I know there have been a million articles on the next Arsenal captain and the candidates seem to be RVP and Vermaelen. With Wilshere, Rambo, Sagna being other choices. But Song has generally been used as a joke. RVP Natural choice for a fan. He is the Arsenal player who we feel loves Arsenal the most. Incredibly talented, experienced and, according to my sister, good looking. Two things question his captaincy. The first is his position, strikers aren't usually someone's choice for a captain. The second is his injury record. Why make him captain when he will be out for half a season? Vermaelen A better position for a captain. A defender who, two seasons ago, was a revelation at defence. Apart from his great goals, his attitude was grab-the-game-by-the-scruff-of-the-neck and we loved him for it. So much so that we now consider him to be the reincarnation of Nesta. Unfortunately, he isn't. He's very good, but not the best. That's irrelevant though. He has spent a season on the sidelines rusting. I think he'd be a bad choice for captain because his injury record may just carry on and on and he simply hasn't been at the club long enough. Sagna A fan favourite, undoubtedly. Arguably the best defensive right back in the world, but poor in attack. Experienced, consistent. Nearly always fit. Ticks a lot of the right boxes. But a fullback isn't a preferable position either and he's not a shouty type. He is, however, the perfect choice for a vice-captain. Rambo and Wilshere Either one could captain Arsenal and both will probably go on to captain their country also. Rambo already is his country's captain. To choose between them I would probably pick Ramsey simply because is far more likely to keep a cool head and he seems more of a leader to me. Wilshere would be another lead-by-example type and that's fine, but better to have him as just a leader on the pitch. However, both are too inexperienced to realistically consider them now. Despite CM being a good position for a captain. Song An unpopular choice, by all likelihood, but a good one. The more you look at him, the more you realise he is good for the position. He has been at the club a while, since 2005 in fact, and is fairly experienced on the pitch. A revelation two seasons ago, less so last season. He made a fantastic DM and he grew very popular. However, last season Wenger suggested he should attack more and some feel this left our defence exposed. I think he will take another step up this season personally. He is a player who, by nature, gives a lot to the team. He's also one of our most important players. Although criticised by many in the first leg against Barcelona, would we have won if he didn't make those fouls? Weren't we crying out for a DM who would take a yellow for the team? He's also more intelligent than you might think. He gave an interview a short while ago that made me realise this. He's very aware of the team around him. You don't want your flashiest player to be a captain. You want a player who will be there. Tony Adams was great because he just fought hard and was loyal. In his early years he was considered rubbish by many. Always called a donkey. Now he is a club legend. Vieira, while technically gifted, was not Henry, Pires or Bergkamp. Bergkamp would have been a good captain for his sheer intelligence, but that's besides the point. Song is unlikely to decide he wants to leave Arsenal. He is a good guy, we've had him since he was 17, which is my age. A good point of making him captain is that he would be less likely to bomb forward in attack. He will take responsibility for the team which would include an inexperienced duo of Wilshere and Ramsey. It will benefit them to have the captain close by. He is in a good position to captain also. A defensive midfielder will be able to organise the defence and the midfield. With RVP up front, he doesn't need to worry about it either. The only worry is that he will have the African Cup of Nations every few years. Which would be a pain. I just think Song has a lot more to give, and he's got another step to take to grow further. And making him captain is probably somewhat risky. But, at the same time, if he is made captain, and he fails, it won't kill him if he is then stripped of it. Any captain Arsene picks would be a risk, no two ways about it. And there is the chance any of them would need to be relieved of their captancy. We couldn't strip Fabregas of the captaincy because of his situation. Could we really strip Van Persie, Wilshere or Ramsey of it either? Vermaelen maybe, but I think he has too big an ego for it. He's not tied to the club in the same way. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13447996.stm Here's the link to the video I mentioned earlier. I reckon it's worth watching. He spouts the party line to an extent, but it's sincere. There's also a video a little lower down that page about his childhood. You guys should watch it too. We don't realise just what he has overcome.
I love Song. Totally underrated by Arsenal fans because many still feel we still need another Vieira. Well guess what THERE IS NO SUCH THING!! Vieira was a one off. But for Captain I would choose Vermaelen.
I don't know with Vermaelen. I think the year off he's had changes a lot of things and I want to wait and see if he's still as good.
While Van Persie would be good, his position is not ideal for a captain. I've always said that captains should be big commanding Centre Backs or Central Midfielders. That leaves Vermi and Song. I think both would be good choices, but I would leave Van Persie as vice captain.
I thought Song was decidedly average at best last season and also thought Wenger was supposedly pulling his hair out at him bombing forward. Had he really asked him to do this? Fook knows why he would as he was awesome the season before. I also don't think he's as tactically aware as you believe him to be though a DM is an ideal position for a captain. For me RVP should be captain. He embodies everything I like in a professional footballer. He's committed, intelligent and not afraid to let others know when they're not pulling their weight. He's also flipping brilliant at playing and will lead by example. I'd then have TV as his back-up for when eventual injuries kick in.
Yeah. He only started attacking so much when Wenger said he should. He certainly wasn't as good last season, but neither was Vermaelen, and he's still being considered.
Weeell The Verminator has extenuating circumstances on account of being injured for nearly the entire season though naturally it's hard to know if he'll be the same player as the one who signed on initially. If Song's only issue was being told to attack more then that's an easily solved issue. Alex, see this line? Do not cross this line. No. Never. Bad Alex. TV has the experience of being captain of his country which I think is encouraging too. Seems a good leader.
I don't think TV needs the armband to lead. Ditto with RVP. Song does though. I just see it having a great effect on him.
I disagree. I posted a couple of articles on this on the old 606. In 2009-2010 we played a 4-3-3 with Song in the 'Makelele role', It suited him perfectly and he excelled. In 2010-2011 we played a 4-2-3-1 with Song next to Wilshere. The idea was that when Wilshere sat back Song went forward and visa versa. It didnt suit Song so well but it was a tactical decision by Wenger - Song did'nt just suddenly forget how to play the role.
RVP for me i reckon, loves the club, fans favourite and absolute World Class player, if only we could keep him fit.
Aha, but I never said he'd become a bad player, just that he was playing differently and it affected his game. I'd love him to be shackled to the DM role and not venture too far forward. There were times last year when we had 2 or 3 players milling around the edge of the opponents box kicking their heels and all of a sudden we got hit on the counter. I like Song and think he's very talented but I don't particularly want him as captain. I don't think it'd be the worst thing ever if he were, I'd just rather RVP or Vermaelen.
Song is a bit mean and moody to be captain. With the national team he was accused of being a ring leader in a revoult during preperations for the World Cup, leading him to be dropped for the opener. He also gave Eto'o a slap a few months back. RvP seems to be a very popular member of the squad, and seems to be highly respected by his team-mates, so deserves to be captain. Real leaders don't need an armband to lead, so from that POV it does not matter who is named the captain...
