Chelsea: John Terry; Frank Lampard; Michael Ballack.

Liverpool: Steven Gerrard; Jamie Carragher; Fernando Torres; Javier Mascherano.

Manchester United: Gary Neville; Rio Ferdinand; Ryan Giggs; and even Wayne Rooney.

The other three members of the Premier League's big four are spoiled for choice for leaders and players deemed either captain material or future scions to skipper their sides. Not Arsenal. The fact that Arsene Wenger persisted with William Gallas for so long is testament to the lack of natural leadership that has been evident in N5 since the departure of the imposing central midfielder Patrick Vieira. Gallas lost the respect needed to wear the armband and lead a club forward ever since his centre-circle sulk at St Andrews during Arsenal's disappointing 2-2 draw with Birmingham City in February. It was as if he had already resigned himself to the beginning of the end of the Gunners' 2008 title challenge, despite the fact that his club still held the loftiest of positions in the league at the time.

Politics

Gallas, like fellow Frenchman Thierry Henry before him, was picked to be skipper not because he radiated leadership skills but because Gunners boss Arsene Wenger chose his most recent captains with politics in mind. Henry had attracted interest from Europe's finest clubs ever since he could take the ball from his own half, beat three defenders, and roll it past the opposition glovesman and into the net before running back into his own half to celebrate in front of the away fans; or backheel a ball into goal; take a quick free-kick with audacity, accuracy, and aplomb; and consistently skin England's, and Europe's, best defenders. To help persuade the talismanic forward to stay in north London one more season, he was offered the armband. A great player he may be, and there is no doubting he is an all-time Arsenal legend, but as a captain he was poor. You need look no further than when he would scowl at a team-mate because they misplaced a pass, or lifted the ball over the bar instead of laying it off to him, to realise he was not fit for the job. Likewise Gallas was picked not because his aura screamed 'Follow me to certain death, for I am a leader!' No, it was because he had swapped Chelsea for Arsenal with the expectancy of silverware on the horizon, but was then greeted with an exodus of the club's bigger names, together with a trophy-less season - so to keep the stopper interested he was offered a capital 'C' to wear on his sleeve. Installing Gallas as skipper was initially seen as a good move. He was regarded as an orchestrator of team unity on the training ground, joked around with the squad players, and on the field of play would run the length of the pitch to score a late equaliser or even a winner. But then came the sulks, the lashing-out at defenceless advertising boards, and eventually the unashamed airing of dirty laundry in the most public of manners - bleating about dressing-room rifts to, of all people, the press.

The Right Choice?

He was relieved of his duties last Friday. Wenger announced Cesc Fabregas would take over as permanent club captain this afternoon.Is Fabregas the right choice for the role? Is he the only choice? Was his appointment influenced by the fact that Arsenal's title challenge has already faded and, in turn, the club now face a cup season while the sharks at Barcelona circle closer?

All the contenders for the captaincy had their own limitations.

Emmanuel Adebayor is national captain of Togo, but if he had taken over from Gallas there would have been pandemonium amongst Arsenal fans, who have only just forgiven the targetman for supposedly holding the club to ransom over the summer.Tomas Rosicky too is captain of the Czech Republic, but the midfielder is far too perma-crocked to even consider giving him the armband.Manuel Almunia was the temporary choice for the weekend's game at Manchester City, but was never going to be the full-time choice when many regard the Spanish keeper as a mere stop-gap solution in Arsenal's starting eleven.Kolo Toure is the longest-serving member in the current Arsenal side, was an 'Invincible', and knows how to win, but even he has been finding it increasingly difficult to get back into the team after injury, so how could he possibly captain it?Then there is Gael Clichy. He is only a couple of years older than Fabregas. He has won trophies with the side. He is fiercely loyal to the Gunners cause, but his 'Mr Consistency' label has been slipped following some lapses of concentration. And if it were a choice between Clichy and Fabregas, it surely has to be the latter.

"For me the captain is the voice of the club. He is one of the leaders of the team," Arsene Wenger told journalists today.

At 21, Fabregas is only six months older than the great Tony Adams who took the role in 1988, and went on to retain the captaincy for 14 years. Is he the right choice, the political choice, or both? How will the added responsibility affect his form, seeing as he is currently struggling to reach the heights he scaled last season? Will he command the respect of the younger guns and unite a split dressing room?
What are your thoughts on this subject? Do you think Cesc Fabregas will be a better captain than William Gallas? Is it too soon for the Spaniard? Was the move all about politics and if so is the political decision sometimes the correct choice?

source[Alan Dawson, Goal.com]

 

Fabregas is good enough, but he has too much to deal with already... Give it to Almunia or Toure. Toure is hurt, but he's still a stud. Wenger needs to quit being cheap and buy some talent.

 

I think Cesc is as good a choice as any. The whole team is fragile, it hardly makes a difference who has it.