Monday 27 April 2015 14:00, UK
Arsenal need to strengthen their squad with four "top-quality" players to stand any chance of winning the Premier League, according to Sky Sports’ Thierry Henry.
The Gunners were held to a goalless draw at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday as Chelsea closed in on a fourth Premier League crown.
Henry believes Arsenal must now replicate the transfer policy employed by Chelsea last summer if they are to have any chance of ending their 10-year wait for the title.
“Arsenal need to buy four players, they need that spine,” the Frenchman told Super Sunday.
“They need a goalkeeper, they still need a centre-back, they still need a holding midfielder and, I’m afraid, they need a top, top-quality striker in order to win this league again.
“The best example for me today was Chelsea. They struggled last year and they were still competing to win the league. They now have [Thibaut] Courtois, [Nemanja] Matic, Cesc [Fabregas] and Diego Costa.
“For me that speaks volumes, and we saw it today. A team didn’t and a team did, and Chelsea are about to win the league.”
Arsenal need to buy four players, they need that spine. They need a goalkeeper, they still need a centre- back, they still need a holding midfielder and, I’m afraid, they need a top, top-quality striker in order to win this league again.
Asked whether he thought Wenger would actually go out and address the areas of Arsenal’s squad he feels need improving, Henry added: “He has to do it.
“If you take the goalkeepers, for example, at Bayern Munch, Chelsea, Manchester United and a lot of other teams.
“You need that type of player, you need that competitiveness within the group and you need great players. In order to win the league that has to happen.”
While highlighting areas which he feels need bolstering at the Emirates, Henry went on to claim it was time a number of the club’s top players started to perform on a more consistent basis.
“Players need to perform also,” Henry said. “I will single out Mesut Ozil, who made his eighth appearance against a top-four team today.
“Zero goals, two assists. That is not enough. Since joining Arsenal he has 14 assists. Now if you look at Fabregas at Chelsea, he has 16 assists in one season.
“At one point, I do think, and I do believe, the players have to step up and stand their game up.”
