Premier League: Examining the Captaincy of Each Top-Flight Club

The beginning of the new Premier League season—as is the case any year—has brought with it plenty of change.

For many clubs, the knowledge they have at least one or two players to help ease them through this transition, no matter how big or small, is a great comfort.

More often than not, it is the captain that will fulfill this role. It is just the first step of a year-long duty to do his utmost in leading a club through whatever comes its way.

There is often little to differentiate the quality of the job these team leaders do. Essentially, you are either good or bad at it, and teammates will soon realise either way.

Returning in the Premier League this year are several long-term holders of the captaincy at their club such as Brede Hangeland at Fulham and Steven Gerrard at Liverpool.

Joining them are some assuming the role for the first time, and others making their bow as top-flight skippers.

Here is a club-by-club look at the players wearing the armband this year, and the stories behind each.

Arsenal

Per Mertesacker is Arsenal's stand-in skipper in the absence of injured pair Thomas Vermaelen and Mikel Arteta—the regular and vice-captains. As things are going, he is making a strong case as to why he might be a good choice to take the job permanently.

His manager was glowing in his praise of the defender following the Gunners' 3-1 win over Fulham.

"Per is a fantastic leader who always keeps the urgency of the team very high," Arsene Wenger said, describing to his club's official website what the German brought to the captaincy.

"He's a good organiser. He's growing in stature and I think his individual performance as well was outstanding."

Given that, and his fine defensive work late last season particularly, Mertesacker taking on the job full-time is surely a real possibility.

As fine a defender as Vermaelen is, the responsibility of leadership was one that appeared to weigh too heavily on him. Meanwhile the aging Arteta will face stiff competition to regain his place in a midfield full of talent that is showing signs of faring well without him.

Mertesacker does not face those issues. He has also spoken already about where he intends to improve as a defensive leader.

"My English is improving so I can contribute a bit more," the 28-year-old told Arsenal.com. "Communication is important and hopefully my contribution will increase further."

For a team that has suffered greatly from a lack of genuine leadership, an in-form Mertesacker doing the job well would be huge for Wenger.

Aston Villa

In keeping with a tough year for the club itself, Ron Vlaar's first season at Aston Villa was hard going at times.

A summer 2012 arrival from Feyenoord, he had to balance the tricky task of settling into a new country with assuming leadership of a young football team.

Vlaar's performances were mixed, but it is safe to say the team were better for his presence.

Villa's torrid December run that saw them concede 15 goals in three matches coincided with the Dutchman being absent through injury.

There were other factors too—chiefly Christian Benteke's scoring exploits—but results improved with the Dutchman back in the side.

The steadiness he brought to his team as they avoided relegation looks set to be a key feature for Villa yet again in 2013-14.

Vlaar is not the dominant centre-back captain some clubs have. He is a solid performer though, and a reliably suitable influence in organising more youthful teammates such as Nathan Baker and Matthew Lowton.

How well Paul Lambert's side ultimately fare this season will be in large part reliant on how well Vlaar maintains these standards.

Cardiff City

Mark Hudson was one of Cardiff City's key figures last season as the club won the Championship title and earned promotion. Given the way his manager Malky Mackay described Hudson upon his signing of a new contract in July, you would be forgiven for thinking he would be pivotal for the Bluebirds again.

"He is the ultimate professional, an inspirational leader of men and a pleasure to work with on a day to day basis," Mackay described Hudson to Cardiff's official website.

Higher praise for a captain could not be asked for.

Reality of life in the top-flight has—for the time being anyway—made it so Hudson's role is a decidedly non-playing one though.

Ben Turner and new signing Steven Caulker have been Mackay's first-choice central defensive partnership for their opening two matches, with Craig Bellamy skippering the side.

After a disappointing 2-0 loss to West Ham United, Cardiff bounced back to upset Manchester City 3-2 at home.

Cardiff welcome Everton to South Wales next. If Turner is again given the nod, he told BBC Sport he will have the full support of Hudson.

