2012/2013 Arsenal kit numbers

I thought it might be a good idea to make a topic based on each player's kit number for the upcoming season e.g will Wilshere change from number 19.

Will Szczesny take #1?

That way #13 is available when I get my call-up. <grin>

Can you buy a shirt and when the numbers get revealed, bring that shirt into a shop to get it printed?

Szczesny has to get the #1 on his back now that Almunia is gone. Hopefully Giroud gets #9.

Wilshere #10 ?

Szczesny surely has to take #1, don't think you're allowed to leave it vacant. 10 goes maybe to Podolski, don't care to be honest since our great #10s of our recent pasts weren't all that. Also, RVP to get number 64 or something from the fackin reserves if he doesn't **** off quickly enough.

Wilshere #10 ?

Nah mate Silva wears that one

Pea-Tear-Griffen - you must be a Forum Member Record - didnt you only just join the maddness here?

Friends in High Mod Places - Congrads fellow Irish-Gooner - You Should Try to Sell your Secret to the Others who haven't been promoted yet!

I'd settle for:

#1 Szczesny
#2 Sagna
#3 Gibbs
#4 Wilshere
#5 Vermalen
#6 Koscielny
#7 Ox
#8 Arteta
#9 Giroud
#10 *New marquee player*
#11 Podolski

...to be honest.

I can see a **** tonne of money coming into the club from merchandising if Wilshere has the #10 on his back.

Leave #9 alone, jeez.

we should keep park, if only just to keep the number 9 curse away from anyone else...

Looks like Coquelin could be number 22.

Szczesny #1
Giroud #9
Wilshere #10
Podolski #12

Can you buy a shirt and when the numbers get revealed, bring that shirt into a shop to get it printed?

Yeh i think so

Please leave #9 alone. Giroud can take #12

Please leave #9 alone. Giroud can take #12

If Giroud is our first choice center-forward he should have the 9. I've never liked squad numbers. The numbers should be earned on the training ground every week. If you are the best player in your position you get the shirt and Arsenal run out like this:

1 Goalkeeper
2 Right Back
3 Left Back
5 and 6 Centre Backs
4 and 8 Central Midfield
7 and 11 Wide players
10 Playmaker/shadow striker
9 Centre-Forward

I liked Gallas, but I could not believe he was allowed to wear the 10. Another pet hate of mine is players desperate for 23. What the ****? Why are they trying to emulate an American netball player? In football 23 should mean you were to **** to make the subs bench let alone the team.

My kids don't even know what shirt numbers really mean. It might seem petty, but its just another way in which we have allowed our game's culture to erode.

Another pet hate of mine is players desperate for 23. What the ****? Why are they trying to emulate an American netball player?

Calling Michael Jordan a netball player was cheap and unnecessary. What's wrong with trying to emulate one of the best athletes of all time? Maybe some football players, who choose to wear number 23 on their back are also basketball fans. Again, what's wrong with that ? Your hatred towards football players with 23 on their back is ridiculous.

Szczesny #1
Giroud #9
Wilshere #10
Podolski #12

This seems logical. I'd prefer Jack to have number 4 but that's taken. Podolski will most likely end up with 10 though.

Can you buy a shirt and when the numbers get revealed, bring that shirt into a shop to get it printed?

Yeh i think so

Ok thanks, I just didn't want to go up to the till and it be really awkward

Another pet hate of mine is players desperate for 23. What the ****? Why are they trying to emulate an American netball player?

Calling Michael Jordan a netball player was cheap and unnecessary. What's wrong with trying to emulate one of the best athletes of all time? Maybe some football players, who choose to wear number 23 on their back are also basketball fans. Again, what's wrong with that ? Your hatred towards football players with 23 on their back is ridiculous.

The answer to your question is in my post. 1 - 11 are the numbers in football. Squad numbers are a very small
symptom of football's bastardization.

Whether they are netball fans or not is irrelevant.They are footballers and should strive to earn the shirt number their position on the pitch is represented by.

I have nothing against Michael Jordan and would never go to a San Diego Fried Nuggets Franchise Forum, or whoever he played netball for, and suggest their players emulate Ferenc Puskas' diet.

