We have come to the end of the 2015/16 European season and unless you are playing in the UEFA Champions League, then you are playing in some relatively unknown league. It is a period filled with EUROS, transfers, contracts, deals and kits – yes, kits.
Arsenal and kit partner Puma have launched the 2016/17 home kit in the traditional red and white colours. Shirt details include a distinctive vertical stripe down the front, a heat transfer gothic A on the reverse of the neck and a stitched V-neck and PUMA’s iconic T7 Form Stripe running along each sleeve. That vertical stripe in front looks like a bike mark on a red road. Beauty is of the beholder.
The accompanying shorts are white with a red band along the side and the socks are red with the white PUMA cat on the front and have a white fold over top.
The Arsenal Ladies team will debut the new home kit on May 26 in the United States when they play a friendly against Seattle Reign at the Memorial Stadium.
Meanwhile Alexis Sanchez will wear jersey number 7 – vacated by Tomas Rosicky – from next season. Was that why he hugged him so well in the 4-0 trouncing of Aston Villa? Did you hear what Wenger said of Rosicky?
“It will always be a frustration [he didn’t play more games] because first of all Tomas was an exceptional talent,”
“I personally, like we all do here, love the player. The standing ovation he gets every time he walks out there tells you a lot.”
“We love the man as well, and his attitude, and his exceptional class and qualities. It’s sad [that he’s leaving] but I must say, for me it was a privilege to manage him.”
“He makes it look very easy when he’s playing. He has a quality – when the ball comes to him the game suddenly becomes a bit quicker, more incisive, more mobile.”
“He had all the football qualities to play the game we love to play here, and I would say Tomas Rosicky was the perfect player for Arsenal Football Club”
With Granit Xhaka expected to wear jersey number 34 after he has officially joined, Francis Coquelin will most likely take another number – maybe 8? I saw a recent video online with Coquelin on tracksuit number 27. That number is just too Ivorian – Eboue, Gervinho.
The new season is still over 2 months away. There are many questions about how it will pan out. Will Szczesny return? He has made some comments that can cause world war III. Will Ospina remain? What of Flamini? Wenger is not saying any farewell? Strikers?
Calm down. Relax and watch Mohamed Elneny’s goal which voted goal of the season by Arsenal fans.
There are Federation cup actions today in Nigeria. Follow the buzz on twitter.
SoccerGunz 