Did Arsenal pick the wrong defender as Captain?
What are the qualities that you should look for in a captain, and have Arsenal chosen the wrong man to replace Robin van Persie? I am not saying that Thomas Vermaelen is not a good player and a good example to the others, I just wonder if Arsene Wenger has missed a trick. When things are going well, a captain’s job is pretty easy, you just have to play well and be likeable.
It is when things get tough and the team needs some help that the true qualities of a captain are needed. Arsenal need help at the minute. Things are not going our way, and we need a leader on the pitch, not just to shout at the other players but to inspire them and lead by example. Vermaelen seems to have crumples along with the Arsenal performances over the last two games, maybe he is really feeling the pressure, but his co`defender, Laurent Koscielny, has fought against the odds all his career. He knows what it is like to take knocks and get up to fight again, because his path to the Premier league and international football has been a long, hard struggle.
“You have some young players that you know will become very good, and some who take a different road, like me, Olivier Giroud, and Franck Ribery.
“There are a lot of players who did not play in academies when we were younger. It is better for us because we passed through difficult situations and this makes us stronger now.”
Arsenal are currently going through one of the most difficult situations that Gooners can remember in recent history. We thought it was bad at the start of last season, culminating in the pasting we received at Old Trafford, but this season is worse. It’s time to roll the sleeves up and get pour hands dirty, at least until results start to improve, and Koscielny has been doing that since he began his career at the French side Guincamp and found himself playing in the French third division.
“Life is strange. Maybe tomorrow I won’t be able to play, because I am injured, so I live every day at 100 percent.
“I am happy to be a professional footballer, to play in a big stadium with a big atmosphere against very good players.
“I can’t say that I’m tired, that I don’t want to run and want to stay at home, it’s not possible. I have a great passion for football, and every time I am on the pitch I give 100 percent.”
Of course, Arsenal want the best quality players, but sometimes players can have all the talent in the world but the attitude is not there, thins have been too easy. For a long time now, Arsenal have been accused of being all flair and no steel. It seemed as if that had changed at the start of the season, but we have been slipping back into the bad old ways. It wouldn’t be a bad thing if more of our players had some of Koscielny’s never say die attitude.
Not sure if he would make the first team regularly when Gibbs is fit. TV and Mertsacker are my number one pairing.
Opinions divided. What do you think?
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If my boy koscielny becomes captain il be over the moon, I used to think tv would be a great captain but it hasn’t materialised and he looks to have lost form coz of it.
IMO it belongs to either arteta, sagna, koscielny, per or even wilshere (Ramsey did it so can he )
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How can you say koscielny won’t make the team when tv is loosing form while laurent played better than any other defender last year?
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we need gibbs back + love the rumors saying city will sell edin dzeko to arsenal if walcott is included heard we came close to signing dzeko on loan in summer his wage could be a stumbling block
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mikel arteta or even podolski as captian spuds just bring it
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personally,neither tommy v or kosh should be captain, I honestly dont think we have a proper arsenal football club captain in that squad!!
theres no fire,NO BITE AND NO BALLS LEFT,WE LOOK IN A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF TROUBLE.
PLEASE GIVE US ARSENAL BACK COS THIS IS DIABOLICAL
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This has to be ajoke! Kosicleny has been equally as poor this season and has never led a team, nor has he got a wealth of experience! If another defender gets it it should be merts, but on last seasons performances i understand why he didnt.
Tbf TV was right choice at end of last season, his just on bad form, if continues, maybe arteta should get it
Opinions divided. What do you think?
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A captain is a captain regardless of where he plays. Song once said in an interview that he thought the hardest (toughest) guy is TV5. He’s probably right. We need more guys like him in the team. I think he’s a good leader, unless you guys want a marshmellow like Walcott to guide the boys.
Opinions divided. What do you think?
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arteta deserve it……….he was everton captain for a long time and he hs the sufficient experience for it
Top Gooner!. Agree or not?:
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This season our weak link in defence has been Vermaelen and Koscielny. In my opinion Gibbs, Sagna and Mertesacker have been great. Only problem is one person is always letting down the defence.
We also really need a defensive midfielder or someone willing to stay back and will push players around not letting them have it there way, Arteta is a great player but not suitable for this job.
If we get this my formation would be 4-3-1-2
Szczesny
Sagna//Vermaelen//Mertesacker//Gibbs
Arteta//New midfielder//Wilshere
Cazorla
Giroud//Walcott
Now Podolski isn’t in this team but to be honest it could have been any 2 of Giroud, Walcott and Podolski, I just went on form. Cazorla showed he has a great shot with either foot and can also play a killer pass, I think he could handle a spot further up. The new midfield can sit back and boss the opponents strikers around, Arteta and Wilshere can carry the ball forward and control everything from behind Cazorla, I feel they both have great long passes and can do a great job controlling the game.
Top Gooner!. Agree or not?:
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Ok every one calm down a little TV5 is a good captain not currently on a good form He’ll be back to normal soon, find the real problem.
