Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has sent a clear message to Mikel Arteta, urging him to trust his squad as the Gunners push for both Champions League and Premier League glory this season. Since losing the Carabao Cup final to Manchester City, Arsenal have struggled, winning only two of their last seven matches and failing to score more than one goal in any of those games.
Arteta's Squad Under Scrutiny
Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta were widely praised last summer for assembling one of the strongest squads in Europe, bringing in eight new players. However, with the season reaching its climax, the team has appeared jaded, with the physical and emotional demands of the title race taking a toll. Arsenal produced a more encouraging performance in Wednesday's Champions League semi-final first leg against Atletico Madrid, earning a 1-1 draw in the Spanish capital. Their attention now returns to the Premier League for a crucial home match against Fulham on Saturday, before the second leg against Diego Simeone's side next Tuesday.
Henry's Confidence in the Squad
Speaking to CBS Sports, Henry dismissed concerns about squad fatigue, saying: "I don't see any issue. I'm not saying it is going to be easy and pleasant because the game again at Newcastle was very difficult. But you have the squad to be able to deal with that, so deal with it." For the Atletico match, Arteta made two enforced changes from the side that beat Newcastle, with Kai Havertz ruled out and Eberechi Eze only fit enough for the bench after limping off at the weekend.
Carragher's Warning
While some might advocate resting key players for the Fulham game, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has warned against it. "Thierry is right, they have the squad. If this was November, he would make some changes," Carragher said. "I just think the stakes are so high, there is no way Mikel Arteta is going to be making changes in these games, I would be very surprised. The reason he is in this situation now where the players look a little bit fatigued is because he hasn't made those changes earlier on when the stakes weren't as high. If they draw against Fulham, they will think they have lost the league. The stakes are just too high."
Arsenal face a quick turnaround, but Henry believes Arteta has the options to manage the coming days effectively. The Gunners must balance their Premier League ambitions with the Champions League semi-final second leg, making squad rotation a critical decision for the manager.
