The conclusion of 2015-16 EPL season saw Arsenal once again stutter in their quest to win the league. This time, there was no FA Cup triumph to appease the fans’ agony of seeing the same story repeating since the past decade. Pundits and fans alike have been questioning the lack of leaders in the squad to motivate and lead the team during crunch matches. Mikel Arteta was the designated club captain for the last couple of seasons. However, injuries meant he played in a total of 25 matches in those two seasons.
With his retirement, Arsenal now have a genuine chance of naming someone who can lead the side regularly and with authority. Given Arsenal’s history with injuries, a multiple captains system as followed by FC Barcelona and Manchester United last season can also be considered. With the Gunners playing their first pre-season football fixture on July 22nd against French second division outfit RC Lens, we look at the 5 possible candidates to don the captain’s armband for the upcoming 2016-17 EPL season.
5. Alexis Sánchez
Transferred from Barcelona in July 2014, Alexis Sánchez has been one of the best signings for Arsenal in recent years. He hit the ground running right from his first season and has scored 42 goals for the Gunners across the past two seasons. Further, the Chilean has won back-to-back Copa Americas with the national team in 2015 and 2016, including the Golden Ball for being the best player in the recently concluded Copa América Centenario. After a relatively injury-prone season with Arsenal, the Copa America success with Chile should do him a world of good in terms of confidence to get back to his best.
A truly world class player who can turn the game on its head, Alexis is one of the first names on the team-sheet. Along with that, he is a player with immense work-rate who hustles the opposition and is always known to leave everything on the pitch. This attitude with his ability makes him a good contender for the captain’s armband. However, having spent only two seasons at the club combined with the experience of other players on the list, he finds himself relatively down the pecking order at the moment.
4. Petr Cech
One of the most accomplished goalkeepers of all time, Petr Cech made the transfer from Chelsea to Arsenal last summer and ended up winning the Golden Glove (the award for the Premier League goalkeeper with the highest number of clean sheets) for the 4th time by keeping 16 clean sheets in 34 appearances. He is a serial winner having won 4 EPL titles, 4 FA Cups, 4 League Cups, The Europa League and the much coveted Champions League with Chelsea.
A calming influence at the back, Cech is a vocal leader who can be heard shouting instructions to his team-mates during the match. He is known to speak five languages which ensures communication with team-mates is never an issue. Further, his age is not a factor as goalkeepers are known to play at the top level longer than the outfield players. All these attributes make him a prime choice for captain. However, having shifted from rivals just a year ago might factor in against him although William Gallas was handed the armband in one year under a similar scenario when he transferred from Chelsea to Arsenal in 2006. That single factor could be the reason, he might be held off from being named captain this season.
3. Per Mertesacker
The BFG (Big Friendly German) as he is fondly called, Per Mertesacker has been the captain for the most part in the absence of Mikel Arteta until an unconvincing Gabriel Paulista was brought into the side both for his age and having pace. In spite of Mertesacker’s lack of pace, he is an excellent reader of the game and a very good tackler. However, at 31 years of age, the German’s decline is evident and he lost the vice-captaincy to Laurent Koscielny last season.
He is a highly respectable person in the Arsenal dressing room and with Paulista yet to seal his place in the side, Mertesacker might still have a chance to be named captain next season in the lines of Thomas Vermaelen and Mikel Arteta who had similarly reduced playing roles. However, the remaining two players on the list offer more value on and off the pitch than the big German, which reduces his chances of donning the captain’s armband for the upcoming season.
2. Santi Cazorla
Arsenal’s 2012 Player of the Year, Santi Cazorla was an ever-present in the Arsenal midfield after signing from Málaga until a knee injury November sidelined him for five months. He was the 3rd choice captain behind Mikel Arteta and Per Mertesacker prior to the injury. The Spanish playmaker is a clever technician and a two-footed player as well who can dictate play from midfield.
In spite of competition from new signing Granit Xhaka this summer and the presence of Mohamed Elneny, Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere and Francis Coquelin, Cazorla is expected to keep his place in the starting line-up when he is fit. However, with the Spaniard turning 32 this December, age is not on his side to be named captain by Arsène Wenger who must be looking for a captain who is younger. In case he is not named captain, he might very well become the vice-captain for the upcoming season.
1. Laurent Koscielny
Having joined the Gunners for £8.45million from Lorient back in 2010, Laurent Koscielny has made 244 appearances for Wenger’s side since then. One of the first names on the team sheet last season, and a constant in defence amidst his changing partners between Per Mertesacker and Gabriel Paulista, Koscielny was a defensive rock in the French national side in their run to the final of Euro 2016. A cool, composed ball-playing defender, Koscielny captained the side at times last season due to the absence of Mikel Arteta and Santi Cazorla while Mertesacker was dropped to the bench.
His penchant for scoring vital goals is another testament to his character as was seen in the 4 goals he scored last season. With Mertesacker’s decline and the raw state of Paulista’s game, Koscielny is sure to hold on to his starting spot next season. Having spent six straight seasons at the club and expressing his pride for captaining Arsenal last season, Laurent Koscielny looks set to be the new captain of Arsenal Football Club next season.