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Always seeing the wrong side of this club WHY?
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Koscielny is obviously our best defender by some distance, but I heard someone on the tele say he was quiet.
An obvious choice would have been Arteta. Always the first to confont the media and speaks for the club when we’re doing well or poorly. And he has years of Premier league experience.
Opinions divided. What do you think?
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@ mbokor
cause its always the wrong side that costs us trophies.
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Must say I have been disappointed with TV this season. Last season I thought Wenger made the wrong choice with RVP and should have opted for TV as captain, but he doesn’t seem to inspire or rally the troops when we are down. His head drops in matches and he seems to be a shadow of the player he was when he first arrived. I actually think Arteta would be a good choice if not Jack who whilst is very young and maybe it would be too much of a burden at present given he is only just coming back from a long injury, he is definitely captain material in my view. (only thing is our Captains always leave, so perhaps give the armband to Squillaci !)
Top Gooner!. Agree or not?:
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TV5 has the armband and holds it on merit ( not just as a sop to keep him at the club like RVP was).
Along with Arteta and Szczesny he’s the best leader on the pitch. This is a non issue.
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ARTETA would be my choice!!
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The thing is that you need leaders not leader so if we struggle to find one year in/out well then it is a concern, must say that i have found this area a deserving criticism of AW as he rarely chooses the right guy instead giving the armband to our most valuable player in the hope it sways his decision in wether to move on or not
I do like the idea of Arteta being captain as he would have been privy to old fashioned rollickings and opinions/frustrations been voiced week in/out with his time at eve, also had no problem stepping up for our last penno as the mentality within himself were to redeem the one he gave away, even though he missed i believ this to be a characteristic of a leader/champion
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i should be captain
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Pick Mertesacker
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@leo do man shitty really need to ruin another English wingers career by taking Walcott! All he needs to do is look at Adam Johnson and Scott Sinclair
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No one knows what’s wrong with Vermalaen. He doesn’t dish out instructions; plays with his head down and seems a shadow of himself.
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Yeah, Laurent Koscielny has provided a far better work rate than Thomas Vermaelen , I’m pleased that the supporters have seen that. Vermaelen has become a bit error prone, this worry me a lot as he’s a guy that I admire a lot! I would pair Kosceslny and Per at the back for now.
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Sagna or Arteta , preferably Arteta
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Fans I’m curious to know do you lot think we’ll be in Top 4 this season?? Green For Yes ……… Red For No
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Don’t take it away from him so soon. Unthinkable. By the way, why do so many people on this site say loose when they mean lose? This is worrying me more than Arsenal’s form at the moment.
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I think vermaelans form has sufferd since he realised he has to leave Arsenal to achieve trophys i expect him to leave this summer.
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Obviously Santi cazorla should be captain and Arteta to be vice captain and if Francesc Fabregas returns to Arsenal (hopefully will come) he shall be the captain or vice captain.
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Since captain badge is a sendforth gift in Arsenal, lets give it to Ramsy or Diaby.
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just gooing through a bad patch means wrong choice???
DID your boss sacked you when you are slow or doing wrong?
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Honestly think Koscielny is the most overated player in our squad
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this blog needs a proof reader before being posted….
littered with errors
otherwise just ridiculous anyway – why undermine a player who has barely had the armband for 3 months
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Its a bit premature to suggest Koscielny, I mean he hasn’t captained a team and if TV5′s form returns he may struggle for first team football. TV5 is going through a rough patch, but I am sure he’ll come out of it. At the moment, he is the best man for the armband with Arteta as the deputy. He is tough, tenacious and normally a damn good defender capable of scoring lots of goals too. We need to support the Verminator, I hope he scores a goal against the Spuds and we could see a change in form and leadership from him.
Our team is low on confidence. We need one really good performance and I am sure we could turn it around. Also Cazorla and Arteta need a rest. I hope Diaby and Rosicky return quickly so that the squad can be rotated once in a while to allow players to recharge their batteries.
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My choice is Sagna. Longest serving player and ever reliable. Arteta shld b vice.
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I know he is not our best defender but I think Per Mertesacker would be a great captain. I think AW should make Vermaelen our perminent LB and Koscielny and Mertesacker our new main centre halfs. Per should be our captain down to his experience and the fact that he was team captain at Werder Bremen, so he already knows what its like to be that guy. As for Vermaelen he’s a better vice captain, like how he was last season to RvPaedophile. Think about it Gooners.
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We are in a bad form because most of our game relies on Gibbs. A straight fact. Left flank wasn’t penetrable when Gibbs was on the pitch. Now most of our opponents attacks comes through our left flank. We had a good attacking option on the left flank once he was there. Gervinho was better with Gibbs, Poldi was better with Gibbs, shoot even Cazorla was better with Gibbs. Maybe admins should make an article about this fact.
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@Triple S
Sagna would be a perfect Arsenal captain, because just like the previous two, he is about to leave the club.
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the armband should had been given to SAGNA
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