Why Arsenal deserve a better captain than William Gallas

The challenge for Wenger next year is how to accommodate Gallas after he takes the captaincy off him. It is clear that Gallas is prone to a "sulk" as his antics at Birmingham showed, and the question remains, how will he react when a younger captain such as Fabregas or Flamini takes over.

While i completely agree that Gallas is not a captain i have to admit that i don't think Cesc is ready for the band yet. i have thought this over in my head for months now and Flamini must stear the ship from next season

I have read your article and once again I dispise ever article trying to separte the Arsenal team. It is Articles like that even when the team was atop the league tried to break the club with negative comments. Firstly I have always heard people congratulate John Terry as a fabulous captain and anyone who see / hear the way JT abuse the referees on sundays it is a disgrace. Even the week when JT had a bust up with the asst. manager people praise him and attacked Henk ten Cate for being too aggresive.. William Gallas has being a strong captain and thisseason I could not see any other player doing a better JOB as captain. Im also confident that if he is here next season he will e named captin because he is a leader and a good one at that. So with all due respect please... LAY OFF MY CAPTAIN.

Some strong views there Gunner Ville. Whilst I agree that sometimes Terry goes too far with his protestations, he has always been a born leader of men and puts his body on the line for his team, perhaps most notably against Arsenal in the Carling Cup Final last year. I do not believe that Gallas has shown enough commitment to bringing his team back into matches when they are performing badly to justify his selection as captain. He has great skill and ability, but I just don't believe he is cut out to be the skipper of a major team.

In defence of Gallas the Birmingham game was under exceptional circumstances,the team having seen Eduardo's leg shattered.Gallas also lead by example with vital late goals against Man Utd & Wigan, and a winner against Chelsea.

Gallas has had a decent season, just as players such as Cesc, Flamini, Theo have grown as players and learnt, i think Gallas would have learnt alot about being a captain. Hes had some great moments, driving the team to victory with ten men at bolton, scoring the winner against chelsea and the goal against united.. but hes had the bad aswell, Birmingham being one, at old trafford a couple of weeks ago he should have settled the team down afta we went 1 up, he didnt, I think gallas has potential as a captain adn i dont think Wenger will make a change. I think its too early for Cesc hes just needs to focus on playing his game, hes still growing and improving. I think Flamini maybe, im a little disapointed he hasnt signed his contract yet, what about Clichy, hes been exceptional, been at the club as long as anyone... Is a definate future captain?

Just because you put words to paper, doesn't mean they have validity. "Throughout the season he has failed to deliver as captain when the Gunners truly needed inspiration." -- Actually, until Birmingham, no one had any complaints, and in light of the news that he spent a lot of time with Sagna in mourning, I think you're statement quite heinous. As for the "rumors" undermining him, is it the rumors of lack of respect in the clubhouse which undermined him, or is it the actual lack of respect. If only rumors, then people like you can actually lose a man his job based on nothing. Finally, since Arsenal's season died with Taylor's reckless attack on Eduardo, perhaps you might consider that only Gallas knew the true impact of the break, and was responding in kind. Since Eduardo was brought down, Arsenal's attack on the left has been pretty much zero, and every opponent knows it and closes down on the right.

Joel, I can understand your point that no-one was complaining before Birmingham, but perhaps that was because Arsenal's performances and results were of the standard that a true captain's performance was not needed. In my opinion a quality captain can, when the chips are down and their team are battling, produce the kind of motivation that can turn a situation around. I can see that the Birmingham match was a truly exceptional circumstance but of the entire team he acted out the most, when Fabregas was one of the first on site when the injury occurred. I don't want to degrade Gallas as a player or man, I just wanted to make the point that I personally don't believe he has the strength of character to lead a team.

Guesswho has scored more own goals in Premiership ? It is Gallas !! Now how can a football team like Arsenal have such a captain ?? Arsene give the armband ta Flamini.Just see what happened when we lost Flamini at arnfield ?

Lucky he isn't captain of Spurs or he would cry after most games ( Arsenal D11.... L3 ) ....(Spurs D12 ...L13) ......32 points better off It is better to have a captain, than a sick captain.

Ledley don't need boots just a gown and crutches.

And as you are so good at figures when was the last time Spurs won before that!!!!

Just to help it dosn't start with a 2!!!!

Prince wrote a song with the date in the title!!!!

As you are still up King Lesley, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME BEFORE THE 5-1 DEFEAT THAT SPURS BEAT ARSENAL???? Before that dome was built, just to help!!

The sad thing about being 14 is your team has won 1 FA cup with an Arsenal manager and player and a cup that is worth less than a million quid that real teams don't give a toss about, in your entire life!!!

he scored an equaliser against man utd, he scored the winner against chelsea, he scored against wigan and in the comeback against bolton, how would Terry have reacted if Drogba was out for the majority of the season and then saw Kalou's leg almost broken off, saw a 2-1 lead given away by a clean tackle by A. Cole which was decided as a penalty. Or Gerrard with Torres out for the season, and Crouch's leg and Aurelio? Or Ferdinand/ whoever is their captain this season with Rooney out for the season and Tevez's leg and Evra?

one problem you dont realise. The manager must stop being naive and sign more classic players than keep on dreaming about young compressed misfiring gunners squad.

Manchester united

i will prefer either of the two,to be asernals captain.moreso wenger need a world class striker 4 next season.

Flamini?? Still hasnt signed his contract? How can you give the armband to a man, who appears to be, waiting for a better offer?? Rosicky? hes a good player, but not an Arsenal captain, hes bin injured most of the last 2 years? Give it to Clichy, commited, not injury prone, and has been brilliant this season, and the past few. Hes been at the club for 5 years... knows the club inside out. Cesc is the only other candidate really.

I agree Gallas is far from captain material - his reaction after the Birmingham game was not captain like - childish is a better word! When you have such a young squad, you don't have many options for captain. Though I think Fabregas would be ok as he pretty much controls everything Arsenal do on the pitch!

No mention whatsoever about The Gunners fromer captain, Henry and the "fiddle" during his last year at Highbury when he and Dein emptied the coffers.

King Lesley I have asked my "mom" and she said she dosen't know you.

I think that for next season ARSENAL need a new captain because Gallas was worst this season.Maybe ARSENAL captain next season must be CESC FABREGAS because he is a leader and give his best for his team,he with his ability to lead ARSENAL remember me THIERRY HENRY when he was captain .So i think that If FABREGAS will be new ARSENAL captain and with some transfers ARSENAL will be how was before five years.About transfers I hear more rumours .But i think that players like GOMES ,VILLA,BEN ARFA,QUARESMA .Will be perfectly for ARSENAL. And next season the ARSENAL eleven must be;GOMES-SAGNA-TOURE-GALLAS-CLICHY-BEN ARFA?-FABREGAS-FLAMINI?-HLEB-VILLA- ADEBAJOR.