Who will be Arsenal’s next captain? That’s the question on everybody’s lips as we digest the news that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been stripped of the armband by manager Mikel Arteta.
In an ideal world, you want it to be someone who commands respect in the dressing room and on the terraces, a regular in the manager’s starting XI, a good communicator (especially in English) and that they are committed to the club for at least the mid-term.
In recent years, finding someone who ticks all those boxes has proved difficult for Arsenal. And when we did, those individuals, including Arteta himself, invariably spent most of their time injured meaning the responsibility bounced around the squad like a beach ball at the Stadium of Light.
For the time being, the boss says he’s going to lean on the squad’s “leadership group” to fill the Auba vacuum, however, aside from namechecking Alex Lacazette (out of contract in July) and Granit Xhaka (one-time captain who nearly left in the summer), he wouldn’t be drawn on who else is trusted with a membership of a relatively fluid arrangement.
In the absence of Hector Bellerin, on loan at Real Betis, Rob Holding, appears to have stepped up this season and we wouldn’t be surprised if Kieran Tierney, who regularly captained Celtic, were also part of the group. The boss has also praised the attitude of Calum Chambers, at the club since 2016, even though his former teammate has been on the fringe of things and been impressed by Gabriel and newbies Aaron Ramsdale and Martin Odegaard.
If we were betting, we suspect Arteta would love to give Xhaka the armband but he’s no doubt aware of the optics of handing the responsibility to a man who has already lost the job under Unai Emery’s watch.
With that in mind, we’re not surprised to hear the boss isn’t against the idea of letting his young squad vote on the matter; the means by which the Switzerland international was elected captain in September 2019.
“There are so many different ways to do it,” said Arteta when pressed on how best to pick a captain.
“Sometimes the manager can decide the captain or decide the second or third captain and the group then decides who is going to represent them in the dressing room. They are [all] good and they can all work, if you have the right people.”
He added: “I’ve seen and have participated in both of them [ways of choosing a captain] and at the end, the important thing is not the journey or the destination, it’s the company. That’s the most important thing.”
Admittedly, we’re not entirely sure what he means by “the company”, it’s possible he’s talking about the club as an entity rather than hanging out with people but you sort of get his gist.
Whoever gets the gig, and it may not be something that gets dealt with immediately, it’s clear the manager expects high standards. The “non-negotiables” are definitely “non-negotiables”.
But where did Arteta’s strict policy come from? Was it inspired by those he played under, including David Moyes and Arsene Wenger, or is Pep Guardiola the inspiration? It turns out the answer is closer to home.
“First of all, it was the way I was raised,” he said. “It’s from my parents and family, then it’s experiences that I had in life obviously throughout my life and career as a player with different managers and people that I admire.
“This is my beliefs and my values and they are completely shared with the club’s values.
“That’s why I decided to belong here and to take the step to become the manager here because I believed I could represent them. What I cannot do is fail to do that because then it wouldn’t be me.”
Not again, pls. Ask Unai, how that worked. It did not.
Xhaka has killed two managers already, and I have serious concerns Arteta is about to die on the same hill.
Not only would reinstating him annoy the hell out of the majority of supporters, it also makes him near impossible to drop, substitute and just flipping move on from. Tied down to a new contract, and as captain, we could be all set for another 5 years of this (w)anchor weighing down our midfield.
I do not understand why people are so attached to Xhaka? The guy has never been good enough for Arsenal. His performances over the last 5 years have been absolutely diabolical for the position he plays. There are stats out there which basically make him one of the worst midfielders in the league for the amount if mistakes he makes in a season. He also disrespected the shirt, the armband, and the fans. I can’t believe that’s just been somehow wiped from relevance because it happened under Emery? Its absolutely bizarre. Lets also not forget he actively wanted to move… Read more »
I have to say that is spot on. The ironic thing is, the one excuse Arteta has left – the team’s youth – is the one thing that makes Xhaka such a mainstay in the side. Talk about a vicious circle. You leave out promising, skilful players like Lokonga and AMN – who both got motm awards before being dropped for this lumbering, one-trick pony that we have seen a million times before. He’s not improving, he’s not getting better, in-fact he might just be getting worse, and we stunt the growth of our young prospects, just so we can… Read more »
And think about a player vote for a second. Who it’s not a true democratic and independent vote. These guys would discuss things all day long. Xhaka whispering in their ears. Young players not wanting to make the wrong decision even if they might think it’s the wrong choice. Seriously, how can we possibly be going down this route again? Like seriously. Someone needs to pull Mikel aside and just tell him “no, do not do this and do not appoint Xhaka. This is not the direction of the team and this will alienate fans at a time where we… Read more »
What a time to be alive. One day we are all going to look back on this decade as: The Xhaka Years – 2016-2026.
I’m worried that you’re confusing Granit Xhaka with Wormtongue from Lord of the Rings.
It’s not a hard confusion to make.
I don’t even think that’s an excuse, Arsene Wenger managed to get top 4 each season with a team that had an average age of 21. Fairly sure the average age of our squad now is 23.
So yeah … another one the Arteta fanboys can’t dine out on.
