Ex Arsenal manager, Unai Emery has disclosed his decision to make Granit Xhaka the Arsenal captain this season. The Switzerland midfielder was given the captain's armband at the beginning of the season after the exit of the former leader, Laurent Koscielny and 3 other vice-captains. However, he was stripped of his duties as captain after clashing with fans when he was substituted in the 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace in October. Speaking recently, Emery who was replaced by Mikel Arteta days back, believes giving the captaincy to Xhaka was the right decision because he is the leader they need. His words, "The main captains last year were Koscielny, [Petr] Cech, [Aaron] Ramsey and Nacho Monreal and they all left the team," "The main captains last year were Koscielny, [Petr] Cech, [Aaron] Ramsey and Nacho Monreal and they all left the team," Emery said in an interview with BBC Sport. "So the natural leader in the changing room, because of his values and what he represented, was Granit Xhaka. There was a vote to see if what I felt about him was also felt by the players, and they did. "Circumstances meant that Xhaka had a clash with fans, but he is the leader that this team needs then and now, because of the values he represents, because of the respect everyone had for him and because of his experience. "But from the moment he stops being captain, there are other players who also have the capacity to take over, like [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang, [Mesut] Ozil, [Alexandre] Lacazette but the hierarchies within a team have to be established with values, the strength of the squad and also what happens on the pitch. "The coach has to let things flow naturally and allow the leadership to be established. Logically, I am the one who decides who will be the captain, but the players get to tell me who they perceive as captain. "What made it difficult was that the four principal captains left and new people had to take on the responsibility. "These things need a process of settling and adjusting to wearing the armband that is very important to me and very necessary for this transition to take place." Xhaka was replaced by Aubameyang as the Gunners' permanent captain, but the Gabon international has only tasted victory once as Arteta struggles to turn the club's form around."
