Arsenal: Captaincy question asked again vs Leicester City

Arsenal will take on Leicester City and one of the many pervading questions is who gets the captain’s armband. It’s time for another decision.

Arsenal are looking to make it ten straight wins when they take on Leicester City later today in the last fixture of this matchweek. The Gunners are getting healthier, but there are still some key absences that are going to give Unai Emery one big question to answer.

The question being – who is getting the captain’s armband?

At the start of the season, Unai Emery did something rather odd and created a five-man captaincy at his new club. Laurent Koscielny, who remains out, is the main captain, but in light of his absence, there are four other “vice-captains” who can step in.

Those four are Petr Cech, Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil and Granit Xhaka. Last time this situation presented itself, Xhaka was given the armband. But then again, it wasn’t the same situation. Ozil was hurt then and Xhaka was the only option.

Some thought that Nacho Monreal should have been given the armband, but Monreal wasn’t one of the many vice-captains and Emery held true to his appointments, giving Xhaka the band.

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The result was a resounding victory against Fulham, the best victory the Gunners have registered yet this year. Correlation? I would like to think so. Xhaka just has captain-like tendencies in the way he plays the game and handles his teammates.

Against Leicester City, however, it is possible that Xhaka, Ozil and Ramsey all play, without the presence of either of the two ‘veterans,’ Cech or Koscielny.

So who gets it?

I think it would be odd to give it to Ramsey, given his contract situation, but then again, he is undoubtedly the most deserving of the three in question.

Meanwhile, Ozil is not exactly a captain-like player and, correct me if I’m wrong, but has he ever wore the armband at any point in his career? I’m inclined to say that he hasn’t, but I may be wrong. The point remains, he isn’t a ‘leader’ kind of guy.

Xhaka may not be a fan favorite yet, but like it or not, he has the qualities, same as Ramsey. Ramsey just has the experience and the longevity. Xhaka, however, has the contract and future down pat.

I’m not putting money on this horse race. They are too evenly matched. But my biased self is going to cast a pointless vote for Xhaka.