So finally we have our full Arsenal squad numbers for this season confirmed, and obviously the exciting ones are our new Number 9 Lucas Perez and Number 20 Shkrodan Mustafi, but here we have all 29 players with official numbers that are expected to take some part in the coming season.
Surprisingly Wenger has decided to keep Mathieu Debuchy (2) as the backup to Hector Bellerin (24) despite his unhappy attitude last season, although we will also have Carl Jenkinson (25) back available to cover in about 6 weeks time. Gibbs (3) is another defender that was expected to leave but remains as backup to Monreal (18).
Despite Wenger talking up a lot of our Academy youngsters in the summer, only Jeff Reine-Adelaide (31) has actually been newly promoted to the side although Akpom (32) and surprisingly Sanogo (22),who were both out on loan last season, have been kept as striker backups, despite Arsenal having bought Lucas (9) and already having Giroud (12), Walcott (14), Welbeck (23, when fit) and Sanchez (7) all capable of covering that position as well.
Holding (16) is also numbered and will probably be needed until Mertesacker (4) and Gabriel (5) return from injury, although Mustafi (20) and Koscielny (6) are likely to be the first-choice centre-back pairing. Other than our three usual keepers, just about every other player is classed as a midfielder, and I will be very surprised if we have the problems in that area that plagued us last season after the arrival of Xhaka (29).
Here is the full list of squad numbers……
2. Mathieu Debuchy, 3. Kieran Gibbs, 4. Per Mertesacker, 5. Gabriel, 6. Laurent Koscielny, 7. Alexis Sanchez, 8. Aaron Ramsey, 9. Lucas Perez, 11. Mesut Ozil, 12. Olivier Giroud, 13. David Ospina, 14. Theo Walcott, 15. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 16. Rob Holding, 17. Alex Iwobi, 18. Nacho Monreal, 19. Santi Cazorla, 20. Shkodran Mustafi, 22. Yaya Sanogo, 23. Danny Welbeck, 24. Hector Bellerin, 25. Carl Jenkinson, 26. Emiliano Martinez, 29. Granit Xhaka, 31. Jeff Reine-Adelaide, 32. Chuba Akpom, 33. Petr Cech, 34. Francis Coquelin, 35. Mohamed Elneny
Surely that lot will be good enough to provide cover for when any of our first choice XI are injured, and maybe even give Wenger the ability to rotate without any obvious drop in quality.
Our best squad in years in my opinion. What do you think?
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I think it’s time for Jackie boy to hand over that number 10 to the rightful owner – Ozil. For years I never understood what he did to deserve that number which was worn before him by a LEGEND (#DB10).
Ozil doesn’t need the number 10. He has been number 11 or 8 most of his career, hasn’t he?
Ya Sanogo Ya … Let the good times, Roll.??
Why oh why? I am sure someone sees something in this guy but i certainly dont. In any case loaning him would have been better but he got hurt walking down the street.
In any case even with Sanago, this is a very good team. Although I have to say – why oh why did we have to wait so long for it? Last summer we could have had Mustafi and Xhaka as well. And maybe we could have won the league.
Also, we all want Perez to be very good but he is an unknown quantity. So i am keeping my hopes high but feet planted in reality as i dont need more Arsenal heartbreaks.
All I ask. Thrash Mou’s team, home and away
well.. i prefer the BPL or the UCL but this is nice too 😛
As much as how I love watching the lads play, the sooner we get out of the FA and LEAGUE cup the better for us..
Our target this season should be winning the league and getting to atleast the semifinal stage of the champions league.
i too want arsenal to beat man utd that too 4-0 and 0-4 this season
1. I agree. This is the best squad in many years. However …….
Many of the other EPL clubs have also improved their squads significantly so the going will still be tough. I am just looking forward to good old Arsenal-style football.
2. This 1st international break should be removed – cancelled completely. Fans wait all summer and then must wait again after just a couple of games. And squads are just fitting together and then these players scattered all around the world.
Did the Bundesliga even get more than 2 games in prior to the break?? Ridiculous.
Agree international break too soon. Move it.
could not agree more this break has got to be the most stupid thing in football we have just got over an international tournament why start this again so early
Good squad, basically covered in all areas, if we continue scoring 3 or more goals per game we will be ok. I expect us to have injuries but hoping it will be minimum
Good squad yes! But Arsene can not win Arsenal the league again