"All I can do is give my best, can't I? And when it's Huds' turn to be in the team I'll be 100 percent behind him, like he has been behind me."

As for current captain Bellamy, he is a player who primarily leads by example, still retaining the persistence with which his game has been blessed for years. Mackay knows he can rely on the veteran attacker to have a word or two with a teammate if the situation demands it too.

Chelsea

John Terry will be as happy as anyone about Jose Mourinho being back as Chelsea manager.

After being in and out of the side under Rafael Benitez, Terry has been restored to the heart of the Blues' central defense. He has started each of their league games and was as solid as ever in the 0-0 draw with Manchester United.

Mourinho is well familiar with how the 32-year-old functions as captain. Even with Terry's advancement in years since the last time the Portuguese was in town, he still offers plenty of the same.

An all-round top-quality defender, Terry is as vocal and commanding an on-pitch general as they come. Mourinho knows he remains the ideal person to lead and organize for him.

That dominating personality is replicated behind the scenes too. As polarising a figure as Terry might be outside, his approach has played a big part in keeping Chelsea united over the years.

Fitness permitting, Terry is likely to carry out these duties for a little while longer yet.

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace are enduring a tough start to their return to the Premier League, suffering two defeats.

Manager Ian Holloway is having to deal with injuries to potentially important attacking players Yannick Bolasie, Jerome Thomas and long-term absentee Glenn Murray, not to mention a challenging time recruiting in the transfer market.

Commendably, in league play at least, the newly promoted side have not strayed anywhere near being an embarrassment. That is partly down to the presence of their captain Mile Jedinak.

An aggressive performer who gives the Eagles' midfield valuable steel, the Australian leads by setting the tone for his team.

In the Championship that helped allow them to establishing an attacking edge. That is an objective in the top-flight too, but the importance of Jedinak defensively becomes even greater against the improved quality of teams Palace now face.

A long season lies ahead, and Jedinak is a player Holloway can almost certainly not afford to do without.

Everton

David Moyes leaving Goodison Park was not the only significant departure this summer. Joining him at Old Trafford was Everton captain of six years, Phil Neville.

Replacing the latter as skipper is Phil Jagielka. 

As one of Everton's first-choice central defenders since his arrival in 2007, the England international was a sensible choice.

Based on what he told David Prentice in an interview with the Liverpool Echo prior to the start of the season, he is fully aware of the task at hand. 

“I think I will need to do things differently as a captain on the pitch when things aren’t going right,” Jagielka acknowledged, going on to reference Neville's selflessness and his need to replicate that:  

"

I’ve found that if I’m not having the best of afternoons myself I try to get on with my own job and get through it whereas now, with the captain’s armband, I’ve got a little bit more responsibility to forget about myself and help teammates who are maybe having a worse afternoon or the ones who need that little more encouragement who could potentially change the result of the game. 

"

Jagielka's awareness here should be viewed encouragingly by Everton fans. 

They already know of his quality as a defender. It is looking like they can rest easy about his ability to lead in a more official capacity too.

As the Toffees adapt to life under Roberto Martinez, Jagielka will be key in ensuring the transition is at least a smooth one.

Making it successful in the long run will depend on more than just the captain doing his job.

Fulham

In the five years he has been at Fulham, Brede Hangeland could have feasibly moved on to a club where he is more likely to earn success. The imposing centre-back is certainly talented enough to have thrived elsewhere.

The Norwegian has instead shown his commitment to the Cottagers' cause. Earlier this year, he signed a contract extension.

Hangeland is not dissimilar to the likes of John Terry and Vincent Kompany in being a central defender and captain of considerable quality and stature—though he is quieter in his methods.

