Why Arsenal's 2019/20 Kit Is Just a Shameless Cry to the Club's History for Help

There is no denying it, the new Arsenal kits are a thing of beauty. It doesn't matter which you look at; home, away, or alternative, adidas have truly outdone themselves. 

But is this throwback to the 'bruised banana' generation really a good thing for the current side that will hardly live up to the expectations and comparisons of that early 1990s Arsenal squad?

Now those in the know will say that 1992 saw George Graham's side finish fourth and in 1993 the Gunners came tenth. One may think that this is a perfect connection to the current team, fourth place being intrinsically linked with modern Arsenal, and tenth being an increasingly realistic possibility for the 2019/20 season at the rate things are going.

However, the fact is that the characters of this current squad cannot compete with those that played under Graham. The course is set for an unassuming season that will only leave fans further nostalgic for those better days.

Only when you put those iconic legends against what Unai Emery has to work with do you realise the gulf in class. Tony Adams and Steve Bould against Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis Papastathopoulos doesn't seem like a fair match up. Rocky Rocastle and Ray Parlour, or Granit Xhaka and Mesut Ozil - I know who I'd pick.

In many ways the new kit release seems to be a last-ditch effort to try and save face, aiming to magically transform the current lack of personalities into a squad that will be remembered for generations to come. Hats off if it works, but it hardly seems likely.

The only saving grace for the current Arsenal first team is that brilliant strike partnership. Two players in Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hold a certain style on the pitch, and character off of it. 

It is true that those at the Emirates have become expectant of a level of success that wasn't around 30 years ago. There is no doubt that this is a result of the efforts of Arsene Wenger and his extraordinary achievements, but also because of the building blocks laid by then vice-chairman and co-owner David Dein and the extremely memorable set of players of the early 1990s.

However, the club shouldn't be focusing on what happened in those pre-Wenger years, while settling for fourth place purely because it brings in some extra revenue. Those in control should be listening to the real demands of the fans to push for trophies, to play in a way and at a level that is now expected of the club, and to compete with those other clubs that are pulling away. 

With the hashtag #wecaredoyou gaining traction on social media it is clear that the fan base in north London has reached new levels of frustration - and the lovely new kit isn't offering quite enough in the grand scheme of things.

The 2019/20 kit may have had brilliant intentions; to connect the older and younger generations of Arsenal fans, to inspire the current squad to make their own history much like those of the George Graham days, to remind the fans what Arsenal is all about. 

However, in reality, it has only portrayed a pitiful cry for the club's history to get it out of trouble once again, rather than making the real actions that are desperately needed.

Or maybe this has all been rather pedantic and it's just a good kit that deserves to be appreciated...