Arsene Wenger says Arsenal must have the right player to captain the side through the current difficult circumstances. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was appointed as the permanent club skipper after Granit Xhaka was stripped of the armband following his spat with supporters during the Crystal Palace game in October.
The then-head coach Unai Emery explained his decision to remove Xhaka of the captaincy: “Above all, I can remember how we did the process because last year the captains were Laurent Koscielny, Petr Cech, Aaron Ramsey and Nacho Monreal.
“They left the team – at the last moment as well, Koscielny. In that moment I decided, and also I used the characteristics to find a captain. After I started with Granit Xhaka because he has the quality to take the captain’s responsibility.
“Then after the issue, I decided it was better for him not to. Next in line is Aubameyang. The second after him is Bellerin, third is Lacazette and the fourth is Mesut Ozil. The first is Aubameyang because he has experience and he has the respect in the dressing room.
“He was the top scorer last year in the Premier League and also I know he needs time to take that responsibility 100 per cent. But we are going to support him. Every player, we are going to support the four captains, and we are going to support him as our first captain because he has also made one extra step to achieve that responsibility.”
There was a suggestion that new interim head coach Freddie Ljungberg could change the captaincy again in the wake of Emery’s departure, but Aubameyang retained the armband in Ljungberg’s first game in charge against Norwich and netted twice in the 2-2 draw.
The Arsenal top scorer is set to lead his side out for the Premier League clash against Brighton on Thursday night, and Wenger believes the captaincy is more important than ever, given the club’s circumstances.
Speaking at an event for the charity Grief Encounter, the former Arsenal manager said: “If you have a good captain, it’s essential inside the dressing room as the motivation can go quickly.”
With the Gunners still searching for a new head coach to replace Emery, Wenger would not be drawn on his views on the club’s decision to part ways with Emery, but he did wish Ljungberg luck.
“I do not want to comment too much on Arsenal. My heart is with the club and I want them to do well,” Wenger told Sky Sports.
“I wish Freddie well. He is fantastically committed. He has wanted to do this job for a long time and he has got an opportunity. What we want in life is an opportunity. They should get him to work with his ideas and support him.”
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