Arsenal are often called the king of kits in the English Premier League. Ever since Adidas has taken over the design department of the club’s kits, fans have been overjoyed with what they’re getting year after year.
That’s not limited to just home kits either – away kits, third kits, sweaters, specials, jackets, and everything else has been absolutely on point.
This year too they have provided the team with 3 incredible kits. The away kit is the most special of all – a beautiful black and gold with faint silhouettes of AFC in the background.
However, another thing Arsenal has a history of is mixing the jerseys together in order to avoid a color mash on the pitch with the other team.
We saw this when Arsenal played Barcelona in 1999. During that year, Arsenal’s away kit was an incredible yellow with black shorts and black socks. Barcelona’s home kit was the iconic dark blue and purple, also with black shorts and black socks.
This was bound to cause confusion for the players on the pitch, and thus, Arsenal mixed the yellow away kit top with the white home kit shorts and socks, giving us this-
Then again in 2002, Arsenal produced a mixed kit for playing against AS Roma in the Champions League group stages. A very similar situation came about where Arsenal and Roma shared the same shorts and socks color, this time a dark blue.
So the London club stuck to what they know best, and mixed the home kit shorts with the away kit shirt and gave a kit that wasn’t the most pleasing to the eyes.
We have yet another mixing of Arsenal kits due this week in the Europa League. The Gunners play PSV Eindhoven at the Philips Stadion on the 27th of October, with Arsenal wearing the away kit and PSV wearing the home.
Although this time the only similarity is in the shorts, both being black, it is big enough for the away team to consider wearing the home kits shorts instead.
This has resulted in a very awkward-looking jersey. But don’t take our word for it, take a look for yourself.
What’s white and red doing in between black and gold? It’s a very stark difference, and very hard on the eyes.
What is this abomination???!!! pic.twitter.com/nJk1xRyVXY
— Niall (@niallmcgirr1) October 25, 2022
But is there any alternative?
Fans have suggested one which is actually not that bad of an idea. Arsenal have repeatedly had the goalkeepers wear the outfield kits of players, like Bernd Leno here donning the 21/22 away kit.
So the suggestion here is, why can’t the players wear the Gray goalkeeper shorts instead? It would go a lot better with black, and an artistic rendition does show it to work pretty well.
Either way, this is only for one game.
Whatever the decision is we’re sure the fans will allow it, provided they end up winning the game.
When they did this against Barcelona, they were trashed 4-2. When they did it against Roma, they trashed them 3-1. Which way will the game swing this time?
