Giroud cannot fire Arsenal to title - Henry

Arsenal cannot win the title with Olivier Giroud as their lead striker and are four players short of challenging for the Premier League, says club great Thierry Henry.

Giroud has been in excellent form in 2015, scoring 12 goals in all competitions this calendar year.

However, there have been question marks as to whether the striker can be a difference-maker in the big matches, and the former Montpellier man struggled to make an impact in Sunday's 0-0 draw against leaders Chelsea.

Henry, Arsenal's club record goalscorer with 228 goals, has urged manager Arsene Wenger to splash the cash to make a concerted challenge for the title next term.

"I think Giroud is doing extremely well. But can you win the league with him? I wouldn't think so," he said as a Sky Sports pundit.

"He does a job, and he does it ever so well, but you can't win the league.

"Arsenal were at the top of the league last season, but everyone was saying they are not going win the league.

"I think they need to buy four players - they need that spine. They need a goalkeeper, they still need a centre back, they still need a holding midfielder and, I'm afraid, they need a top, top quality striker to win this league again.

"He [Arsene Wenger] has to do it. You need to have this competitive thing within the group - to win the league, that has to happen."

Henry, who won the Premier League twice with Arsenal, was also critical of Mesut Ozil and compared his impact to that of former Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas at Chelsea.

"Players need to perform, also. I will single out Mesut Ozil. Against a top-four team, that was his eighth game today - zero goals and two assists," he added.

"That is not enough. Overall, since he has been at Arsenal, he has 14 assists. You look at Cesc Fabregas, he has 16 assists in one season. Players at one point need to perform."