Arsenal need a real captain on the pitch – Not Koscielny!

Arsenal need a real leader on the pitch by DN

As always, Arsenal captain’s fall by the wayside and Per Mertesacker looks like he is going to be the next victim of the captains curse, and he is really only the second-in-command. But Gabriel would appear to have finally gained Wenger’s trust and will probably start on Sunday against Leicester.

So who will be captain? Theo Walcott was given he armband against Chelsea, but that was purely honorary and is unlikely to happen again. Laurent Koscielny got the nod last week against Bournemouth, but he is certainly not a shouter and organiser at the back. I remember he said in an article last year when asked if he was a leader on the pitch. He replied: “I think I lead by example on the pitch. The boys also know that if I’m not happy, I will go out at training and put big tackles in!

“They know that I am reserved but that I have a temper! Now and again, I speak out. I recall one big talk since 2010. It was two years ago before the FA Cup semi-final against Wigan. I was out injured so I couldn’t play.

“I told the squad what I was thinking. I wanted to mobilise everybody. I had a message to get through. It came from my heart and it went down well… I think! Even now, we joke about it sometimes. It was in English as well.

“There is no point to talk too much, anyway. It has to be at the right time, for the right thing and the right way too. Sometimes, also, you don’t need to talk. Just a look or a gesture is enough. I’m more like that.”

You see? That is hardly going to motivate the team if he looks at them funny is he? And if the squad are still talking about the one time he did speak out and it was two years ago, then it must be a very unusual occurence. The problem with Arsenal is that Wenger too often goes for “leaders by example” rather than the shouty types like Tony Adams used to be.

This is why I would prefer Petr Cech. What do you think?

Darren

Tags Adams Cech Koscielny

12 Comments

  1. it would be perfect if cech was given capt armband.
    At Arsenal we only have few natural leaders and for me the first one is wilshere then flamini, Alexis and lastly cech

  2. Would Adams Vieira and
    Henri have led Arsenal to EPL
    titles these last 11 seasons?
    Vieira Henri RVP Fab
    and Vermalen all left..
    Maybe that’s why we have Arteta
    and Mertz because they never leave?
    Do we need a powerful start 45 games a year captain?
    If we win the league the answer would have to be no.

    1. Coquelin was my first thought too… He takes responsibility of, & is not intimidated by, the physical side of the game (Fellaini knows), is very vocal, and now is adding consistency to his game. However, captaincy is more than what we see leaders do on the pitch! But he certainly would be an interesting lad to look into. Cech’s maturity & experience would be more ideal!

  3. Cech it is for me all the way….he is a winner and that in a team full of shirkers and mentally fragile people that is a big factor…he is also calm under pressure, has been there and done it all so will easily command respect…add that to the fact that as a keeper he can see the whole pitch from his vantage point and correct any anomalies…not all captains are shouters or the aggresive type, Zidane was a captain that leads by example and he does not shout or act aggressively to get his point across

    1. How often do you see a keeper captain? You need an outfield player to talk to the ref as the keeper is usually too far away.

      1. Someone should of told Spain that before they made Casilla their captain and won the world cup and Euros.

        Seaman captain’d Arsenal in his last game for us which resulted in the FA Cup win.

        GK can be captains.

  4. The fact that we have to rack our brains to find an outfield player who has the criteria/character to be captain says a lot about our current team!
    Positionally and character wise it’s Coquelin all the way for me. Nothing wrong with him being mentored on and off the pitch but the likes of Arteta and Cech.

    1. Make Cech captain and Coquelin vice-captain?

      Coquelin would learn from example and if he and Cech can build up a good line of communication then Coquelin can act on behalf of Cech when Cech can’t leave his area.

      Alexis looks like he could be a good captain as well, I think he would really feel proud to take the armband. After living in Messi shadow he has been able to express himself here and to trust him with the captain armband could just make him Arsenal till he dies 😛 He is a motivator and not shy to speak so he has the qualities and it wouldn’t be giving him the band just for the sake of it.

  5. IDK I get worried when armbands get changed
    Henry leaves
    Gallas keaves
    Fabregas keaves
    Vermaelen leaves
    Van Persie leaves
    Arteta becomes bench player

  6. The 3 players that come to mind quickly when I think about who could be captain is; Alexis, Cech and Coquelin.

    Alexis because he is Alexis, how could that guy not motivate people? Just by watching him I get motivated on the sofa lol! He isn’t shy to speak and he is always applauding good intentions from his team-mates.

    Cech because he is an intelligent guy from what I have read and he has great authority in his box, he can speak multiple languages so communication to old and new players will be easy for him, he is also a winner and knows what it takes to get the job done.

    Coquelin because he is a fighter and someone who will always back his team up, it must be good to know you got a player like Coquelin who you know will back you up as well as having the passion to fight for his spot rather than him having the attitude of expecting it because he is English or Wengers ‘puppy’. Oh and again, he isn’t shy to speak 🙂

    If Flamini was a better footballer then I would say him, not shy to speak out as we always see him saying something and pointing to where he should be…. I mean where someone should be 😛
    I do like how he refused to think of other clubs when he wanted to come back to Arsenal and that is passion, someone with that passion for the club would be a benefit.

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