Arsenal: Arsene Wenger Confirms Lack Of Leadership

Arsenal have not had a true captain since Cesc Fabregas and many are beginning to see it as a problem. Arsene Wenger couldn’t paper over the cracks.

Many have been crying out that Arsenal lack leadership. It’s been a work in progress, only the inverse of that. Arsenal, when the going gets tough, don’t have a player that steps up and says “okay, that’s enough, let’s get this together”. People are noticing. Not just pundits, but players too.

But we will start with the pundits, as Arsenal legend Ray Parlour expressed his doubts over Arsenal leadership. “I didn’t see anyone on that pitch demanding more from the players,” he said via the Express. Parlour knows what a true captain looks like, as he played during the last prolonged Arsenal captaincy, that of Tony Adams.

ESPNFC takes us on a journey to determine if Arsenal really need leadership because they claim that the Invincible season lacked leadership as well. While they may be on to something, the league, the way the game is played, and the money spent on the game has changed a bit since that year.

Then there is the commentary from Stoke City midfielder Charlie Adam. To me, this is the most damning piece of evidence out there. Adam would have no reason to lie about this and he has a bird’s eye view/ear. When asked who it is that gets up and takes control for Arsenal, or even yet, who he can even hear, Adam responded “nobody”.

He expanded on that, saying (via the Mirror): “playing against Arsenal, I just don’t see it. I don’t see that type of player who gets to that stage where they want to have a go at someone, just to gee them up and get them going. Sadly, that’s missing.”

More from Pain in the Arsenal

Any time something is getting talked about in the press as much as this, it is going to be asked of Arsene Wenger (via Arsenal.com). His response was less than convincing. When asked who his leaders are, Wenger responded: “In a collective psyche you always think you need a saviour when you have a bad result. We have won big games this season, many big games with exactly the same players. I don’t feel that I lack leaders.”

He was then asked specifically who his leaders are. “The team. In every position. The players lead and we try to develop that with our work. Our job is to have a leader in every position.”

Wenger has essentially just confirmed that the team has no leaders. By stating that every position has a leader, that means there are at least eleven leaders on the side, but each one only pertains to his own position. Therefore there is no team leader.

To think that Arsenal do not need a leader is crazy talk. So often we have seen bad situations get worse. For a top tier team, a single set back needs to be addressed by that leader precisely so that it does not get any worse. When you do not have someone to step up and assume that role, you deteriorate until something goes your way. Waiting for something to go your way could take weeks. It could take months.