Football is my game from birth and I love Arsenal. I would like to see some of the traditions and values associated with the two maintained. Do you have a problem with that?

The answer to your question is in my post. 1 - 11 are the numbers in football. Squad numbers are a very small symptom of football's bastardization.

'American' sp.

Oh, sweet, sweet, irony.

The answer to your question is in my post. 1 - 11 are the numbers in football. Squad numbers are a very small symptom of football's bastardization.

Numbers 1-to-11 were the numbers in football. Nowadays it's a squad game, and the numbers reflect that. Why are you getting so hung up over a fairly trivial tradition? Do you also despair over how the change to 4-4-2 and beyond messed up the traditional positions for each number?

"My kids don't even know what a half back really means. It might seem petty, but it's just another way in which we have allowed our game's culture to erode."

Just because it's different doesn't mean it's bad.

Szczesny #1
9iroud #9
Wilshere #10
Podolski #11
Campbell #12 (When he comes back from his loan spell at Betis)

Give Santos the #13 or another squad number because it seems that having the #11 on his back has made him forget about defending.

The answer to your question is in my post. 1 - 11 are the numbers in football. Squad numbers are a very small symptom of football's bastardization.

Numbers 1-to-11 were the numbers in football. Nowadays it's a squad game, and the numbers reflect that. Why are you getting so hung up over a fairly trivial tradition? Do you also despair over how the change to 4-4-2 and beyond messed up the traditional positions for each number?

"My kids don't even know what a half back really means. It might seem petty, but it's just another way in which we have allowed our game's culture to erode."

Just because it's different doesn't mean it's bad.

It has nothing to do with it being more of a squad game than it once was. If Diaby gets picked give him the 8. If he performs poorly in the match and is benched for next week give him the 16 to wear that week. Its also motivational to young/squad players. ''If I continue to do really well the manager will give me a game and I will get to wear number 7 for Arsenal just like the players I worshipped as a child''.

When I watch an opponent I know little about, traditional numbering is helpful. It tells you at a glance where a particular player is likely to appear.

Your point about changing tactical shapes makes no sense. 1 - 11 adapted from 2 - 3 - 5 to WM to 4-4-2 etc. For instance the left full back evolved into a wing back in the 90s, yet his number remained 3.

I don't have sleepless nights about it. Its just a small symptom of how the game has lost its soul.

I can't believe I am involved in a debate about shirt numbers.

The answer to your question is in my post. 1 - 11 are the numbers in football. Squad numbers are a very small symptom of football's bastardization.

Numbers 1-to-11 were the numbers in football. Nowadays it's a squad game, and the numbers reflect that. Why are you getting so hung up over a fairly trivial tradition? Do you also despair over how the change to 4-4-2 and beyond messed up the traditional positions for each number?

"My kids don't even know what a half back really means. It might seem petty, but it's just another way in which we have allowed our game's culture to erode."

Just because it's different doesn't mean it's bad.

It has nothing to do with it being more of a squad game than it once was. If Diaby gets picked give him the 8. If he performs poorly in the match and is benched for next week give him the 16 to wear that week. Its also motivational to young/squad players. ''If I continue to do really well the manager will give me a game and I will get to wear number 7 for Arsenal just like the players I worshipped as a child''.

When I watch an opponent I know little about, traditional numbering is helpful. It tells you at a glance where a particular player is likely to appear.

Your point about changing tactical shapes makes no sense. 1 - 11 adapted from 2 - 3 - 5 to WM to 4-4-2 etc. For instance the left full back evolved into a wing back in the 90s, yet his number remained 3.

I don't have sleepless nights about it. Its just a small symptom of how the game has lost its soul.

I can't believe I am involved in a debate about shirt numbers.

If shirt numbers changed each week then fans wouldn't get shirt numbers, meaning loss of income for Arsenal and fans will feel less involved.

^^That's a good point.

I don't think it's that football has lost it's soul. I just think it's that players want to leave their mark, you can't do that with a set system, you've got to deviate to make yourself stand out.

