Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is officially Arsenal’s captain, but the identity of this team seems more closely bound to two other members of Mikel Arteta’s leadership group.
Over the course of this season, it has become clear that Granit Xhaka and David Luiz are the players whose traits seem most firmly imprinted on the side. For better and for worse, this is their Arsenal team.
Their importance to the side cannot be understated: when Arsenal have to play without either of them, they look rudderless — the recent defeat against Liverpool being the most egregious example.
