Arsenal’s continued rise under Mikel Arteta has sparked endless debate about the final pieces needed to turn title challengers into serial winners.
While the club’s defensive structure and pressing game have drawn widespread praise, questions remain over whether Arsenal possess enough creativity to consistently unlock deep-lying defences. According to club legend Thierry Henry, that issue could prove decisive if Arsenal were to sign a striker like Julián Álvarez.
Speaking in his role as a pundit, Henry suggested that even a forward of Álvarez’s quality could face the same frustrations currently experienced by Viktor Gyökeres if Arsenal fail to address their creative shortcomings in midfield.
“A Striker Is Only as Good as the Service He Gets”
Henry, who knows better than most what it takes to thrive as an Arsenal striker, was blunt in his assessment. He argued that modern football too often places the blame on forwards when goals dry up, ignoring the importance of creativity behind them.
“You can bring in Julián Álvarez, you can bring in any striker in the world,” Henry said. “But if the team doesn’t consistently create clear chances, the striker will struggle. That’s what people are seeing with Gyökeres at times, and it wouldn’t be any different for Álvarez.”
Henry’s comments strike at the heart of a growing concern among Arsenal supporters. Despite dominating possession in many matches, Arsenal have frequently looked predictable in the final third, relying heavily on wide players and set pieces rather than incisive central creativity.
Gyökeres as a Warning Sign
Viktor Gyökeres arrived with a reputation as a powerful, ruthless finisher, capable of bullying defenders and converting half-chances. Yet in several high-profile matches, he has found himself isolated, feeding off scraps rather than clear-cut opportunities.
Henry believes this is not an indictment of Gyökeres’ ability, but rather a reflection of Arsenal’s attacking balance.
“People see a striker missing chances and they say he’s not good enough,” Henry explained. “But watch the game closely. How many times does he receive the ball facing the goal in dangerous areas? How many times is he played through one-on-one? Not enough.”
For Henry, this pattern would likely repeat itself with Álvarez, despite the Argentine’s intelligence, work rate, and experience at the highest level.
Why Álvarez Isn’t a Guaranteed Solution
Julián Álvarez is widely admired for his versatility. He can press from the front, drop into pockets of space, and link play effectively. On paper, he appears tailor-made for Arteta’s system. However, Henry warned that adaptability alone cannot compensate for a lack of creativity behind the striker.
“Álvarez is clever, he moves well, he works hard,” Henry noted. “But even clever movement needs someone to see it and play the pass. If Arsenal don’t have enough players who can break lines consistently, the striker ends up doing too much work and not enough finishing.”
This critique subtly shifts attention toward Arsenal’s midfield. While players like Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard offer control, leadership, and intensity, Henry suggested that the team lacks a natural chance-creator who can unlock compact defences week after week.
The Creative Void in Arsenal’s Midfield
Henry’s most striking claim was that Arsenal currently do not have enough creativity in central areas. While Ødegaard is admired for his pressing and positional discipline, Henry implied that Arsenal need an additional profile, a player who prioritizes invention over structure.
“In the best Arsenal teams I played in, we always had players who could see something others couldn’t,” Henry said. “One pass, one touch, and the striker is through. Right now, Arsenal rely too much on patterns and wide play.”
Without that unpredictable creative spark, Henry believes Arsenal risk neutralizing even elite forwards, turning prolific goal scorers into hard-working but frustrated attackers.
A Tactical Question for Arteta
Henry’s comments also raise broader tactical questions about Arteta’s philosophy. Arsenal’s control-based approach has brought consistency and defensive solidity, but has it come at the cost of attacking freedom?
If Álvarez were to join Arsenal, Henry suggested that Arteta would need to rethink the balance of his midfield, ensuring the striker is supported by players whose primary instinct is to create, not just to maintain structure.
“A striker should be thinking about finishing, not dropping deep every time to make something happen,” Henry emphasized. “If Álvarez comes and Arsenal don’t fix the creativity issue, people will say he’s struggling. But the problem will be deeper than that.”
A Caution, Not a Criticism
Importantly, Henry was careful to stress that his comments were not a criticism of Álvarez or Gyökeres. Instead, they were a warning to Arsenal as a club.
“This is not about names,” Henry concluded. “It’s about balance. If Arsenal want a striker to score 25 or 30 goals, they must give him the tools to succeed. Otherwise, even the best will look ordinary.”
As Arsenal continue to be linked with top attacking talents, Henry’s words serve as a timely reminder: signing a star striker is only part of the equation. Without genuine creativity in midfield, even a World Cup winner like Julián Álvarez could find himself fighting the same battles as Viktor Gyökeres, running hard, working tirelessly, and still waiting for the chances that never quite arrive.
