4. WHAT ELSE COULD I HAVE DONE? – LEADERSHIP AND CHARACTER

Before the final match-day you said, “Leicester had consistent results and everybody else had ups and downs. Is it down to the fact Leicester was a surprise package? Or the fact they had one competition? There is no rationale between their success and you have to say they have been remarkable.”

What did you think of their captain, Wes Morgan?

Your first two Captains were the combative Tony Adams and Patrick Vieira. They took the team by the scruff of the neck and drove Arsenal to two Doubles and The Invincibles season respectively. Your subsequent Captains were Thierry Henry, William Gallas, Cesc Fabregas, Robin van Persie, Tomas Vermaelen and Mikel Arteta.

Would you agree that your subsequent Captains, not least Thierry Henry, have preferred to lead by example?

… When they were on the pitch. Many people couldn’t even name Arsenal's last Captain as Mikel has started so few games the last few seasons. Indeed, at the end of last season, his final season, he said he realised he was no longer good enough.

Did you ever consider replacing Mikel as Captain?

Now he has left to join Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City’s coaching team, you have to replace him. Per Mertesacker, your de facto Captain for the last few seasons? But no longer guaranteed a starting place? Or Laurent Koscielny? Or Petr Cech? Or back to the good old days and the abrasive Granit Xhaka?

How will you decide upon your Captain next season Arsène?

In any case, you think the importance of captaincy is over-rated and believe that there should be leaders all over the pitch.

Would The Invincibles be a good example of your philosophy there?

Andy Carroll wasn’t the first centre forward to bully Arsenal like he did in scoring his hat-trick was he? It brought back memories of Peter Crouch’s at Anfield 31 March 2007 – a result which you said threatened Arsenal’s top four place. But no one quite dominated Arsenal like Chelsea’s Didier Drogba? You said “He has always harmed us and he continues.” Drogba never managed a hat-trick, but scored 13 goals in 14 matches including 5 doubles against Arsenal. For many years you refused to give players over 30 a new contract. Yet Drogba even came back, after a spell in China, and won Galatasaray Arsenal’s pre-season Emirates Cup in 2013 with two goals in the Final when he was 35! And, unbelievably, he has just scored against Arsenal again for MLS All-Stars – he’s 38 now!

Sol Campbell certainly was a vocal mainstay of The Invincibles defence but you haven’t recruited a strong physically imposing centre-back since he left 10 years ago?

Before the protests at home to Norwich, you said “I believe that some people questioned the team’s character. I tell you something: this team has character and attitude. Some people who question them, I know them well. They have less character than this team has. I saw them play and even know them very closely. They should not question the character of these players, because they are exceptional characters.”

Ian Wright and Ray Parlour were two of many former players that you saw play and you must have known closely?

Ian was nearly 33 when you joined Arsenal but was a regular goal scorer in your first season. Indeed his goal-scoring feats for Arsenal have been bettered only by Thierry Henry. He won the Premier League, 2 FA Cups, a League Cup and a European Cup Winners’ Cup with Arsenal.

Perhaps Ian Wright was something of a precursor to Leicester’s Jamie Vardy in that he was a late developer who earned his success the hard way?

Ray Parlour was known more for his commitment rather than silky skills. In the infamous 2003 Battle of Old Trafford, given the then bitter and aggressive recent history of the rivalry, you dropped the key Invincible Robert Pires and played Ray - by then a squad player - on the right wing instead. The hard fought 0-0 draw meant Ray went on to become one of The Invincibles. Ray won 3 Premier League titles, 4 FA Cups, a League Cup and a European Cup Winners’ Cup with Arsenal.

Did Ian and Ray have less character than your present team of exceptional characters Arsène?

Arsenal's last Premier League win at Old Trafford was in September 2006 and Arsenal seemed to freeze at Old Trafford again in the 2-3 defeat. Ian was bemused that although you said they conceded two easy goals, you also said could you not fault the players' commitment and desire. He said if you continuously let players get away with doing ‘naughty stuff’, they're going to keep doing it. Ray said you don’t have enough leaders in the side and your players lacked the desire, grit and the togetherness you need at that stage of the season to go on and win the Premier League.