Wenger’s Captains – From Leaders in the Trenches to Losers on the Benches

Mr Arsenal

To inherit Mr Arsenal a blessing indeed

A Doctor of Defending and man born to lead

An angry snarl and a die-hard will to win

Winning a habit and losing a sin

Retiring the finest, this great club had seen

But the heir in waiting, his Vice in the team

We called him Paddy he came from Senegal

So gladly, we sang he played for Arsenal

He won games in the tunnel before the whistle blew

Such was his presence the other teams knew

Such power but such grace he was the boss

On to make history, a season without a loss

His final kick for the Gunners to leave us with glory

The FA Cup won the final page in his story

With Vieira now sold, the fans they were wary

From Frenchman to Frenchman, he turned to Thierry

Henry was our talisman and the armband he wore

The truth was in reality his job was to score

No trophies as captain of that I am certain

Yet history will say he led us from Highbury to Ashburton

Now Wenger messed up, when Gilberto he had

By giving the armband to a newly arrived Chav

A winner perhaps, experience yes

But Gallas the captain, just a fine mess

At St Andrews imploding, he cried on the ground

His tenure was over, a new leader was found

The weighty burden passed on to a teen

But we already knew he was better than Keane

Experienced he was not but a talent so rare

He led his team by example, on the field everywhere

With Cesc leading his team, Wenger could build again

And would have had it not been for his team mates in Spain

I guess we all knew the hometown pull was too strong

Back to Barcelona our new inspiration now gone

The boss turned to Robin and it was nice while it lasted

He could score when he wanted but turned out a bastard

van Persie was the start of the end for the armband worn with pride

Wenger had forgotten the significance of who lead his side

Vermaelen so head strong and not a man you want in your trenches

The first of many Arsene appointments warming the benches

The Belgian’s vice was Arteta, a true captain at heart

He stood up to the task and for sure played his part

The trophy at Wembley the supporters in tears

Arteta the leader after waiting nine long years

So the armband presented to Mikel with good reason

Only for our dear number Eight to be injured all season

Our Big Friendly German inherited the role

Too friendly indeed and too slow to protect his own goal

Quick with soundbites and excuses after each loss

Not what Arsenal needed from an on the field boss

A Manager under pressure needs an ally as skipper

And Wenger has stuffed himself there like a kipper

Per a non-playing captain who won’t play again

With Koscielny some player but no leader of men

With no obvious candidates what can he do

All players he has bought, does he have a clue?

Where are the Adams or Vieira’s, our Gods?

He has not had the like in any recent squads

No inspiration from the dugout, his captain with him on the bench

Arsenal need the man on the pitch to lead from the trench.

You have only won with great Captains and not won without

I thought you were insightful but I am starting to doubt

Every General needs a captain he must his trust

You ‘cannot see it’ but for me it’s a must!

………………………………………………………………..

The End

So Walt Whitman I am not but has Wenger read the poem

O Captain! My Captain? 

My thanks to Dougie for his inspiration in yesterday’s article on true leaders.

Dave Seager

Passionate fifty-something Arsenal supporter who has been making the journey to N5 regularly since the early 1980s – although his first game was in 1976. Always passionate when talking about The Arsenal, Dave decided to send a guest blog to Gunnersphere in the summer of 2011 and has not stopped writing about the Gunners since.

He set up his own site – 1 Nil Down 2 One Up – in February 2012, which he moved on in 2016 to concentrate on freelance writing and building Gunners Town, which he launched with Paul in 2014.

The objective of GT was to be new and fresh and to give a platform for likeminded passionate Arsenal fans wishing to write about their team. Dave still of course, writes for the site himself and advises the ever-changing writing crew.