Thierry Henry worried over Arsenal’s Europa League campaign
Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has said that he is worried about the Gunners’ Europa League campaign despite the good progress made by the squad this term.
The north London giants have made a superb start to the campaign with five wins from six Premier League games, and they are currently top of the standings.
They will begin their Europa League campaign against FC Zurich this evening and ahead of the game, Henry has his concerns over the depth of the squad.
Speaking to CBS Sports recently, Henry said that he was impressed with the team bonding this campaign, and believes the current side could do something.
However, he added that he worries for them in the Europa League. While the starting XI is strong enough for Henry, he remains concerned over the squad depth.
He said: “I can see a team there, a togetherness, and I like that. The team is different but you’ve got the likes of Gabriel Jesus, William Saliba, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka.”
“I believe in them. I haven’t believed like this for a very long time, believed that we could do something.
“But I worry about the Europa League because of the depth of the team. I think the starting XI is good enough but this is a long season so it might be a bit much for them.”
Arsenal squad will be tested with European commitments
Arsenal have fared impressively during the early part of the campaign, but it can not be ignored that a couple of key injuries could potentially hamper their season.
Last term, they had no European commitments, but their season derailed towards the end. Kieran Tierney and Thomas Partey were undeniably missed after late setbacks.
Partey has suffered another injury at the start of the current campaign, but reports have suggested that he could return before the September international break.
While this is definitely good news, the main concern for the Gunners could be in October where they may have to play as many as 10 matches across all competitions.
The Gunners have added depth to their attack with the presence of Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira and Marquinhos, but the same can’t be said for the midfield department.
Having decided against pursuing a specialist central midfielder this summer, the club are now over-reliant on Granit Xhaka, Thomas Partey and Albert Sambi Lokonga to stay fit.
Mohamed Elneny is already out for the long-term with a hamstring injury, and one would definitely worry whether the remaining midfielders can stay unscathed.
Hence, Henry’s concerns are justified and the Gunners must re-invest in their midfield this winter.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
