I find this whole situation a little bit strange really, the captain situation.
Graham Potter had selected Reece James to take the armband when there was no Cesar Azpilicueta or Thiago Silva on the pitch, and that is a decision that I don’t think any fan disagreed with, despite some of us having some doubts whether he is ready yet.
However, I believed it to the perfect time to bed him in the the captains role, something that the club also see him as in the future. Letting him have the armband for a handful of games until Silva is back, was a perfect opportunity for him to start getting used to the role.
My reservations about Reece is simply that I see him as a little bit too reserved on the pitch at times, but that’s something that will absolutely come with experience – but to get that experience he actually needs to be wearing the armband.
Yet Potter made a u-turn and decided to give it to Kovacic instead. I’d heard that Raheem Sterling was also under consideration.
And this is why I’ve been surprised to see it then handed to Kepa Arrizabalaga when Kovacic comes off, again ignoring James and others. I cannot fathom that.
I don’t think Kovacic is an ideal captain, neither is Kepa. Yes, both have some leadership qualities about them, but I don’t think they are ideal captains.
But then who is in our current squad? Ben Chilwell is a fair shout. N’Golo Kante is too quiet for me. Mason Mount would absolutely be a candidate if he wasn’t out of form and in a contract standoff. Kalidou Koulibaly has experience?
And that is a problem, the fact that this is a debate. We know we lack leaders in this squad, real leaders.
