Jamie Carragher believes Arsenal missed a trick in the January transfer window and reckons they won’t win the Premier League without a ‘late’ deal for a ‘special player’.
The Gunners smashed Manchester City 5-1 on Sunday to leave them six points behind league-leaders Liverpool, but despite that notable victory Carragher reckons they will struggle to win the Premier League without a new striker.
They had a bid for Ollie Watkins knocked back by Aston Villa last week and were looking at alternatives, but reports claim they have decided to wait until the summer to go after one of their two top targets, either Newcastle’s Alexander Isak or RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.
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Speaking on Sky Sports, Carragher said: “This is exactly what Thierry Henry said after the [Arsenal vs Man City] show – he said because Arsenal have won so emphatically, the talk about them bringing in an attacking player or a striker will go.
“He felt they still needed one. Not so much because they scored five goals, but that’s the kind of game where you really respect Kai Havertz. When you’re playing against one of the top teams you want your striker to come back and help defend.
“I think it’s in the games they’re expected to win where they may create chances and they’re not finishing. You think about Kai Havertz in the first half [vs Man City].
“What we saw of Kai Havertz in the second half, that’s what you want. They’re leaving it late and I’m not quite sure the player who improves Arsenal – there are very few in Europe – one of the best teams in the Premier League, one of the best teams in the Champions League, there are very few players who can improve what they’ve got.
“I think it’ll be difficult to bring somebody in but without another special player in attack I don’t think they’ve got enough to win the Premier League.”
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Henry urged his former side to continue their search for a new No.9 despite thumping City.
Speaking on Sky, Henry said: “Always Arsenal fans say to me, we need a nine. Nobody is going to ask for a nine after this game.
“Yeah they should still ask. It’s not because you won 5-1 that you don’t need a nine. We’ve been, as Arsenal fans, asking for a nine for two years, four transfer windows. We still didn’t see it. You can’t be calling for a nine when you can’t put the ball in the back of the net and then when you do, forget it.
“You call for a nine all the time. I don’t often believe in the January transfer window, that’s only me. I keep saying all the time, sometimes you don’t get the player you want, wait for it, and go and get it in the summer. We haven’t done that yet.”
