure we will be contenders .
TH14 is now being paid by Sky sports to stir up the crap that is in the media. Do not believe a word of it
Arsenal does not really need a new striker as you are guaranteed 20 goals from Giroud, 15 from Theo Walcott, 20 from Sanchez, Ozil 5, Santi 5, Chambo 5, Ramsey 15 … you get the drift. Arsenal has goals all over the pitch and really doesnt need an out and out striker. Fitness and consistency is what Arsenal needs. If all the players can stay fit I dont see Arsenal been beaten to the finish line this season.