Premier League football 2012/13: Team guide – Arsenal

Your complete guide to the Gunners' players, formation and chances in the new season

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By Radio Times Staff

Published: Friday, 17th August 2012 at 7:00 am

HOME GROUND: Emirates Stadium

MANAGER: Arsene Wenger

LAST SEASON STATS

Premier League: 3rd

FA Cup: 5th round

League Cup: Quarter-finals

Euope: Champions League last 16

Top Scorer (all comps): Robin van Persie, 37

SQUAD

KEEPERS

1 Wojciech Szczesny

21 Lukasz Fabianski

24 Vito Mannone

DEFENDERS

3 Bacary Sagna

4 Per Mertesacker

5 Thomas Vermaelen

6 Laurent Koscielny

11 Andre Santos

18 Sebastien Squillaci

20 Johan Djourou

25 Carl Jenkinson

28 Kieran Gibbs

MIDFIELDERS

2 Abou Diaby

7 Tomas Rosicky

8 Mikel Arteta

10 Jack Wilshere

16 Aaron Ramsey

17 Alex Song

19 Santi Cazorla

22 Francis Coquelin

23 Andrey Arshavin

26 Emmanuel Frimpong

FORWARDS

9 Lukas Podolski

12 Olivier Giroud

14 Theo Walcott

15 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

27 Gervinho

29 Marouane Chamakh

30 Park Chu-Young

52 Nicklas Bendtner

STAR MAN: ALEX OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN

It’s The Ox’s season to shine! He’ll use his explosive pace down the wings to create chance after chance for the Gunners

DEFENSIVE LEADER: THOMAS VERMAELEN

The new captain. He bosses the back line – and pops up with vital goals

SUMMER TRANSFERS

IN: Olivier Giroud (Montpellier, £13m) Lukas Podoloski (Cologne, £11m) Santi Cazorla (Malaga, £15m)

OUT: Robin Van Persie (Manchester United, £24m), Kyle Bartley (Swansea, £1m) Manuel Almunia (released), Gavin Hoyte (released), Jeffrey Monakana (Preston, free), Joel Campbell (Real Betis, loan), Denilson (Sao Paulo, loan) Carlos Vela (Real Sociedad, £3m) Benik Afobe (Bolton, loan)

STRONGEST LINE-UP

[GK] SZCZESNY
[RB] SAGNA
[CB] KOSCIELNY
[CB] VERMAELEN
[LB] GIBBS
[DMF] SONG
[CMF] CAZORLA
[CMF] ARTETA
[RW] WALCOTT
[LW] CHAMBERLAIN
[CF] PODOLSKI
4-1-2-3
Style: Possession football

TOP 3 TWITTER STARS

1 ANDRE SANTOS – 745,246 followers

Follow @Andre_Santos27

2 ALEX OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN – 643,519 followers

Follow @Alex_OxChambo

3 AARON RAMSEY – 549,302

Follow @aaronjramsey

RATINGS

DEFENCE 7

MIDFIELD 8

ATTACK 8

OVERALL 7.6

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