Unlike those two, his contributions are for a weaker team. Hangeland is well aware of the limitations of his club and is still happy to play his part in achieving the substantially different objectives. As he told the London Evening Standard's Giuseppe Muro earlier this month:

"

My concern every year is to get 40 points and I am hoping that will be as early in the season as possible. It might sound like a lack of ambition but I am very happy to stay in the Premier League because I know how tough the competition is.  I know our strength relative to all of the other clubs and you can’t say that we are a big club in the Premier League. We are punching above our weight a little bit and some of that is down to the fact we stay modest and keep our feet on the ground.

"

So many top players are keen to move to clubs where greater footballing and financial rewards are on offer. That is understandable.

But it makes it all the more refreshing to see a man prepared to lead a team in the less glamorous climbs of the Premier League.

Hull City

Robert Koren has been an influential figure in helping Hull City earn promotion back to the Premier League.

After a solid spell at West Bromwich Albion, he has particularly excelled as a Tiger, becoming a frequent contributor of goals and assists.

Hull could do with their skipper doing similar this season.

The arrival of Tom Huddlestone and Jake Livermore should allow Koren to embrace his attacking instincts. Steve Bruce will particularly hope Huddlestone's eye for a pass will play a key role in helping the Slovenian flourish.

The team will hope to benefit from Curtis Davies' leadership at the back too, taking away some of the responsibility on Koren.

Still, for Hull to have a successful year, Koren is going to have to be a major player once more and lead by example.

Liverpool

The passing of the years means a changing of the roles is inevitable for even the most dynamic and influential of players. It is credit to Steven Gerrard that he has managed to adjust his game accordingly and is still thriving for Liverpool now aged 33.

Gerrard the captain is a more than reliable talker. It is safe to say, however, that it is by example he has led most potently over the years.

What has been captivating about Gerrard of late is how he has managed to re-channel that ability into his changing role. Phil Kirkbridge of the Liverpool Echo described this especially well earlier this week:

"

No longer is the captain expected to hare from box to box, dragging his team-mates with him with surging run after surging run. Instead Gerrard's instructions are to anchor and shore up Liverpool while adding experience and a calming hand to the flying youngsters in front of him.

"

Facilitating others might not be as exciting for Gerrard as doing the job himself. It is clear though, that Liverpool's on-pitch leader remains as important to the club as ever.

With that said, do not be surprised to see him pop up with a breathtaking goal or two over the course of this season. Gerrard remains a formidable presence, well capable of summoning a moment of quality when his team needs it.

Manchester City

If you want a measure of the importance of Vincent Kompany to Manchester City just look at how his team fared without him following his opening-day injury.

A 3-2 loss to Cardiff City last weekend saw Manuel Pellegrini's makeshift defense thoroughly exposed.

It was one match too soon for a back line still without youngster Matija Nastasic, who has just returned from injury. The Serb will certainly toughen City up at the back.

Kompany's return will be just as highly anticipated. The Belgian told his club's official website he is hopeful of being ready to play after the upcoming international break.

It will not be a moment too soon. As well as being one of the Premier League's most consistent defenders, Kompany's presence brings the best out of his teammates.

The City captain is as committed as they come, setting a standard he expects his teammates to match. When they do is when they are at their strongest.

As Pellegrini attempts to impose his style and philosophies on his new team, it is vital that Kompany is there to act as the example to which others should adhere.

Manchester United

Nemanja Vidic has the luxury of knowing others can step up and lead when he is absent. Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra and Ryan Giggs all—in their different ways—can perform as captains of Manchester United.

This is important given Vidic's issues with fitness in recent years. Knowing such a burden rested solely on him would have been an unfair responsibility for a player often consigned to the sidelines.

Man United are stronger for the collective leadership throughout the squad. Even without the captain's armband, there are players with the necessary experience to motivate and organise sufficiently.

Having the defensive rock that is Vidic leading United is undoubtedly a boost to the side, though.

It was no coincidence that in the season he played the least amount of Premier League games in his Old Trafford stay, Man City snatched the league title.

His presence down the stretch last season was just the reassurance the team needed. They knew they had a championship in them, and the presence of their reliable captain proved to be a decisive factor in maintaining the necessary consistency.

