The stripping this week of the Arsenal captaincy from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made him the third Gunner in the last 15 years to lose the armband, following William Gallas and Granit Xhaka.
Sporting the leadership band for the club has proved to be somewhat of a negative thing in past seasons, with Gallas joined by Cesc Fabregas, Robin van Persie and Laurent Koscielny in all pushing to leave the club soon after, while Thomas Vermaelen, Mikel Arteta himself and Per Mertesacker suffered countless injury problems after being named leader.
Arsenal’s recent resurgence on the pitch met with some resistance in defeats at Liverpool and Manchester United in recent weeks but kind fixtures until the end of the year – Leeds, Sunderland (in the Carabao Cup), Norwich and Wolves round out the Gunners’ 2021 after Wednesday night’s visit of West Ham – could set the club up for a renewed push for an unlikely top four push in 2022.
But who should Arteta choose to lead from the front?
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Aaron Ramsdale
The goalkeeper attracted online criticism from his own supporters when signing in the summer, such was his reputation after being relegated in successive seasons with Sheffield United and Bournemouth.
The £30m price tag also raised eyebrows but he has quickly settled, taking the No 1 spot from Bernd Leno and impressing with his shot-stopping, distribution and authority.
International recognition with England last month further cemented his hero status amongst the N5 faithful.
Ben White
The centre-back played a huge role in Leeds’ 2019-20 promotion season in loan spell at Elland Road before returning to Brighton and catching the eye as the Seagulls proved hard to score against last season.
Surprisingly high £50m transfer fee for move to Arsenal in the summer put pressure on his shoulders but the 24-year-old has again risen to the challenge.
His partnership with Gabriel has provided a platform for the recent revival and he hasn’t been shy of shouting orders at more experienced colleagues when required.
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Previously a Scotland captain, the left-back is in his third season at the Emirates and has often been one of the first names on the teamsheet after being a mainstay with Scottish champions Celtic.
Commands respect on the field for his no-nonsense approach and sets the standard with his consistent performances, in which he enjoys getting forward to assist the attackers – witness his work for Odegaard’s goal against Southampton last week.
Granit Xhaka
The Swiss international’s career at the Emirates appeared to be at an end after his gestures toward the home crowd in October 2019 after booing booed off against Crystal Palace.
However, injuries and a lack of new signings gave him a chance to redeem himself and his form has improved since the Euros, where he led his country to the quarter-finals. Could a possible restoration of the armband be on the cards?
Emile Smith Rowe
Another recent new England cap, the Croydon-born midfielder has turned heads this season with his poise, maturity and willingness to attack and could be a mainstay in the Gunners midfield for years to come.
An exciting talent in what is an exciting frontline all round for Arsenal, alongside the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard. At home in the No 10 role or drifting out to either wing to influence play from out wide, the 21-year-old pulls the strings and appears a natural captaincy choice.
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