BBC viewers lash out at 'woke' Arsenal as white FA Cup kit against Liverpool causes confusion

BBC viewers lash out at 'woke' Arsenal as white FA Cup kit against Liverpool causes confusion

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Stuart Ballard

By Stuart Ballard


Published: 07/01/2024

- 17:08

Updated: 08/01/2024

- 07:59

Arsenal were wearing an all-white kit in their FA Cup third-round tie against Liverpool instead of their usual red strip.

BBC viewers have taken aim at Arsenal's choice not to at least make the numbers on their white shirt more clear in their FA Cup third-round tie against Liverpool.

The Gunners announced this week that they would be wearing the 'No More Red' kid for the match against Liverpool.


It's the third successive season Arsenal have worn the all-white kit, which was launched in January 2022 to support the campaign against knife crime and youth violence.

While the initiative has earned widespread praise for the work Arsenal are doing in the local community, viewers felt the actual design of the kit made it extremely difficult to watch on TV.

Arsenal wore an all-white kit against Liverpool

Arsenal wore an all-white kit against Liverpool

PA

There were no names on the back of the Arsenal players' shirts while the numbers were also white with a faint black outline, which was only really visible when zoomed in.

One viewer fumed: "Which idiot decided to put white numbers on the back of Arsenals shirts, seriously."

Another angrily wrote: "Who at Arsenal thought the white numbers would work well with the white shirts?"

A third said: "I understand why, but not having the kit numbers on the Arsenal shirts be black isn’t great for being able to tell who is who."

A fourth moaned: "The height of woke. The shirt is identity-less, exactly what the psycho lefties want. You're all fools for swallowing this nonsense - you really believe the elimination of the colour of your shirt makes a blind bit of difference? Wow."

Another posted: "Turned on telly just now. Linekar..' Arsenal in all white today. Not red. To stop the knife crime..' Sums the virtue signalling modern society up. Whilst it collapses around us these empty gestures make the woke feel warm."

London-born Arsenal star Eddie Nketiah is proud to be a part of the initiative and hopes it acts as a signal of hope to the community.

"It's a lovely campaign, one that I really support," he said.

Arsenal wore the kit as part of their campaign against knife crime

Arsenal wore the kit as part of their campaign against knife crime

PA

"Keeping kids occupied and keeping them busy always helps lower the rate of crime. I think it's really important.

"Growing up in areas where there's not as much opportunity... we can show that you have those chances to get your mind off things and get away and get in that safe space where you feel at home and feel comfortable."

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Viewers were unhappy at being unable to see the numbers

Viewers were unhappy at being unable to see the numbers

PA

Mikel Arteta has also given his seal of approval to the kit design, adding this week: "I think is a great initiative from the club.

"I think [it's about] giving support and creating a safer environment with the power and the capacity that we have to help people and transform certain areas of London.

"It's a campaign that started three years ago and has helped a lot of people already and brought a lot of attention, so if we can make the streets safer around our city, especially for people with kids, we will sleep better."

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