Newcastle United

Fabricio Coloccini's dalliance with the idea of a return to Argentina seems to have passed. The personal situation that led to the thought no longer seems to be an issue.

Now he has his heart set on staying in the Northeast, as he told the Daily Telegraph's Jason Mellor:

"

Newcastle is a special club for me. I’ve supported San Lorenzo since I was small, but I feel something for Newcastle now. I’ve been here five years and the fans are amazing. Now it’s up to us to do well this season. Last year was very bad and we have to improve a lot.

"

That will be music to Newcastle fans' ears. The importance of Coloccini was underlined by how they missed him during an injury absence that followed this momentary distraction late last season.

Despite those issues, the Magpies trust the Argentinian has the best interests of the club at heart.

After all, he was one of the players who stayed and helped them return to the Premier League following their relegation in 2009.

It remains to be seen how successful Coloccini will prove in playing his part in galvanising and bringing together Newcastle's myriad foreign recruits.

If nothing else, Alan Pardew needs him performing at his best defensively. This team has too many questions surrounding it otherwise for such a pivotal player not to be.

Norwich City

Grant Holt's departure left Chris Hughton needing to appoint a new captain. He decided to elect two—Russell Martin and Sebastien Bassong.

"I’ve made my decision on the basis that I wanted both Russ and Seb to be involved in the roles of Club Captain and Team Captain," Hughton told Norwich's official website earlier this month, going on to further outline what he had in mind.

"

The decision to make Russ Club Captain is based on what he has given us both on and off the pitch during the period of time he has been with us. He yet again made a vital contribution to the cause last season as of course he has done in previous years.

Seb as Player of the Season had a big influence on our campaign last year and is a player who has settled in very well to the Norwich way.

"

Martin's appointment was a no-risk call. Having been at the club for almost four years, he has evidently proven himself to be someone who can be relied upon "to be there for all the players at the club, on and off the pitch"—as he said describing his own qualities.

His fellow defender Bassong is less proven in a leadership role. Hughton clearly believes in his capacity to lead though, having seen something in his capable performances for the Canaries last season.

Bassong only made his first appearance of the season in Norwich's Capital One Cup defeat of Bury. It remains to be seen how effective he will be as skipper in the long run.

The hope is that between him and Martin, Norwich have the requisite leadership to maintain their Premier League status for another season.

Southampton

Adam Lallana might be the man next in line in the Premier League right now to follow the likes of John Terry and Steven Gerrard in staying at and skippering one club for the majority of his career.

The 25-year-old achieving that kind of longevity will take some doing. For now he is part of manager Mauricio Pochettino's plans, but the changing status of Southampton Football Club makes it so only his continued good form will maintain that.

On his side—at least in the minds of supporters—is the loyalty that has seen him part of their return to the top-flight.

Illness played a part in him not following the likes of Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott out St Mary's. As he told The Independent's Glenn Moore, his staying put has more than suited him.

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It’s worked out. I’m 25, I’m captain and it’s special. I love the club and feel like I’ve grown with it from League One to Championship to now playing week-in, week-out in the Premier League. It’s a great feeling, I’m really enjoying it.

"

Making the most of their academy products seems set to remain an integral part of Southampton's approach under Pochettino. Luke Shaw and James Ward-Prowse are among the notable names already following Lallana into the first team.

It will be important for these young men to have someone like Lallana to look up to. As it will be to have an experienced member of the Saints squad to ensure a unified front between the home grown players and the expensive foreign recruits coming into the club once more.

Stoke City

Mark Hughes knows how important it is to have leaders in a team, especially in the form of a strong and respected captain. He presided over Queens Park Rangers' disastrous experiment with big-money, big-ego recruits last season.

