‘They can’t win Champions league with someone like Havertz and Bukayo Saka, they’re below average’: Thierry Henry predicts whether Arsenal can win the Champions League this season
Arsenal have impressed on their first Champions League campaign since 2016-17, reaching the last 16 as group winners.
With the knockout stages of the competition getting under way this week, the Gunners will begin getting a picture of how the tournament is shaping up.
Arsenal have to wait until next week before they get their Champions League knockout campaign under way, facing Porto away on Wednesday 21 February.
Gunners legend Thierry Henry was in the CBS Sports studio for the first games of the knockout stage as FC Copenhagen hosted Manchester City and RB Leipzig faced Real Madrid.
As an Arsenal icon who still keeps tabs on how the Gunners are doing, Henry was asked whether he felt Mikel Arteta’s charges have what it takes to win the tournament.
Thierry Henry says Arsenal are “tough to beat” when firing on all cylinders
Henry delivered an in-depth reply which also sought to respond to criticism of Arsenal regarding their lack of an out-and-out No. 9.
“It will be a tough game against Porto away,” he said, as per CBS Sports Golazo’s X. “I do think, we pass that well, we can beat them at home.
“I just think that, you know, there was a massive discussion about Arsenal needing a No. 9. What they need to do is to put the ball in the back of the net, and when Arsenal put the ball in the back of the net, it’s 6-0.
“In every game it would’ve been the same, in the cup against Liverpool, they didn’t do it. They did it with a bit of help in the league.
“When Arsenal are on point and put the ball in the back of the net, it doesn’t matter who plays. If we turn out opportunities into going we are going to be very difficult team to beat.
“Having said that, the draw is going to be tough. After (Porto) you can meet a team from your country, it depends on the path.
“If – that’s a massive if because Porto will be tough – you go to play Man City, you have to beat maybe Madrid if they go through. How are you going to deal with that?
“If you’re still competing also in the league to win it, those are the questions we’re going to have to answer of the team.
“But for me, it wasn’t down to not having a No. 9 scoring. Yes, the front three wasn’t scoring a lot but it was about putting the ball in the back of the net. When we do, we’re tough to beat.”
Arsenal have what it takes to win Champions League – Our View
Arsenal certainly have what it takes to go all the way in the Champions League.
You can definitely argue that the Gunners aren’t the finished product just yet. Aside from the No. 9 debate, you could also argue that more strength in depth at full-back is needed.
However, when it comes to two-legged encounters against teams of equal or higher quality that will likely take the game to Arsenal, then the Gunners definitely have a chance.
We’ve seen it against the likes of Liverpool and Man City, and obviously Arsenal will need to juggle Champions League commitments with Premier League commitments, but the quality – when you’re looking at their strongest XI – is there.
