The Future Is Unwritten

Monday, 24 November 08, 08:41 AM · Comments(1)

At around 1.20 this afternoon, I took a phone call from my friend Rachid El-Quaret. He informed me that the new captain of Arsenal, as Amy Lawrence insisted he should be in the Observer yesterday, is the one and only Cesc Fabregas.

Now, I'm not going to sit here and pretend that I was "on message" with this idea, but now it has happened, I can see the benefits of it, and as Cesc is the perceived leader of our team in any case it does make sense. Hopefully the burden of responsibility will not see that iberian temperament tested even more than it must have been so far this season. I feel sure, too, that Arsène must have had a little chat with Cesc to find out what his plans are. Surely, surely, surely we won't be sitting here in 6-7 months discussing the loss of yet another captain? It might not matter to the gaffer, but I think I can go out on a limb and say that it matters to all of us.

Reading what le boss has had to say, he sounded pretty belligerent. William Gallas will be back in the team tomorrow night against Dinamo Kyiv to hopefully steady a boat well and truly rocked, albeit by his own hand. It will be interesting to see what kind of reaction he gets, and also how the events of the week past will affect him. He needs to be singing from the same hymn sheet tomorrow, I still believe a 100% committed William Gallas to be a quality player. He has, now, an opportunity- somewhat belatedly I admit- to show us that he has it in him to be the big man.

As a personal hero of mine once doodled, "The Future Is Unwritten", Cesc has an opportunity now to write the future for the Arsenal. There is no real surprise in this promotion- as I have noted before, as Arsène Wenger confirmed- via Lee Dixon- there are a real shortage of genuine candidates. But perhaps the boy who was once the youngest player to play for Arsenal, who was once the youngest player to score a goal for Arsenal and is now the youngest player to be given the arm band since a certain Anthony Adams 22 years ago can unify the splintered dressing room, can lead the team up through its' darkest hour and restore some respect within the football club as we get ourselves back on track.

No pressure then Cesc and bon fortuna!

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