Arsenal have had their first-team photos taken for the 2017/18 season, which included three junior Gunners who won a competition to also feature in the shoot.
Almost all the players were in attendance and in good spirits.
- ST ALBANS, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 12: Arsenal 1st team squad season 2017/18. Back row (L-R): Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Eddie Nketiah, Jeff Reine-Adelaide, Matt Macey, Petr Cech, David Ospina, Calum Chambers, Chuba Akpom, Reiss Nelson. Middle Row (L-R): Francis Coquelin, Joe Willock, Mathieu Debuchy, Granit Xhaka, Rob Holding, Olivier Giroud, Danny Welbeck, Sead Kolasinac, Alex Iwobi, Mohamed Elneny, Jack Wilshere. Front row (L-R): Alexandre Lacazette, Shkodran Mustafi, Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil, Per Mertesacker, Arsenal Wenger (Manager), Laurent Koscielny, Theo Walcott, Nacho Monreal, Alexis Sanchez, Hector Bellerin.at London Colney on September 12, 2017 in St Albans, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
- ST ALBANS, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 12: Arsenal 1st team squad season 2017/18. Back row (L-R): Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Eddie Nketiah, Jeff Reine-Adelaide, Matt Macey, Petr Cech, David Ospina, Calum Chambers, Chuba Akpom, Reiss Nelson. Middle Row (L-R): Francis Coquelin, Joe Willock, Mathieu Debuchy, Granit Xhaka, Rob Holding, Olivier Giroud, Danny Welbeck, Sead Kolasinac, Alex Iwobi, Mohamed Elneny, Jack Wilshere. Front row (L-R): Alexandre Lacazette, Shkodran Mustafi, Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil, Per Mertesacker, Arsenal Wenger (Manager), Laurent Koscielny, Theo Walcott, Nacho Monreal, Alexis Sanchez, Hector Bellerin.at London Colney on September 12, 2017 in St Albans, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
- ST ALBANS, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 12: Arsene Wenger the Manager of Arsenal during the 1st team squad photocall at London Colney on September 12, 2017 in St Albans, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
- ST ALBANS, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 12: Shkodran Mustafi and Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal during the 1st team squad photocall at London Colney on September 12, 2017 in St Albans, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
- ST ALBANS, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 12: Danny Welbeck of Arsenal during the 1st team squad photocall at London Colney on September 12, 2017 in St Albans, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
- ST ALBANS, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 12: Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal during the 1st team squad photocall at London Colney on September 12, 2017 in St Albans, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
- ST ALBANS, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 12: Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal during the 1st team squad photocall at London Colney on September 12, 2017 in St Albans, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
- ST ALBANS, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 12: Alexis Sanchez of Arsenal during the 1st team squad photocall at London Colney on September 12, 2017 in St Albans, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
- ST ALBANS, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 12: Laurent Koscielny of Arsenal during the 1st team squad photocall at London Colney on September 12, 2017 in St Albans, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
- (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
- ST ALBANS, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 12: Hector Bellerin of Arsenal at London Colney on September 12, 2017 in St Albans, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
The only first team absentee was Santi Cazorla, who is still recovering from injury. According to the Arsenal website, the midfielder has a follow up appointment that meant he couldn’t make it to the photoshoot.
In addition to all the first-team regulars and fringe players, a couple of new faces were called up from the youth academy. Reiss Nelson, Eddie Nketiah and Joe Willock are all still part of the u23s at the moment, but this could be a sign that they’re preparing to make the step up to the first-team this season.
Meanwhile Matt Macey’s position as third-choice goalkeeper seems to be confirmed by his appearance as the only youth keeper in the photo. Macey was also included in the squad list on the programme for the match between Arsenal and Bournemouth, further verifying that he’ll be the one called upon if Petr Čech or David Ospina are out for any reason.
It’s good to see the boys all together as a group, and hopefully the older players can help integrate the youngsters as the season goes on.