Time to end Gallas captaincy
Thu Nov 20 04:50PM
Following William Gallas's revelation of divisions within the Arsenal dressing room, the time has come for Arsenal to find a new skipper. Gallas proved he was not the man for the job at Birmingham last season and his latest outburst has only added more weight to the argument that he should be stripped of the armband.
He was a poor choice of captain even before his infamous sit-in at St Andrews; nine months later and he is million miles from being an ideal leader. He is too much of a disruptive influence.
Arsene Wenger should have acted after the Birmingham game but now he has no choice: Gallas must be ditched as captain - and maybe even offloaded elsewhere in January - if Arsenal's season is not to fall apart.
The last thing Arsenal need - or any team for that matter - is a whistle-blower in the ranks, least of all the man who is supposed to gel the squad together and motivate the players to get the best out of them.
What is said in the dressing room should stay there. If there is a problem, no one else needs to know about it. It is not for public consumption.
Whatever happens needs to be contained there and dealt with in an appropriate way, either at the time or at a later date.
But once it becomes public, you have a big problem on your hands. Now everyone knows that Arsenal's current on-pitch problems - and by that I mean their inconsistency - is not just down to injuries or bad luck or the 'rough-house' tactics employed by opponents.
Their troubles are more deep-seated than that; as a team Arsenal are not united. And considering football is a team game, that will be perceived by opponents as a major weakness.
Gallas has betrayed his team-mates - whatever their faults - by using the international break as an excuse to go to the media and spill the beans.
He may be a vastly experienced player, but some of his decisions beggar belief. Put simply, the latest outburst lacks professionalism.
With the captain's armband comes a certain amount of responsibility for your team-mates. But Gallas has shown no sign of that - he has even admitted he is passing the buck because he does not want to accept the blame any more.
The disruption stemming from this could now have a knock-on effect on the team's performances on the pitch - and with Arsenal struggling to maintain a head of steam this season, that is the last thing they need at the moment.
Arsenal do not need someone like Gallas at the Emirates. In a way he is a selfish player, always looking after number one. His ego is suffocating Arsenal at the moment and not allowing the club to move forward.
Wenger needs to take a long, hard look at the situation and make a decision with the best interests of Arsenal at heart, and not those of individual players.
gallas should b stripped of his captaincy 'cos he has proved consistently dat he isn't d right man to lead d arsenal team to where dey deserve to be. i believe kolo would do a better job. yes, kolo for captain.
From jonotu on Fri Nov 21 10:28AMSome people have nothing better to do than pick at words! Get a life lanegold!
From rewandjew on Fri Nov 21 10:29AMAs Arsenal is struggling so ofcourse there is a problem and the best way to solve is to admit it first of all. Gallas is an honest man though his performance isn't upto the mark lately and Arsenal would suffer more withoug him. Better for Arsenal to buy David Villa who stated his desired to join Arsenal earlier this year but Wenger wants to win the league with teenagers as it seems...
From syspro003 on Fri Nov 21 10:34AMI agree he is not the man for the job, but fabregas has already said he is not interested in captaincy, i think kolo toure is the man for the job.
From mark_robinson_2005 on Fri Nov 21 10:36AMhelll yeah...spot on!!! i neva liked gallas...and i hated the decision to make him captain...see how undetermined he was over the weekend to stop agbolahor from beatin him...Toure for captain...fabregas assistant...wenger should punish him..let him sit on the bench..
From chiggzy4life on Fri Nov 21 10:55AMas an arsenal fan i think gallas is a poor captain.it wouldnt bother me if he left.
From kim.dwane on Fri Nov 21 10:57AMIt is a pitty Gallas lost his head again at a very trying time for a team he is the field leader. A Captain may not earn 100% respect of his team mates, but must command the loyalty of all plus fans. Gallas seem to fall short of this.
I however trust Wenger who made him Skippo in the first place to deal with the latest matter and the team's slump not the way of PARKER or the British Media - who have always been our adversoriessssssssssssss.
My DAD insists any cure for a bad eye should not have pepper in it. It is important not to streer up fresh problems in the name of Curing a flipant and bad mannered Gallas.
I wish Wallcot and Rosicky speedy recovery and for Eduardo we are happy you wre on your way back. The GUNNERS SHALL REIGN AGAIN!
From ohanedum on Fri Nov 21 11:03AMIt is a pitty Gallas lost his head again at a very trying time for a team he is the field leader. A Captain may not earn 100% respect of his team mates, but must command the loyalty of all plus fans. Gallas seem to fall short of this.
I however trust Wenger who made him Skippo in the first place to deal with the latest matter and the team's slump not the way of PARKER or the British Media - who have always been our adversoriessssssssssssss.
My DAD insists any cure for a bad eye should not have pepper in it. It is important not to streer up fresh problems in the name of Curing a flipant and bad mannered Gallas.
I wish Wallcot and Rosicky speedy recovery and for Eduardo we are happy you wre on your way back. The GUNNERS SHALL REIGN AGAIN!
