Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has named Per Mertesacker as their club’s manager for the new season, despite the fact that he will miss the opening five months of the campaign.
Previous captain Mikel Arteta left the club at the end of his contract this summer, before joining Manchester City’s backroom staff as one of Pep Guardiola’s co-assistant coaches.
The Spaniard was installed as captain back in 2014, but went onto make only six Premier League starts in the following two years, which for me questions his influence within the role.
Wenger has now seemingly disregarded the role as a leader on the pitch, by passing the armband onto Per Mertesacker, who not only played a bit-part role for us last season, but is also ruled out for the majority of the playing season.
The German defender can not be questioned when it comes to experience or passion, but one CAN question why a player who is likely to only play a possible third of our season, who is in his last year of his contract would be selected to lead the team.
The fact of the matter is, no captain has stayed in the role for more than three years since Tony Adams retired in 2002, although nobody could question the following captains of Patrick Vieira or Thierry Henry.
Mertesacker’s granting of the armband simply tells me that the 31 year-old will be leaving at the end of his contract next summer, especially following the arrival of Rob Holding and the thoroughly expected signing of another centre-back in the coming week.
Wenger’s comments on the matter name Laurent Koscielny, Santi Cazorla and Petr Cech as the players who will pick up the slack for the absent defender.
He said: “Per is a very respected figure in the dressing room, is loved as well and is also a very demanding figure.
“I think it is absolutely natural to be (him).
“(In his absence) that’s where it will be taken by the assistants.
“One of them will be Koscielny, also Cazorla – the experienced players – Cech maybe.
“We will have a group of people that will take care of the energy levels and the problems of the team.
“That will be down a lot to the experienced players.”
Either of Koscielny or Cech would have made more sense, given their key roles and experience, but I suppose them not being named captain means they could stay on with the club for longer!
Who would you have chosen?
Pat J
leicester just lost to hull….
kantè believe it
How about this for a stat: no EPL champions ever lost the opening game. Buckle up.
I wouldn’t mind losing our opening game, if it meant we were Champions the previous season!
Then you have to wait at least season to deliver the same statement.
Yeah tell me about it, and add another three seasons on top of that if Wenger signs a new contract. Our only hope is if the board grow a pair, sack Wenger before Christmas, and then we can all be optimistic for once!
Does it really matter? Per probably will feature little to none by the time he returns this season. I would really love for Chambers, Holding, or even Bielek to do a Coquelin and Bellerin breakthrough due to current injuries. Still need at least 1 more CB though!!!
Hahahaha…….fact that Per is Lying somewhere on a physio’s bed while being named captain says so much bout Wenger’s delusory delusion
A delusory delusion? Shocking…… surely not! Preaching your negative negativity, nonsensical nonsense & hateful hate as usual, I see.
and Boy is he tryna send an encrypted message to us fans…..say Per would be 1st choice CB this season!
#WaitOnMustafi#
Mahrez even though you had somewhat of a shocker today, come and join the Arsenal family. Clearly you don’t want to be there any longer…
Musa is hungry. But his physique is so weak I would not want him before Giroud. Anyway, Leicester, welcome to EPL. Hope you enjoy it.
I’d go for Rachid Ghazzal of Lyon. How many more shockers are we expecting from mahrez this season and at 45 million pounds?
I would like to see Per on the sideline of every game effectively managing the team.
Yes, because it has been a routine for some years now to have “a non-playing” captain.
BTW, article is misleading. Mertesacker was named captain one month ago before pre season started. Can’t do much now.
Where is the News? Vermalen did not play much when he was a captan because of injury. Arteta did not play much when he was a captan because of injury. and now Per will not play as captan because of injury 😉
Even the issue with the Captains armband has a Groundhog effect to it! ?
Anyways, Who needs a visible Captain, when according to Wenger: ” All my players are Captains” ?
The new season has kicked off in fine style and no doubt that we will be cheering on our rivals opponents, more than ever before! ? ? ? Come on You toffee’s! Stick it to them Spuds! ?
GOALLLLL ⚽….. Get in there! … Ross Barkley!
Vidic and Ferdinand under Fergie? Why do we always have to make a big deal of these things? The captaincy is more formal than anything else. Petr Cech does not need the armband to lead his back line, neither does Koscielny. Xhaka was captain at his former club, he can also lead without the armband. We just need as many players on the pitch who are not going to let performances drop not just one man. And given the luck we’ve had with our previous captains, I say give the band to Mert! lol.
Every time I see Lamela I wish I could slap his face off. Has such a slimy look to him. Fits in perfectly with the scum…
Captain these days means club captain, just spokesman off the pitch and basically eff all on it. Not that he will be on it much when he is fit!
Bit of an insult to Koscielny, Who was the most deserving candidate imo
This just confirms that Wenger knows he has no leaders in his team. If he did have leaders he would pick a playing captain. The characters of the other guys are to passive IMO. Do you see a Viera amongst them?
I would pick Sanchez at least he has a fighting spirit, best in the team. I don’t see Kos as a player with natural authority and good communication and same for Cech. I think Wilshire would have the personality but he is injured too often and is not an automatic starter.