Thierry Henry—yeah, the Thierry Henry, Arsenal’s top goal scorer ever—recently shared what a lot of fans have probably been thinking quietly for a while now. He’s not exactly mad, but he is wondering how Arsenal, with all their progress under Mikel Arteta, still haven’t lifted a trophy in the last few years. And honestly? It’s kind of hard to argue with him.
He talked about it on the Stick to Football podcast and said something like, “Look, I’m not disappointed in them. But after all this time and effort, shouldn’t we have at least won a cup or made it to a final?” It’s not harsh. It’s just… fair. Because let’s be real, Arsenal have looked good. But good football doesn’t mean much if there’s nothing to show for it.
Arteta’s Done A Lot—But Is It Enough?
Now, Henry’s not ignoring the work Arteta’s put in. He even said it himself—it takes time. Managers need at least a few transfer windows to build the kind of squad they really want. And Arteta’s done that. The team looks way stronger than it did when he first arrived in 2019.
But here’s the thing: we’re not in the “just starting out” phase anymore. It’s been over five years. Arsenal have finished second in the Premier League three seasons in a row now. They’ve come close—real close. But that final step? Still missing. Henry’s just saying what a lot of people feel: the progress is great, but shouldn’t there be a trophy by now?
The Man United Comparison Hits Hard
One of the more interesting points Henry made was about Manchester United. Yeah, the same team people love to clown on these days. But guess what? In the last five years, they’ve made it to five finals and even won two trophies.
Compare that to Arsenal—who, in the last three years of being “in the mix” for major titles, haven’t made it to a single final. It stings a bit, doesn’t it? Henry wasn’t trying to drag anyone, but he was making a real point: it’s not just about playing nice football or being in the top two. At some point, you’ve gotta win.
So What Now?
It kind of feels like this upcoming season is going to be a big one. Arteta has built something solid, no doubt. But now the expectation is clear—win something. The fans want it. The club needs it. And people like Henry, who love Arsenal deeply, are just hoping to see all this progress finally turn into a trophy.
Maybe it’s the Champions League. Maybe it’s a domestic cup. Doesn’t really matter what it is. As long as it’s something.
