In 2016, during a pre-season trip to Seattle, a young Declan Rice was handed the No. 41 shirt by West Ham’s kitman. With the lower squad numbers already taken by senior players, academy prospects were typically given higher numbers.
Rice made his senior debut wearing No. 41, kept it throughout his rise at West Ham, and when he joined Arsenal in 2023, he chose to keep the number, prompting the club to make a rare exception to its usual squad number policy.
But why did he choose to keep the number 41 shirt and why bring up No. 41 today?
Because, ladies and gentlemen, it has been 41 days since Arsenal won the league title.
A goal conceded in the 37th minute.
Of all the goals Arsenal conceded last season, this one stung the most. Not because it sealed the defeat, but because of who it came against.
It was Matchweek 23. Arsenal welcomed Manchester United to the Emirates. We took the lead through a Lisandro Martínez own goal, only for Bryan Mbeumo to capitalize on a misplaced back pass from Martin Zubimendi, round David Raya, and equalize in the 37th minute. The afternoon would end in a painful 3-2 defeat.
Now one may ask: why revisit such a painful moment? Why dust off the archives of defeat? Why count the seconds of a game that ended in sorrow?
Because, ladies and gentlemen.
Today marks 37 days since Arsenal last won the Premier League title.
فى مره ابويا رن عليا وانا مع اصحابي وفى اخر المكالمه قالى خلى بالك وانت سايق "ياحبيبي "
واحد من الى قاعدين قالى انت اخول واحد فى نظري مين ابوه بيحبه فى الايام دي
تجار الذهب في مصر ممتنعين عن البيع بسبب إنخفاض السعر العالمي
الناس بتروح تشتري مش بيرضوا يطلعوا لهم بضاعة
امتى الدولة هتتدخل لظبط سوق الذهب وسوق السيارات
أنجس سوقين على مستوى المجرة !!!