Arsenal’s latest signing Yaya Sanogo has been handed shirt number 22. The French international has a prolific goal scoring record but he is also an injury prone player. The No. 22 Arsenal shirt has been mostly worn by defenders in the premier league era and only one goal has been scored wearing that number.
Sanogo takes over the shirt from Francis Coquelin who has been loaned out to German side SC Freiburg. The gunner supporters will be hoping that Yaya stays fit and replicates his goal scoring talent at Emirates next season.
Ian Selley was the first Arsenal player to wear the No. 22 shirt in the premier league era. The defender played his first ever competitive game with Londoners in 1992. He stayed with the club for 5 years, made 42 league appearances and never scored.
Another defender, Ukraine International, Oleh Luzhnyi joined the gunners in the summer of 1999 and took over the shirt worn by Selley. He spent 4 years with the club, featuring in no less than 75 league games and 110 in total but again scored none for Arsenal.
French international, Gael Clichy was the next one to wear number 22 for Arsenal and for now remains the only player to have scored in that shirt in the premier league era for the gunners. Clichy was at Arsenal for 8 long years and scored one league goal in 2008-2009 season and overall 2 in 264 appearances for the Gunners.
The left back joined Manchester City two years back where he is yet to score a goal as well. In fact, he has never scored for any other side than Arsenal.
As mentioned, Francis Coquelin has left on loan to leave the number 22 shirt vacant and that has now been acquired by new striker Yaya Sanogo. Coquelin featured in 39 games for Arsenal in the last 2 seasons but again never scored for them.
There is no point being superstitious and claiming that Sanogo is getting an unlucky number. The quality is inevitable and his main concern will surely be injuries. If he can overcome that, then Arsenal fans can expect exciting performances from the youngster.
Follow Soccerisma on Twitter: Soccerisma
The Less Known Fact About Arsenal No. 22
(Visited 125 times, 1 visits today)
I’m surprised to read about Sanogo being injury-prone. I saw him with the french national youth team. He seems strong and intelligent.
…& now Yaya Sanogo has been taken to a Turkish hospital where he’s presently nursing an injury.