Arsenal legend Thierry Henry says he would love to have played alongside Olivier Giroud, despite having claimed Arsene Wenger would not win the title with the Frenchman as his first-choice striker.
In April 2015, after a 0-0 draw with Chelsea that ended Arsenal’s lingering hopes of a first league title since 2004, Henry offered a powerful critique of Giroud, who has long struggled to hold down the starting spot at the tip of Arsene Wenger’s attack.
However Henry insisted that questioning Giroud’s quality to lead the Arsenal attack was not the same as questioning his ability. Indeed Henry believes that as a link man the France international is “extraordinary”.
“I would have liked to have played with him,” Henry told L’Equipe. “As someone who brings others into play, he is extraordinary.
“I never criticised him. I responded to a question: ‘What must Arsenal do to become champions?’
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“To that I said that Giroud cannot be the only forward if Arsenal are to win the league. Some weeks before that question I was praising him. But no-one remembers that.
“It's been the situation for two years. I replied that Arsenal need a stronger spine, few injuries and for Mesut Ozil to lift his level to that he had played the season before. And another attacker other than Giroud, so there are more solutions and options in attack.”
Giroud scored the only goal in Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Chelsea but was once more confined to the bench, Alexis Sanchez returning to the central role he made his own at the start of the season whilst the Frenchman struggled with injuries.
The 30-year-old has continued to weigh in with crucial goals off the bench, scoring his eight Premier League goals at a rate of one every 82 minutes, but now finds himself competing for minutes with Danny Welbeck, back after eight months out with a knee injury, and summer signing Lucas Perez.
Wenger claimed it is the best frontline he has ever had over 20 years at Arsenal – even more so than Henry’s formidable ‘Invincibles’ frontline – and the Gunners’ record goalscorer sees similarities between the current attack and that which won two league titles in three seasons earlier in Wenger’s reign.
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Henry added: “I won the title because [Nwankwo] Kanu, Sylvain Wiltord and Freddy Ljungberg all scored at the end of the season.
“The goal in Manchester was scored by Wiltord, not me.
“This season, Alexis Sanchez is playing in attack. He’s the spearhead. And Olivier is doing enormous work, he is staying strong in his job.”
