Arsenal: Sokratis criticising Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang captaincy justified

Sokratis has ‘criticised’ Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s captaincy at Arsenal. In reality, that is not what he has done at all, and, in fact, what he has said is absolutely justified.

The Arsenal captaincy has been a poisoned chalice over the past decade. Two have forced exits from the club, one joining a direct rival and returning with a Premier League trophy in hand, another threw his toys out of the pram to get his way out of the club, another yet sat on the pitch crying as the title slipped away, while the latest man to lead the squad told his own fans ‘f*ck off’. It is a who’s who of egregious mess-ups.

Find the latest episode of the Pain in the Arsenal Podcast here — Unai Emery out, again

And now it is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s turn to take on the mantle. Since Unai Emery stripped Granit Xhaka of the captaincy, there has only been one match, Wednesday’s Europa League contest with Vitoria SC which Aubameyang played no part in. Saturday’s trip to Leicester City will be his first match as the official club captain.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• Mikel Arteta provides Gabriel Martinelli injury update after Everton win

If you were to believe The Metro, you would think that his tenure as captain is set to get off to a bad start before it has even begun. Centre-back Sokratis, who played with Aubameyang at Borussia Dortmund, has reportedly told his former team that the captaincy does not matter.

The piece comes with the headline, ‘Arsenal’s Sokratis Papastathopoulos tells Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang captaincy doesn’t matter.’ Technically, that is true, but it purposeful contorts the context of what was said to change its meaning. This is what Sokratis actually said:

"“The captaincy or who has this on the pitch, I don’t think it’s very important. It’s important that all the team is good in the dressing room. We are like a family. In the end who brings the pitch the captaincy is the last thing <…> I think it’s the first time he [Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang] is a captain. For me it’s more important that Auba first has to score, he has to do his work. He’s a very good guy. But I already said something – who has the captaincy is not very important.”"

Sokratis does, admittedly, say that the captaincy is not ‘very important’, but this is not directed at Aubameyang specifically. Instead, it is a comment on the position of being a captain, not the man who is the captain. And on this, he is correct.

While leadership is extremely pertinent, it does not really matter where it comes from, as long as it is there. Experience, communication, character is required on the pitch, absolutely, but the captain does not have to be that individual. Good teams will have four or five leaders in their midst. This, I believe, is a part of why Emery has always chosen five different captains.

Sokratis is a leading character. He is constantly communicating with those around him, celebrates the small victories on the pitch, is willing to chew out his teammates should they go wrong. He is a leader, without ever being the captain. This is what he refers to when he says that the captain is not very important.

Aubameyang is not the target of Sokratis’ ire. The captaincy is, and the reverence that comes with the position. And on that count, he is absolutely spot on.