Kieran Tierney and Hector Bellerin defend choice of Granit Xhaka as Arsenal captain

Add as preferred source on Google

Arsenal defensive duo Hector Bellerin and Kieran Tierney have both come to the defence of their new club captain Granit Xhaka, as per the club’s official YouTube channel.

Tierney, who joined the Gunners for a reported (BBC) £25 million this summer, and academy product Bellerin launched a strong defence of their new skipper.

Bellerin said: “He’s a great captain for the club. He knows the club as good as anyone, what it means to play for the club, and he’s a player that plays almost every game. Even when he’s got little injuries, he’s always ready to play so that’s a good quality for a captain to have.”

Tierney added: “Since I came in, he’s been up there for helping me. So to see that and to see what he gives on the training pitch, every day is 100 per cent and that’s what a leader should be. He is everything a leader is.”

TBR’s View – Xhaka becoming captain drew criticism but it’s what the players wanted

Having Granit Xhaka as Arsenal captain doesn’t make a great deal of sense. He shouldn’t be guaranteed a spot in the side, his performances are inconsistent and ill-disciplined and he lacks quality.

But Unai Emery was getting blamed for that, when it was actually the players who wanted it. If he’s the leader the players want – and Tierney and Bellerin’s words back that up – then it should help them on the pitch.

There’s a debate to be had over whether Emery should have put it to a vote or unilaterally named a skipper himself, but the Gunners squad now have the leader they wanted. It’s up to them to unite behind him and play for him.