Ray Parlour thinks Gary Cahill would have been ‘perfect’ for Arsenal

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Arsenal have a new issue under Unai Emery – their captaincy.

Pundit Ray Parlour has told Sky Sports’ The Debate that he thinks Crystal Palace defender Gary Cahill could have been ‘perfect’ for Arsenal.

The Gunners took on Palace on Sunday, and took a 2-0 lead as Sokratis Papastathopoulos and David Luiz both got on the scoresheet in the first half.

However, Arsenal threw their lead away as Luka Milivojevic scored from the penalty spot, before Jordan Ayew nodded the equaliser for the Eagles.

The atmosphere became somewhat toxic as Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka gesticulated his own fans as he left the field, and what seemed like a winner from Sokratis was ruled out by VAR.

Arsenal looked rudderless once they conceded the first goal, with a complete lack of leadership in their side once again as they couldn’t grind out a result against Palace.

Xhaka’s role as captain is now under threat after his angry departure to the bench, and ex-Gunners ace Parlour has suggested that Arsenal missed out on an ideal captain.

Parlour thinks Arsenal should have moved for Palace defender Cahill when he left Chelsea over the summer, and thinks that the 33-year-old could have walked in an immediately become Arsenal captain.

Arsenal instead chose to sign Cahill’s former Chelsea teammate David Luiz, but Parlour thinks Cahill could have been the perfect signing on a free transfer, giving them a Tony Adams-like figure.

“When I look back at it, it’s so important having a good leader. Look, you need six or seven captains in a game but, you know, you need that figure,” said Parlour. “We had Tony Adams and then obviously were lucky because we had Patrick Vieira. They’re the sort of figures you want. At the moment, Arsenal haven’t got that, have they? That’s what they’re lacking.”

“I’m looking at Crystal Palace at the weekend, Gary Cahill might have been perfect. Free transfer, centre-backs were really struggling, conceding lots of goals. Gary could have been straight in there as captain maybe,” he added.