‘He never looks’: Thierry Henry tears into £27m Arsenal player

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Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has criticised William Saliba for his mistake against RC Lens in the Champions League this week.

On Tuesday night, the Gunners suffered a 2-1 defeat at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis. Arsenal’s summer target Elye Wahi scored the winner, and Henry believes Saliba was at fault for the goal.

Thierry Henry criticises Arsenal defender William Saliba

Arsenal signed William Saliba from Saint-Etienne in the summer of 2019 for £27 million (Goal).

The Frenchman had to spend a lot of time away on loan, but after his return from Marseille last year, he became a key part of Mikel Arteta‘s side.

Saliba has been magnificent for Arsenal since the start of last season, and it has to be said that he is up there with the best defenders of his age in the world right now.

However, against Lens in the Champions League on Tuesday, Saliba failed to track Wahi, and the 20-year-old, who had already picked up an assist in the game, scored the goal that handed Arsenal their first loss of the season.

Speaking on CBS Sports (Tuesday, 3rd October 2023, 10:35 pm) after the game, Henry said, as quoted by HITC: “But can we talk about Saliba? The space never scores a goal.

“Can you have a look at where your striker is? If you go back to the last angle, he never looks at where the number nine is. Only the nine can score there. Or the winger can come inside.

“Saliba never looks to see what Wahi does. Never looks! I have never seen the space scoring a goal.”

Saliba will bounce back

William Saliba wasn’t the only Arsenal player who had a disappointing game on Tuesday.

Almost every one of Arteta’s men had an evening to forget at Lens, and that’s the reason why the Gunners suffered their first defeat of the season there.

Saliba could’ve definitely done better for that goal, but the 22-year-old has always bounced back after a mistake, and we’re sure he’ll do just that this weekend.

Arsenal take on Manchester City next and Saliba will be up against Erling Haaland. That will be a very interesting battle.