William Gallas seemed to have resurrected his career somewhat when Arsene Wenger took one of his odd gambles and made the Frenchman his Arsenal captain this season following the departure of Thierry Henry.

Chelsea weren’t all that worried about losing Gallas as part of the Cashley Cole transfer deal when Arsenal’s England defender succumbed to that blatant Chelsea tap-up and decided that his favourite colour was no longer blue, but red.

And Gallas wasn’t over-excited at moving to the Emirates, launching a few verbal blasts at Wenger, his tactics and his recruiting of new talent at the start of the season.

'The manic glare Gallas aimed at Gael Clichy for conceding the penalty through an absurd piece of defending was withering in the extreme'


But when the spotlight of being skipper was switched in his direction he took on a new lease of life, lauded from all quarters for his contribution to Arsenal’s wonderful season.

Until Saturday, that is, when a huge question mark was thrown over his competence and ability to carry out his responsibilities because of an extraordinary tantrum at the end of the game at St Andrews.

What on earth did he think he was doing with his dying-seconds wobbler when Birmingham were thrown the unlikeliest lifeline by virtue of a penalty, which James McFadden duly dispatched to rob Arsenal of two of the three points they appeared to have safely pocketed.

The manic glare Gallas aimed at Gael Clichy for conceding the penalty through an absurd piece of defending was withering in the extreme. Gallas then ran towards the touchline and had to be restrained by match officials. Heaven knows what he was trying to do or who he was trying to remonstrate with.

Then he plonked himself down in the centre of the pitch, close to tears, sulking like a child who’d lost his lollipop. And all this at the very moment that Captain Dependable, as he has been nicknamed, should have been reasserting his authority and consoling every member of his stricken team. Just when he was needed, he decided to throw a depressive fit. Some captain!

Wenger, obviously perplexed, appeared deep in thought as he followed Gallas from the pitch, perhaps collecting his thoughts about his captain’s behaviour, which had Sky TV commentators amazed and almost lost for words.

I would like to have been a fly on the wall in the Arsenal dressing room.