Thierry Henry has been front and centre of Arsenal news in recent days following his comments about how Mikel Arteta’s side has performed this season.
The Gunners legend, appearing on the Stick to Football podcast, questioned Arteta after another trophyless campaign at the Emirates.
In doing so, Henry was particularly critical of how Arsenal have performed this term, saying they “didn’t compete once” with Premier League champions Liverpool.
A former Arsenal title winner has since waded into the debate, disagreeing with Henry while making an interesting comparison between Arsenal and Manchester United that the Frenchman failed to mention.
- READ MORE: Worrying Arsenal injury trend spotted by Thierry Henry as icon questions Mikel Arteta’s training
Perry Groves says Arsenal competed with Liverpool while criticising Thierry Henry’s Manchester United comparison
Speaking on TalkSPORT in the aftermath of Henry’s appearance on Gary Neville’s podcast, former Arsenal midfielder Perry Groves was quick to say that he disagreed with Henry’s analysis.
Groves, who won two league titles with the Gunners, including the famous 1988/89 title win secured with the last kick of the season at Anfield, said: “I don’t agree with [Henry] that we didn’t compete once [with Liverpool].
“There was a time where there was a seven or eight point gap and we still had Liverpool to play [in May].”
The 60-year-old elaborated to say that Arsenal were still fighting with Arne Slot’s side after they dropped points against Everton in February, but the issue was “Arsenal didn’t capitalise on that, they didn’t go on a run where you have to win four or five on the trot to put them under pressure.
“So I’d agree if [Henry] said we didn’t put them under the pressure we should have, but it was still competing.”
Groves also questioned the comparison Henry made between Arsenal and Manchester United, in which the Frenchman said that “Manchester United have played in five finals in the last five years, the United that everyone laughs at, whereas for Arsenal in the last three years of building, they’ve not reached a final.”
The Englishman said: “And when he was doing that podcast, [Henry] mentioned about Manchester United. [He could have said] what position would you rather your club be in?
“Would you rather be where Manchester United are now? Or where Arsenal are now? And 100% he would say Arsenal because it’s different levels.”
Both Thierry Henry and Perry Groves make valid points
The general consensus from this season among the Arsenal fanbase is that the Gunners haven’t competed with Liverpool at the top of the league.
Despite finishing in second, at no point did Arteta’s side ever put the Merseyside club under serious pressure.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  LiverpoolLiverpool | 38 | 25 | 9 | 4 | 86 | 41 | 45 | 84 |
| 2 |  ArsenalArsenal | 38 | 20 | 14 | 4 | 69 | 34 | 35 | 74 |
| 3 |  Manchester CityManchester City | 38 | 21 | 8 | 9 | 72 | 44 | 28 | 71 |
| 4 |  ChelseaChelsea | 38 | 20 | 9 | 9 | 64 | 43 | 21 | 69 |
| 5 |  NewcastleNewcastle | 38 | 20 | 6 | 12 | 68 | 47 | 21 | 66 |
In that respect, then, Henry’s criticism is valid.
However, Groves also makes a strong point in his comparison between Arsenal and Manchester United.
Of course, Arsenal’s great rivals have won more silverware in recent years. However, Groves is spot on when he says that everyone associated with Arsenal would much rather be where they are now as opposed to where Manchester United currently find themselves.
The same also applies to everyone associated with Manchester United, with legendary midfielder Paul Scholes writing in his column for TNT Sports at the beginning of May that ‘Mikel Arteta has done an absolutely brilliant job at Arsenal since he first joined the club,’ adding that he ‘would swap United’s season for Arsenal’s campaign’ had his former side won the Europa League.
Thus, in that respect, Groves also makes a strong point.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