For me the number shouldn't be down to position. Is up to the player to make the number his own, for example in your system the number 14 wouldn't have the meaning it has round here. It'd be gifted to a substitute.

The way things are now means every club has a different legacy and every club has it's own treasured shirts. Makes it a lot more personal for me than every fan in the country wearing number 9.

If shirt numbers changed each week then fans wouldn't get shirt numbers, meaning loss of income for Arsenal and fans will feel less involved.[/quote]

The other way of looking at that is that fans were far more involved in the pre-Premiership era (set shirt numbers came in around the same time the league was re-branded).

Fans had closer ties with the club and the players, and the fanbase was far more closely knit. That applies to any big club in England.Its not the fault of the shirt number gimmick of course. Its just another symptom of identity lost in exchange for becoming a global,disneyfied entertainment brand. I preferred being a club. Just look at our ridiculous badge for further evidence.

Loss of income? Even if you make adjustments for inflation, ticket prices have increased by 500 odd % in real terms since the squad numbers were introduced, so it can't be that substantial.

I always liked how Celtic refused to have numbers on their shirts, as the jersey was considered too sacred to be disfigured by vulgarities like that. Ditto for Barca missing out on fortunes by refusing to sell their chests to a shirt sponsor.

That kind of thing oozes class, romance and individuality. I wouldn't be surprised if that kind of thing adds more value than tacky squad numbers which are identical at every club.

On the other hand you could argue people don't want quality, originality or style any more.Budweiser being the world's best selling beer would be evidence of that.

^^That's a good point.

I don't think it's that football has lost it's soul. I just think it's that players want to leave their mark, you can't do that with a set system, you've got to deviate to make yourself stand out.

For me the number shouldn't be down to position. Is up to the player to make the number his own, for example in your system the number 14 wouldn't have the meaning it has round here. It'd be gifted to a substitute.

The way things are now means every club has a different legacy and every club has it's own treasured shirts. Makes it a lot more personal for me than every fan in the country wearing number 9.

14? I presume you are talking about Cruyff who is associated with that number? Do you know the story behind it?

During an away match with Ajax in the 70s the kitman forgot to pack a number 7 shirt. Cruyff offered his 9 shirt to the player who normally wore the missing 7, and grabbed one of the subs shirts from the kitbag. 14!

They won the game and being a suspicious footballer he kept the shirt for the rest of his Ajax career. Once he moved to Barca it was back to 9. Of course we'll always associate his success with Ajax and Holland with the 14.

Now thats the kind of story where you can accept deviation from the 1 - 11.

^^That's a good point.

I don't think it's that football has lost it's soul. I just think it's that players want to leave their mark, you can't do that with a set system, you've got to deviate to make yourself stand out.

For me the number shouldn't be down to position. Is up to the player to make the number his own, for example in your system the number 14 wouldn't have the meaning it has round here. It'd be gifted to a substitute.

The way things are now means every club has a different legacy and every club has it's own treasured shirts. Makes it a lot more personal for me than every fan in the country wearing number 9.

14? I presume you are talking about Cruyff who is associated with that number? Do you know the story behind it?

During an away match with Ajax in the 70s the kitman forgot to pack a number 7 shirt. Cruyff offered his 9 shirt to the player who normally wore the missing 7, and grabbed one of the subs shirts from the kitbag. 14!

They won the game and being a suspicious footballer he kept the shirt for the rest of his Ajax career. Once he moved to Barca it was back to 9. Of course we'll always associate his success with Ajax and Holland with the 14.

Now thats the kind of story where you can accept deviation from the 1 - 11.

No i'm talking about Henry. That's the point i'm trying to make, each club finds their own treasured numbers. Does 14 hold anywhere near the meaning at United? No, they look to number 7 because of Cantona, Beckham etc... We've got 14 because of Henry, 10 because of Bergkamp, 4 because of Veira and in the younger generations i bet now Cesc.

We'd have loved the number Henry had wore no matter what it had been. That's the point i'm making, it should be the players forging the history of the number and straying from the typical numbers only helps to make it more Unique to a club.