Henry names the one area £34m Arsenal signing must improve

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Thierry Henry has been keeping an eye on Christos Tzolis since his Club Brugge days, and the Arsenal legend has identified one clear area where the Greek winger needs to step up.

Tzolis arrived at the Emirates in the summer in a deal worth £34million and has wasted no time embedding himself in Mikel Arteta's side. He has featured in all eight of Arsenal's games this season, registering four assists, though he is still waiting on his first goal in a Gunners shirt.

The 24-year-old has become Arteta's preferred option on the left flank, keeping Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke out of that role. He was particularly eye-catching against Manchester City in the Community Shield and again in the Premier League opener against Coventry.

Henry's verdict on the Greek winger

Speaking to Betway, Henry was broadly complimentary but flagged Tzolis' away-day returns as the sticking point.

"Yes, I've been following him for a long time since he was playing for Club Brugge," Henry said. "He's a very neat team player, he works hard, he's not shy to be on the ball, he has an eye for a pass, and when he cuts back inside he can give you a couple of assists, as we've seen already. He hit the ground running straight away."

The Frenchman also pointed to the circumstances of Tzolis' arrival as a factor in his quick adaptation. "It does help when you arrive and you're maybe the only attacking player arriving in a team that's already working, compared with if there are four or five new players and a new manager."

Then came the caveat. "You can see that he's still struggling away from home. He has to understand what's happening when you play away in the Premier League, especially as we saw in that Villa game. But that's normal. Overall, I think he has done well."

Tzolis was unable to make an impact at the Amex against Brighton before the international break, a result that appears to back up Henry's point.

A quick adaptation in north London

The numbers he brought with him were substantial — 22 goals and 29 assists in 52 appearances for Brugge last season — and he has spoken openly about how straightforward the transition has been.

"Everybody is at a high level and understands each other very quickly. That's a big difference with a big team," Tzolis said after the 3-0 win over Coventry. "When you're champions of England, that means you're at the top level, so everything makes it easier, even for me as a new player, to adapt quickly. Thanks to my teammates, they're at the highest level."

He added: "I felt the energy from the fans, especially in the first half. There was a lot of excitement when I had the ball and that gave me motivation to go with confidence in my actions."

There is a complication, though. Tzolis pulled up with a hamstring issue during Greece's 2-2 draw with the Netherlands on Thursday, and the severity of the problem is not yet clear.

Arsenal host Leeds United at the Emirates on October 10, with a trip to Nottingham Forest the following week — an away fixture that would offer Tzolis the chance to answer Henry's one criticism directly.