Should Kieran Tierney be captain of Arsenal after his performance against West Ham?


Should Kieran Tierney be captain of Arsenal after his performance against West Ham?

By Jonny Bray
Since joining from Celtic, Kieran Tierney has been absolutely superb on and off the pitch for Arsenal.
He’s been a consummate professional and a fan favourite while crucially putting in performances on the pitch that have shown why so many Scotland fans rate him above his compatriot Andy Robertson.
With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang being stripped of the captaincy yesterday, the hunt is on for Arsenal’s next captain, and fans and pundits alike believe Tierney is the man for the job.
The Scottish left-back showed precisely why in the 2-0 win against West Ham.
With the shadow of Covid-19 looming over the Emirates, the 24-year-old gave the Gunners faithful a performance to remember.
But was it a performance that showed exactly why he should be captain of Arsenal?


He showed his leadership quality


Despite taking an arm to the face from the clumsy Vladimir Coufal, Tierney was an inspiring figure last night against the Hammers.
The flailing arm was the first of Coufal’s two yellow cards that resulted in him being sent off, but it didn’t stop Tierney from going about his business.
The fans recognised it, awarding him BBC’s man of the match and praising him across social media.
Most importantly, he’s not a one-match wonder. On the contrary, he’s been a man mountain in defence and attack consistently for years.
Off the field, he’s a likeable bloke.
He could symbolise Arsenal’s change from a meme of a football club to serious title contenders.
He’d represent a move away from players like Aubameyang, Granit Xhaka and David Luiz towards players like Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Aaron Ramsdale.
Players committed to playing for the club who are not more interested in being London-based celebrities.
It may seem harsh, but these players have been at the helm while Arsenal has become a joke in the eye of most football fans.
Tierney is no joke, and he’d represent a move towards a brighter future in North London.


What he offers going forward


A captain has to be able to grab a game by the scruff of the neck and make it his own.
He has to show that when the team have their back against the wall, he’s the one they can trust to get them out of difficult situations.
Even if they’re a defender, they must have this quality. See Vincent Kompany.
Tierney hit the crossbar against the Hammers and was a threat down the left wing all evening.
He’s always lent a hand in attack, scoring twice and registering six assists in the league since his arrival at the Emirates.
It’s not the best goals and assists record for a defender, but it’s enough.

One of the best defenders in the league


Tierney has been a key part of Arsenal’s transition from having a genuinely shocking defence to having one of the best in the league.
The win against West Ham was another clean sheet for the Scot, who has now recorded 13 in his 53 Arsenal appearances.
This change in Arsenal’s defensive performances is just another reason why he’s shown that he should be captain.
When he arrived, people made jokes about the Gunners' defence but they now have eight clean sheets this season - the third best in the league.


Conclusion


Against West Ham, Tierney proved that he’s ready to be captain of Arsenal.
Arsenal needs someone that won’t bring the club into disrepute but who can star on the pitch.
He may not score 30 goals a season, but Tierney is one of the best players at the club.More importantly, he’s also one of the best people, and it’s time for him to be given an opportunity to lead.

Photo Credit: Getty Images 

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