Arsenal Legend Henry Slams Arteta's Trophy Record

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry believes the team should have won more trophies in recent years despite consistent Premier League finishes. Read more.

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry believes the team should have won more trophies in recent years. Since Mikel Arteta took over in 2019, Arsenal has shown significant improvement, but the club's trophy haul has been limited to just one major title, the 2020 FA Cup. Henry thinks Arsenal's efforts over the past three seasons warrant more silverware.

Arsenal has consistently performed well in the Premier League, finishing as runners-up for three consecutive seasons. Although they pushed Manchester City hard in two of those seasons, they ultimately fell short, and in the most recent season, they finished a significant distance behind Liverpool. In European competition, Arsenal reached the Champions League quarterfinals one season and the semifinals the next, where they were eliminated. Additionally, they were knocked out in the League Cup semifinals.

“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,” Henry, 47, told the Stick to Football podcast.

“I understand that at the very beginning, 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.

“For the last three years, Arsenal have been in a situation where they should have at least brought one cup or (reached) a final.”

Thierry Henry has questioned Arsenal's progress 🫣 pic.twitter.com/pULefBP5WT

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 28, 2025

Arsenal's North London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, recently ended their 17-year trophy drought by winning the Europa League. Meanwhile, Newcastle United also celebrated a long-awaited win with their League Cup triumph, snapping a decades-long drought. Crystal Palace made history by winning their first major trophy in the FA Cup. Even Manchester United, despite their decline, has managed to secure trophies, including the FA Cup and League Cup in recent seasons. This highlights Arsenal's relative trophy drought under Mikel Arteta.

“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,” said Henry.

“So I do understand when people ask the question, 'Surely you should compete for a trophy?'”