Date: 26th February 2015 at 6:23pm
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It seems to have become almost ‘trendy’ to accuse Arsenal of being a team without leaders and whilst some of the criticism has been exaggerated, one striking point would tend to sway the jury to agree.

Arsenal have had five official captains in the last nine years. ‘Official’ because Gilberto Silva, who performed for most of the 2006/07 season in a stand-in role due to Henry’s absence for most of the season, was not made permanent captain the following year. With the Frenchman’s exit to Barcelona, William Gallas, Cesc Fabregas, Robin van Persie and Thomas Vermaelen have all received the armband on a full-time basis, spanning an average tenure of 18-months.

And barely seven months into the latest conferment, the question of Mikel Arteta passing it on to a successor is now as serious – and as possible – as the Gunners’ quest to finish comfortably in the top four, again.

Recurring injuries have plagued him thrice this season; 12 Games, one goal, and six league starts bears a striking resemblance to Vermaelen’s form last season. Francis Coquelin has ensured Wenger has had no need to harry the medics into getting him back soon and considering the Spaniard may not return to the team till around April – after he will have celebrated his 33rd birthday – it is reasonable to ponder if Wenger should consider appointing another permanent captain already.

In truth, it would not appear that there are many ‘worthy’ candidates to choose from as the club’s injury record puts an asterisk on every potential captain. Yet, there must be one or two in the team at the moment who have shown enough signs of being genuine leaders and motivators on the pitch.

He may not be playing now but Wojciech Szczesny has the attitude of a proper captain. A Gooner by all merits and a willing fighter, his time may come to be captain in four or five years time, perhaps when his father stops talking his team-mates down from Poland.

Francis Coquelin has gradually begun to gain the respect of team-mates and that is not an ordinary ingredient to have in a captain. His performances have been of staggering significance for the team and if he convinces Wenger enough not to go into the market in the summer for Morgan Schneiderlin, while getting a possible call-up into the French side in the lead up to Euro 2016, he will inevitably become one of Arsene’s French Arsenal captains one day, if he is still in-charge.

But you would think the English lads will be more in the running; Kieran Gibbs, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, (Carl Jenkinson?), but none more touted than Jack Wilshere. Not that Theo Walcott – with more goals and appearances than any current Arsenal player – would shirk the duties if assigned but he does not look the one to coerce and cajole, even with 20-goals-a-season. Jack must be Arsenal captain in the foreseeable future, just as he is favoured to be England’s leader too, though his ankles will have to be certified injury-proof first and his drawers free from ignitable sticks.

An immediate replacement for Arteta, if there had to be one, it would be the BFG, Per Mertesacker. Gabriel’s arrival may signal a coming period of stern competition for him but even the highly-rated Brazilian will find it tough having the kind of impact Mertesacker has had this season, his 33-appearances bettered only by Santi Cazorla and Alexis Sanchez, playing every league game after the opening day. He is the only one, with Damian Martinez, whose every appearance this season has been as a starter, going on to finish all of the games.

After the struggles of the first season, he’s been more ever present, making 44 apps the following season and 52 last term, playing in all the games in the lead up to the FA Cup triumph. No player has made more appearances for the club (156) since he arrived in 2011 as part of that last-minute Deadline Day impulse shelf-duster. He has quit international football after the World Cup to “focus on Arsenal” and there is no reason to suggest he’s been any worse this season than he was in last year’s campaign, coming second in the club’s Player of the Year poll behind Ramsey.

His English is perfect, and everything he does shows he really does love the club, recently highlighted by the Gooners shout out tweet to Lukasz Fabianski after last weekend’s round of games. Making him permanent captain might just be the final piece of motivation he needs to bring out his best and we know that defenders, like goalkeepers, can still do very well well into their thirties. Why else would he have been considered fit enough to be made vice-captain at the beginning of the season other than to take over when Arteta eventually becomes unfit to continue?

Driving Arsenal to success?

Europcar

 

2 responses to “Arsenal must be considering a change in captain but who?”

  1. Yohan says:

    Did you watch last nights game??

  2. The BearMan says:

    Ozil dwelling to long on the ball, Giroud cannot find the net, defenders forgot the Basics. This season when we are bad, we are very bad. But we are not the only ones.

    There is something in the atmosphere as more English clubs bite the dust. If Arsenal can once again find their form for the return leg, Who Knows?