You often find that the best leaders work from the back or from midfield where they have a good view of everything going on in front of them; it is therefore difficult for Van Persie to work out where it is going wrong in defence from the other end of the pitch. The club need players who are going to step up and take responsibility which is essential particularly when they are going through a bad patch.
A captain on the pitch is different to leader and that is what Arsenal lack, someone who is going to take a game by the scuff of the neck and take his team to victory. There was hope among Arsenal fans that deadline day signing Per Mertesacker would be the answer to their leadership concerns but his first few games have shown little to demonstrate this.
Many have cited a lack of leadership as the primary factor behind the north London club’s failure to secure silverware over the last five seasons, and the last season’s events only added more credibility to that theory. Wenger’s side looked rudderless while going out of the three cup competitions in quick succession. Former club captain Cesc Fabregas appeared in just one of those defeats, the 3-1 loss in Barcelona, with Robin van Persie taking the armband in the Carling Cup final against Birmingham and again at Old Trafford in the FA Cup.
Wenger has recently argued that the responsibility of leading a team can be shared by several players just as effectively which is true but not if the team actually lacks any real leaders on the pitch. This problem has been exacerbated for this new season as the side appear to lack any character. Last season Arsenal went from the verge of greatness to one who emerged with nothing because they had no-one who could galvanise the team and drag the rest of them out of the mire. Wenger may have brought a new-look team over the summer but he has once again failed to address this fundamental issue.
Written by Aidan McCartney for FootballFancast.com. Let me know your thoughts and follow me on twitter for more discussion about the biggest issues about the beautiful game.
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It is so obvious that we dont have a leader, we need somebody with grit but also a good head on their shoulders. The only person i see with these traits are Ver, Song and Wilshere. Ver is my first choice, Song i think will finish mature in the DM with the captaincy and Wilshere come become inspirational
I heard an idea that made sense to me. Have a leader in each level. No necessarily a captain but a director. Preferably has experience and a cool head. So like Mert directing the back, the line and explaining to the guys what he needs from them or they are doing that’s putting pressure.
Midfield to tell which ones not to push so much or even push more up or watch out this player is getting away and needs to be marked.
Up front strikers should know who should hold back or where to find him in the box.
arsenal as a team sucks. D only players arsenal has are. 1.van perse.2.scsny.3.wilsher.4.sagna. Believe me odas are bunch of craps and 4 arsenal 2 be arsenal again arsene wenger needs 2 be sacked period