This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Unai Emery had a big announcement to make last week.
Many Arsenal fans had been waiting to see who would be given the captaincy officially, and they were finally put out of their misery as all was revealed by the former Sevilla boss. Once they found out who had been given the responsibility of leading the team, though, they may have wished they hadn’t been told at all.
Emery reportedly decided to bestow the armband on Granit Xhaka following a secret ballot amongst his teammates. The midfielder is one of the more senior players at the Emirates Stadium, having joined in 2016 from Borussia Monchengladbach, and he has experience as a leader, having captained his country, Switzerland.
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However, his display against Manchester United showed that it may be all a bit too much for him at club level. The 27-year-old put in a disappointing performance, ducking out of the way of Scott McTominay’s shot before it nestled into the back of Bernd Leno’s net. A skipper should be putting his body on the line, not trying to get out of the way when the ball is coming in his direction.
Of course, it is all well and good saying that someone shouldn’t have been given the captaincy, but it is pointless without suggesting an alternative. As such, there is a strong case to be made that Matteo Guendouzi should have been chosen instead.
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Yes, he is just 20 years of age, but the commanding performances he has put in so far this season show that he can deal with the responsibility of being one of the first names on the teamsheet.
He has started in all seven Premier League matches, playing the full 90 minutes in all but one game. Even at such a young age, he is already receiving big praise from some of the sport’s legends, such as Cesc Fabregas. On his Twitter page after the clash against Manchester United, the World Cup winner said, “gotta love Guendouzi. Can play good or not so good but always shows up in difficult moments at such a young age. Big future ahead of him at Arsenal”.
That is exactly why he should have been appointed. Very rarely does a game go by when the France U21 international is not involved in the action or does not have an impact on his team. Unfortunately for Xhaka, those occasions come too often.
There is one overriding factor as to why the former Bundesliga player is not the right choice though: his popularity. A captain is meant to lead his team, which doesn’t only mean the players on the pitch, but also the club’s fans. How can that be done effectively when the supporters don’t trust or like you? Guendouzi is already a player who has been suggested as a potential captain by the Emirates Stadium faithful. For Xhaka, it is quite the opposite, with one fan even claiming it was a “nonsense decision”.
Guendouzi has his whole career ahead of him, and appointing him would have sent a message to the players and the supporters that they are planning for the future.
Xhaka seems like a safe option, but, such is his relationship with the fans, it seems like it could all end in tears.