But as soon as Wenger got Granit… I know, I know, pure coincidence.
Overplaying youth is more likely to “stunt their growth” than leaving them out a few games here and there.
As fans, nearly all of us have Xhaka reservations. But the coaches don’t. He has been a mainstay in the team under all coaches. Wenger, unai, Freddie, Arteta, Swiss team, Borrusia.. I bet even his teammates would again vote him to be the captain. Perhaps there’s a side to him that we don’t get to see. Hopefully the Amazon doc will capture that side of him.
Emery stripped him of the captaincy? Arteta agreed to sell him but opted not to over the offers rightly being low and no way near the ridiculous figures we were wanting because he’d managed to string about 4 average performances together in the Euros.
If we didn’t have Willock to sell, then Xhaka would’ve gone for the 12 ish million Roma offered and that’s a fact.
Now you’ve stated ‘that’s a fact’, we all have the inside scoop! Thank you. I will put in more effort on hating Xhaka and anyone associated to him being played. It will be time well spent. I will also spend more time explaining to all AFC fans why Xhaka is the sole reason for the demise of AFC (even though most fans agree that Xhaka – for various reasons – is not good enough for our club). Anyone not as hyped up about it as I am will be labeled an ‘Arteta fanboy’, because I tend to be a bit… Read more »
To be fair, he is so good, that literally after the best season in his career he was wanted by Roma for £12M.
Must be some player.
Willock was sold to Newcastle for £20M.
Popularity is an emotional response.
So he’s picked for his character and I’m sure he’s the player’s captain etc. etc.
But at a certain point someone has to take a step back, take initiative and take responsibility for the on-pitch fucking results of this club and have the balls to say Xhaka you are NOT GOOD ENOUGH to lead this team forward. GET OUT.
That’s the point, though – coaches/managers obviously think he is good enough. They aren’t choosing him to play/be captain because they have no balls. If anything, it takes more balls to go against the majority of the fanbase. Or does Xhaka know Kung-fu?
Popularity is an emotional response etc. etc.
Absolutely bang on.
The EASY thing to do is to put Xhaka straight back in the team.
To have the balls to drop him, sell him, whatever, for the sake of the team’s performance on the pitch. That takes a really strong manager.
Whatever happens on the football pitch, I kind of like MA as a person. Getting the feeling he’s pretty honest about who he is, and if at some point he isn’t the right chap for the job, it’s up to the club to recognise it. The next few months are going to be interesting
Arsenal captain’s curse is real.
This is exactly how it works in successful businesses – the next CEO is voted for by the work force so that Frank in Accounts who buys the best Secret Santa presents can lead the company! Awesome idea Mikel!
And that’s why we all love football right, because clubs are exactly like multinational corporations & club captains are CEOs?
Someone missed the sarcasm
Agreed. Just not sure that person’s who you think it is.
I’m going to leave it a mystery to cover my bases 😅
Kevin. Kevin worked in accounts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19ulSNSRKyU
Definitely American
If players are voting, I think we know who is coming back as the captain again.
He is trying to wash his hands of the decision he wants because he knows how unpopular it will be with the fans. And so the cycle continues… He might as well just sign his resignation letter along with the player vote.
The most frustrating thing would be the admission that Xhaka is basically untouchable in terms of first 11 going forward. He has some real assets – long range passing – but also requires the entire team be built around him due to his serious limitations. This very much seems like a step backwards
But maybe if we make him captain… Again… he will become a fast sprinter and not prone to brain farts and errors and he’ll connect with the fans like no arsenal captain ever before… Surely its worth another try. Sure it hasn’t worked thus far, but 15th times a charm right?
For as much as many want things to change in terms of style etc, it seems pretty apparent that Xhaka will be a guaranteed starter under Arteta as long as he’s around and fit. After every red card he’s right back in the team etc. or even after coming back from injury he’s playing 90 minutes despite being obviously knackered. It doesn’t seem down to a lack of options so much as Arteta genuinely rates him. I really like the young players but after 2 years we need to start seeing real progress in terms of style etc as we’re… Read more »
Martinelli’s energy is the closest anyone has come to negating Xhaka’s passiveness on the left.
If Xhaka is appointed captain Arteta deserves all the inevitable criticism that will follow. It’s ludicrous to strip one guy for breach of conduct only to re-instate another guy who fucking torpedoed it barely 2 seasons ago. What kind of message does that send?
I second this 100%, but lets not assume stuff.
Time will tell..
It’s inevitable mate.
Ermm….rehabilitation can work?…maybe?…
It’s a challenge the manager and most probably the players knowing who they want and who their true leader is but finding a way to play around fans’ emotions because the fans already know who the leader is but can’t stomach it.
I see what you did there with the cover image. 😉
A vote by 33% players, 33% fans, 33% UEFA friends and family.
And 1% Michael Masi just to swing it Max’s way 😉
I would love to be a fly on the wall in Arteta’s office if they all voted for Aubameyang.
Xhaka’s the only one on the ballot
Why not give this one to all the muppets that have bought a socio token for a ‘vote’?….
