Arsenal will be expected to announce a new captain after news that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang would no longer be continuing in the role.
While there are different opinions on who should be the new captain, I feel like all avenues point in the same direction.
Of those players who show their leadership on the pitch, urging their team-mates on to give more, to push more, there are few. The standouts this season come from Alexandre Lacazette, Granit Xhaka, Kieran Tierney, Aaron Ramsdale and Gabriel Magalhaes. Emile Smith Rowe, Martin Odegaard and Emile Smith Rowe also show some leadership skills, but the three are still a little raw on the field, and their focus should be on improving themselves.
Whittling through the above, you can take out those who aren’t nailed on to start, which rules out Kieran Tierney (unfortunately) and Alexandre Lacazette. That leaves a core base of three excluding the younger trio, meaning that the likely favourites come from our goalkeeper, Brazilian defender and Xhaka.
The latter is our current vice-captain, which highlights the role he already represents in the side, but you cannot overlook the negatives. He has already been stripped as captain already, after shouting abuse at the fans whilst he was substituted, and his performances are regularly over-studied and pulled apart by fans and pundits alike, making him an easy target.
While he is quick to come into question, he has come out shining and performing on a regular basis however, and he does seem a much mature player than he once was.
While I don’t think anyone would doubt Gabriel or Ramdsale’s leadership as seen on the pitch throughout the current season, I’m not sure they have been a regular first-teamer in the side to demand the respect of their peers.
I think we would all love to see Tierney given his shot to lead by example, but I think the question marks over his importance in the first-team may hamper the chances, and feel like Gabriel could be the strongest rival to Xhaka, who is the obvious choice.
Who do you think will be named captain?
Patrick
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