Arsenal legend Thierry Henry believes the club’s recent progress under manager Mikel Arteta deserves more tangible success, insisting the team should have claimed more silverware over the past three seasons.
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Henry, the club’s all-time leading scorer and a former captain, praised Arteta’s rebuilding efforts but said the lack of trophies raises valid questions.
“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,” the 47-year-old said. “For the last three years, Arsenal have been in a situation where they should have at least brought one cup or reached a final.”
Since taking charge in 2019, Arteta has transformed Arsenal into consistent Premier League contenders. However, the only major silverware he has secured remains the FA Cup in 2020. Arsenal have finished second in the Premier League three seasons in a row, twice closely trailing Manchester City and, more recently, finishing well behind champions Liverpool.
Their European ambitions have also fallen short, with a Champions League semi-final exit this season following a quarter-final appearance the year before. Domestically, they were knocked out in the League Cup semi-finals.
Henry, who acknowledged that managers need time to shape a team, said Arteta was given that runway. “It takes time and you have to give a manager time to be able to implement what he wants to do,” he said. “But now, after three or four transfer windows and seasons of progress, people want to see that progress rewarded with trophies.”
The pressure on Arsenal is magnified by recent successes of rivals. Tottenham Hotspur ended a 17-year drought with a Europa League triumph last week, Newcastle United captured the League Cup, and Crystal Palace won the FA Cup, their first major trophy ever. Even Manchester United, who have struggled in recent years, have played in five finals over the past five seasons, winning the FA Cup last season and the League Cup in 2022–23.
“Manchester United, the club everyone laughs at, have still won trophies,” Henry noted. “Whereas Arsenal, despite all the building, haven’t reached a final in the last three years. So I do understand when people ask, ‘Surely you should compete for a trophy?’”
As Arteta looks ahead to another season, expectations will only grow louder. For many, including Henry, the time for near misses may be over.
Written By Rodney Mbua