Does anyone else remember actually being able to hear Tony Adams give the team a bollocking during games at Highbury and the immediate lift that gave the players and the crowd. Where are the leaders?
Why not? We know they’re great at decision-making.
Actually, considering the emphasis on removing Auba being a club decision vs. an Arteta decision, I hope that they do take fan views into account.
Not via some BS token, but maybe through the avenues they established following the super league debacle. Fans should absolutely not be making the final choice here, but the club should be listening to supporters to take their temperature on what the reaction will be. I expect the takeaway would be – pick anyone other than Xhaka.
The fans might as well vote. The player vote is a cowards way (Emery) and even though I’m not Artetas biggest fan he’s always had a backbone so I hope he choose whoever he sees fit enough to be HIS captain.
Xhaka would be my choice regardless of what happened. Ödegaard or Tierney otherwise.
Honestly, he might be my choice too.
I’m sick and tired of him and appointing him captain is a surefire way to get him out of the club in six months or less.
If only it worked last time. I mean Xhaka played his part…
He was soooo close to joining Hertha Berlin.
Shame it fell through.
The one explanation I have is that he wasn’t the captain long enough.
Great idea, that sort of thinking never backfired before so why not go with it again….right?
Or Arteta could just give the gig to Tierney (as he should), the guy’s made for the role, with Gabriel as VC.
Our next captain must be: one of – if not the first name on the team sheet, not injury-prone, not a CF, not Xhaka: step forward Gabriel and let’s start a new era now
Honestly Gabriel is a good shout.
For me it’s between him and Ben White.
100%. He’s my #1, Ramsdale #2, Tierney #3…Granit…well, how many players do we have in the squad?
I mean, I know it’s commonly done in ice hockey and it works pretty well there.
I like it in principle, although I wonder if our squad isn’t too young for it to really work.
Hahaha I can see Arteta choosing Xhaka, and then “it was the players’ choice”
🤣
https://tenor.com/TMX6.gif
Arteta likes Xhaka because he’s basically a carbon copy of himself during his later playing days. Slows down play, solid passing, can’t break through the lines. I remember groaning every time Wenger brought on Arteta in Arteta’s final years as a player. It was like, ok here we go, side-to-side passing, slow build-up, etc. I could probably get >90% passing numbers if all I did was square the ball to my outside back. Technical passing competence (especially with Xhaka’s complete lack of tackling abilities) is not the only recipe for a solid spine. Tierney for me. Odegaard as a close… Read more »
True.
“Calum Chambers, at the club since 2016″
How do you f*** that up?
Armband or not it appears Xhaka is the de facto captain on the pitch. All the players consider him to be the leader and would probably pick him if it went to a vote. But can you really have a club whom half the fanbase can’t stand? And one who has already been stripped of the role?
Problem I have with Xhaka being captain is that if he doesn’t leave this summer, the likelihood is he will be leaving next summer and then we’re back to deciding on a captain again. I’d much rather we invest in the young team that we have so that they can build around their new captain and move forward. For that reason, I think it should be Gabriel and White as captain and vice (or vice versa) both seem to be guaranteed starters, are solid and read the game well. Tierney would have been my first choice, but he’s in and… Read more »
Better to have a captain whom half the players don’t think should be captain, but the fans all love? Half our fanbase can’t stand one player or another, every other week. Though, Xhaka has been more consistent than other players in fucking up one way or another. Kieran should be captain, Kieran injured so Tavares in the team, Tavares is the best ever and Kieran has been crap so far and needs to rest, Tavares makes a few mistakes, Tavares is too young and why is Arteta still choosing him, Arteta is the worst, bring back Kieran, Kieran for captain!… Read more »
Armband or not it appears Xhaka is the de facto captain on the pitch. All the players consider him to be the leader and would probably pick him if it went to a vote. But can you really have a club captain whom half the fanbase can’t stand? And one who has already been stripped of the role?
Should the club fail to qualify for European football again, I can already see “Aubameyang’s destabilising and negative influence” being used as an excuse for why we underperformed.
The club captain has two different roles and we only see the one on the pitch, not the one in the dressing room as representative of the players; ideally the captain is suited to both roles. Pretty clearly, the players last year viewed Xhaka, David Luiz, and Bellerin as their leaders in that second role. I’m not sure Ramsdale or Gabriel are viewed that way (yet). My guess is that Tierney and Odegaard, both with experience as captains, are the logical choices for next season/ This season, Arteta’s “leadership group,” including Lacazette and Xhaka, makes sense.
It speaks volumes of Parteys’ impact in the team that he’s not even touted as a potential captain. Even Tomi is ahead of him.
Oh dear here we go again 🙈
Chambers has been at Arsenal since 2014
It’s the team’s captain, not the fans’.
“First of all, it was the way I was raised….it’s from my parents and family. . .”
That’s settled then. . .the curse of Ma Xhaka and the front door key about to strike again.
Mr. and Mrs. Xhaka definitely should have give then keys to the more TAULANTed son.
If he gives it to Xhaka he’s (sorry) an idiot and I will stand first in line and shout ‘Arteta out’!
You CAN NOT give it to him! That would be like piss on all true supporters.
Kompany did seem like a good captain.