Skipper Gibbs? Arsene Wenger’s Craziest Captains

Roy Keane knows a thing or two about how to lead a team. So it was no surprise to see the former Man United captain berate Arsene Wenger’s decision to give Kieran Gibbs the armband half way through Arsenal’s walloping at Bayern Munich last night. Here we rate some of the more questionable captains of Arsene Wenger’s reign.

Mikel Arteta

Despite lifting the FA Cup in 2014 and 2015, the injury plagued Spaniard made a habit of standing, hands on hips, watching his team get brushed aside by their rivals. Rating: 6/10

Thomas Vermaelen

Arteta’s predecessor started brightly, leading from the back as Arsenal’s foremost centre half but after losing his first team spot to Per Mertesacker in the 2013-14 season, was restricted to barking orders from the bench. Rating: 7/10

William Gallas

Having sold Thierry Henry to Barcelona in 2007, Wenger desperately needed someone to lead his team into a new era but the Frenchman’s tenure as captain is remembered mostly for his infamous sulk after a 2-2 draw with Birmingham in 2008. Rating: 5/10

With current club captain Per Mertesacker and vice-captain Laurent Koscielny both out injured, who will be the next to join Arsene Wenger’s long list of lacklustre leaders?

By Matt

Matt is the owner and chief-editor of the Footy Blog, one of the UK's leading football news blogs.