According to reports, the Arsenal playing staff want Granit Xhaka to continue as the club captain despite his ill-tempered reaction to the ironic cheers and jeering from the supporters on Sunday. Unai Emery held a secret vote earlier on this season for the players to vote for their preferred captain and we’re told Xhaka won the ballot and therefore was awarded with the honour of leading this famous old club.
Following on from the weekend’s events there has been much debate around the future of the Swiss midfielder. In light of these latest reports, the supporters have taken to social media to question why Emery is seemingly abstaining from making such a key decision in favour of leaving it in the hands of his playing staff for a second time this season.
Or…. nobody else wants that poisoned chalace
— PigmundJ.Hamkinstein (@pigmundia) October 28, 2019
Maybe Unai should just take his wages each week sit at home and let the team run itself
— Amanda J (@ajjgooner) October 28, 2019
The lacknof backbone that Emery has is farcical. Id be surprised if Xhaka doesn’t step down as captain anyway.
— Ad’s (@bealeiam) October 28, 2019
Classic Emery, never met a responsibility he wouldn’t abdicate.
— Feels Grimandi (@feels_grimandi) October 28, 2019
Why is it up to them?!
— Nick Hampton (@nahampton) October 28, 2019
Will he give the players a say on getting Ozil back into the squad ?
— Darren O Reilly (@dazo77) October 28, 2019
What do we think?
A lack of leadership on the field has been an issue at Arsenal for a while but perhaps its now time to begin questioning whether Emery is lacking in that department too. The former Paris Saint-Germain Head Coach has opted to leave key decisions, such as who should hold the captaincy to his players. Was it an attempt to get the players on side, or a leader unsure of what the correct decision was so he felt more comfortable passing on the responsibility?
If as we are led to believe the players made the decision to hand Xhaka the armband does Emery risk mutiny within the group if he was to strip him of it? The boss has a tough decision to make at a time when the fan base are watching closely, desperate to see their leader act with conviction and authority.
Nobody will understand the frustrations of Xhaka and why he reacted the way he did more than his fellow teammates. The calls for unity on social media from the likes of Hector Bellerin seem like an undercoat for what’s to follow and that’s likely to be Xhaka continuing in his role of club captain.