Ever since Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira left the Gunners in 2006, fans and pundits alike have been screaming out for dying breed of player: a true leader on and off the field. We know that Arsene favours togetherness and shared responsibility in favour of over relying on one player to take the team by the scruff of the neck but is this because he hasn’t found the right player to replace Vieira or is it because he genuinely believes the game has changed in favour of his philosophy?
Is there a captain’s curse?
Since Patrick’s departure to Juventus, Arsenal seem to have had more captains than any other team in the Premier League. However, none of them seem to stay much longer once they have been given the armband:
Henry – promoted from vice captain, our best and most experienced player at the time, a world cup winner, an Arsenal lover and a fiercely passionate man. The right choice? All the evidence would suggest so, with the only niggle that not many people like having a captain as a striker because they’re often not as involved in the heart of the action. However, Thierry left just 2 years later to play for Barcelona in order to compete for the Champions League which he eventually won in 2009
Gilberto – another world cup winner who deputised for Thierry when he was injured. Gilberto was mature, experienced and a great influence in the dressing room. He raised his game scoring 10 goals. However, with his age catching up on him and the emergence of Flamini he not only lost his armband but also his place in the starting XI. Wenger’s preference to hand Gallas the armband after such an impressive season seemed to be the nail in the coffin and again left the club 2 years after captaining the side regularly.
Gallas – experienced, premier league winner, vocal and charismatic. It was a bold move by Wenger giving the captaincy to someone who had only spent one full season of the club and came from fierce rivals Chelsea. Everything started well with the team looking to challenge in the post-Henry era until Gallas’ over-emotional approach backfired in the infamous Birmingham incident. Two more blunders (the cigarette incident and the publicity over the dressing room row against Spurs) saw him stripped of the armband and handed to our golden boy at the time: Cesc. Gallas stayed for one more season before signing with bitter rivals Spurs.
Cesc – Fabregas was earmarked as a perfect captain in the eyes of many of our fans: wearing Vieira’s no.4, centre of the park, his best years ahead of him, loved and raised by Arsenal. He was our best player and whilst he didn’t fit the typical mould of captain who shouts and screams through 90 minutes, he led by example – he never gave up, he always thought positive and he was willing to do whatever it took on the pitch to get things done. But again, the curse struck. When his home time of Barcelona came calling led by his childhood idol Pep Guardiola it was an offer he couldn’t refuse. As we all know he left this summer and vice-captain Robin van Persie now boasts the armband.
So many changes in captaincy challenge Wenger’s views on continuity. Even if Arsene went a bought a ‘true leader’ how would other players at the club who have had a longer tenure feel if someone was instantly given the armband? I believe Wenger knows he’s in a situation now where Arsenal are a less attractive club to come to, both in terms of success and finances, but he also knows that giving the armband to someone too young could backfire so I can see the armband being handed down a few more times until Wilshere, Ramsey or Szczesny are given the honour for a prolonged period.
Who should be captain?
Robin looks to be leading by example on the pitch with 26 goals in 31 games and seems to be a player that people look up to in the dressing room. He isn’t afraid to give advice to players and be vocal, he’s been at Arsenal since a teenager and he clearly loves the club. But, van Persie hasn’t been able to boast a fit full season at the club and with his contract running out soon we could see another captain leave 2 years after being given the armband on a fulltime basis.
Vermaelen was captain at Ajax and his presence, or lack of presence, can clearly be felt when he isn’t in the side. We have several international captains in Ramsey, Park, Benayoun, Rosicky and Arshavin but they’re either not regulars, have problems with injuries, too old or too young to captain Arsenal as things stand.
Forward
As written on the crest of this season’s shirt, we must look forward. Wilshere is already a fans’ favourite and if he recovers fully from his injury and stays fit for the next 3-4 seasons we could have a future Arsenal and England captain. I would imagine Ramsey would be the stop gap after Robin and Vermaelen pass on the mantle but there’s also a challenge from Szczesny who has been impressive in both his performances and handling of the pressure of first team football at such a young age. He’s vocal, not afraid to organise and another fans’ favourite.
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