From ohanedum on Fri Nov 21 11:03AMi dont care what you guys say...its all good for Chelsea...we still top
From omobobo on Fri Nov 21 11:05AMi dont care what you guys say...its all good for Chelsea...we still top
From omobobo on Fri Nov 21 11:10AMHey i thnk the problem is not just fom Gallas or any other Arsenal player.Wenger should buy players if he must succed.The little stars or so called matured players they have in the dressing-room are beefin each oda.Why?simple,they dont play well enough.They need about 3 or 4 footballing genius on the field like they have got off the field in Wenger.Just imagine Ade, cesc,Walcott,Galla and 4 others who cost real money.Wont Arsenal and the Emirates feel alot better.However they have to act fast before they watch this season crumble within thier very eyes.Man u has Ronaldo,Berba,Roon,Ferdi,Giggs, Chelsea has Deco,Lamp,Ballack,and so y shld ours be different.Buy players Wenger.Song or Djorou shldnt be in a team like aresenal's startin eleven.
From zebotruman on Fri Nov 21 11:19AMYou just blame Gallas for the reasons you can't clarify. Do you want us to blindly feel bad about him. Can the whole team fail for 1 member. Tell us the nitty gritties you allege in the dressing room.
From kudekos on Fri Nov 21 11:24AMYou just blame Gallas for the reasons you can't clarify. Do you want us to blindly feel bad about him. Can the whole team fail for 1 member. Tell us the nitty gritties you allege in the dressing room.
Kudeko
From kudekos on Fri Nov 21 11:24AMhe was not the best captain even before the Birmingham game..
even when the season started..
Gilberto Silva would have been a great captain and with him i think they could have won the titla last season.
What arsenal really need now is a good leader to take care of the 'kids' in Arsenal.
Wenger should buy at least 2 or 3 experienced player in january transfer to strenghten his squad. at least a good and experienced striker.From crazyguy_no7 on Fri Nov 21 11:33AMParker you also 'betrayed your teamates' when you scored that own goal.
From karlbillo on Fri Nov 21 11:34AMArsenal are now faced with a very simple solution, they must buy players in January to keep the faithfuls happy and lift the spirits of this very basic squad or sack Wenger. Arsene need to lift their capped wage structure to attract quality players. Arsene wenger has proved that without a world classs back four and a natural leader in midfield you cannot compete. so lets keep it simple, sack gallas, bring in 6 players 3 defenders, 2 midfielders and one world class stricker and challenge accordingly. nothing else will do!
From jcservice2003 on Fri Nov 21 11:41AMcoming from a chelsea fan of 20 years:-
Well done agent G your work is done
From tomwilliams882001 on Fri Nov 21 11:51AMIts time for Gallas to move on. I don't even see him as a good defender not to talk of being the leader. You need to see Villa's second goal to know that he is not the defensive massiah arsenal needs. I think if Djourou is given time to mature he will make a better defender than Gallas. Thank God the transfer window is around the corner.
From esievoabel on Fri Nov 21 11:52AMthis serves Wenger right. he left out Gilberto and Kolo Toure just bcoz they r not French and gave the captaincy to a fellow Frenchman. let him pay now
From kaggwa2000 on Fri Nov 21 11:54AMCertainly Gallas' comments were inappropriate and unprofessional and I agree that what happens behind closed doors remains there. The only advantage to his comments that I can see is to the opponent. At this level, all teams only need to find the smallest crack in the armour and they can take advantage. As a Man Utd fan I think its brilliant - not in my lifetime has a United captain come out with such an outburst. It goes to show that Arsene has lost the plot alot with his French buddy! Casing point - Arsene buys Senderos, Cygan and Silvestre, but offloads Upson. Where is the logic in that?
From daniel.wragg on Fri Nov 21 12:09PMgallas not man enough for captaincy give it to fabregas NOW;
From paullogan140358 on Fri Nov 21 12:15PMWhat's this, Parker speaking sense for once . . . . and i mean, once!
Yes, of course Gallas needs to be stripped of the captaincy and there is no other option then to offload him in January - but who's gonna want him; a seriously good footballer, but now shown to come with masses of excess baggage! Whether what he has said is true or not, you can't have a squealer in the dressing room - what goes on in there, needs to stay in there. Personally. i think the guy has serious mental health issues and requires counselling; as for Arsenal, i believe they will only prosper without him.
From cameronwestwood on Fri Nov 21 12:21PMGallas seems to be more concerned with himself and his own ego than getting the team together. Clichy and Toure keep their heads down and work hard - week in, week out. They're more deserving of the captains armband.
From cgrant456 on Fri Nov 21 12:24PMif it is not GALLAS THEN WHO?
From oneilt2000 on Fri Nov 21 12:28PMkolo for captain!
From abhi_chow on Fri Nov 21 12:28PMgallas f**ked Chelsea up, now he is doing the same with gooners.
Useless!!!!From alex_shvjac on Fri Nov 21 12:46PMI seem to be in a minority, but I actaully agree with Gallas, it's the team's mental strength, or lack of, that is costing us dearly. We are better than all the teams that have beaten us this season, but mentally weaker therefore we are in the sh1tstorm that we are in.
From nickwillows on Fri Nov 21 12:47PMLET GALLAS BE,NOBODY SHOULD DICTATE FOR WENGER.AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED,HE IS THE MOST MATURED GUY IN THE TEAM...
From nevawalkalone100 on Fri Nov 21 12:49PMLane gold seeing as you are so correct why have you spelt Paul with a small p.
From tippersbob on Fri Nov 21 12:50PMIts curious the entire problem seems now to be = gallas.....thinking aloud ;)
From dapo5000 on Fri Nov 21 12:52PM
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