Now Stoke City boss, he confirmed in July to The Sentinel newspaper that the strong and respected Ryan Shawcross would indeed be the team's skipper again:

"

It's the old cliché about wanting 11 leaders out there on the pitch, but I can also see that the role is more than just ceremonial. The role is important and I think Ryan takes on and embraces the role, and that's why I am happy for him to carry on as captain.

"

Stoke are an intriguing prospect under Hughes. Retaining the solidity and pragmatism that has seen them survive in the Premier League, question marks remain over how much further that will take them without sufficient tweaking.

Whatever Hughes has in mind to take this team forward, one thing is clear from his past experiences.

His sides have fared best with a hard-tackling defender who combines positional nous with plenty of guts at the foundation of the team. Ryan Nelsen was as solid as they come at Blackburn Rovers, and the Welshman briefly coached Brede Hangeland at Fulham.

Shawcross is in that mold, and definitely gives Hughes something to build on at Stoke. He is both a quality defender and captain that possesses spirit in abundance.

Already Shawcross has stepped up for his new manager, scoring the winner last weekend versus Crystal Palace. It will not be the last time he is needed to do so.

Sunderland

John O'Shea is Paolo Di Canio's main man at Sunderland, he has made that very clear. The Italian described his captain to The Shields Gazette's Chris Young as "the perfect example of how to be a leader."

Historians among you might scoff at that assertion—just be glad he did not compare him to Benito Mussolini—but Di Canio goes onto explain himself, describing O'Shea as being "a very good footballer and very good at organisation." He added:

"

And he has the quality to be very good in the dressing room. He can be counted upon. He’s a positive person and he is very good at sending out the right messages to the team at different phases of the game. He persuades his teammates to work hard and leads by example and so, for me, he is the perfect captain.

"

Di Canio has been around football long enough to recognise someone worthy of leading a football team. For all of his colourful outbursts, he is sensible enough to realise the importance of such a figure.

O'Shea has probably never been spoken about in such glowing terms. The Irishman would not have lasted as long as he has, though, if the general gist of that statement was not true.

Sunderland need a lot to go right throughout the team if they are to survive in the Premier League this season, let alone thrive in it.

Getting the captain right would be a good start, though. It is up to O'Shea now to prove he can be the man, and not just a worthy teammate to him.

Swansea City

Ashley Williams has had a fine example to learn from in his apprenticeship as Swansea City captain.

Garry Monk captained the Swans through the majority of their rise through the Football League. Though he remains as club captain, his comparative lack of starts saw him pass the on-field leadership permanently to Williams this summer.

"I've learnt a lot from him and he's a great captain, a club captain, and he leads by example," Williams said of Monk to BBC Sport. "I've learnt a lot off him how to organise a team and how to conduct yourself on and off the field, and I think he's a model pro."

Williams has worn the armband when Monk has not played, so it is not an entirely new experience for him this season.

An extra degree of responsibility has been placed on him however. It has coincided with the extra expectation on Swansea following their Capital One Cup success and maintaining their top-flight status.

Michael Laudrup's side are undoubtedly a talented group, but they face a challenge in competing with teams who are more used to them now. Overcoming this while adjusting to the new experience of European football will not be easy.

It is to such things Swansea have aspired though, and now they have to make the most of them while not losing their focus. Their drop-off in form following last year's cup win should act as a cautionary tale here.

Positively, Williams seems prepared to lead his team on the right path.

"We are all excited about the season, things are very positive and we feel we’re in good shape," he told Wales Online. "But we have to remember who we are, what it takes in this league and how hard it is."

Tottenham Hotspur

Michael Dawson once again faces competition for places in the Tottenham Hotspur defense this season.

Jan Vertonghen enjoyed a fine debut year in the Premier League last time around, while the highly regarded Younes Kaboul has returned to fitness. Tottenham may yet look to sign an additional central defender too.

On the Spurs skipper's side is a 2012-13 campaign that proved the value of a player such as himself.

Andre Villas-Boas initially favoured other central defenders at the club over Dawson, chiefly Steven Caulker and William Gallas, while Vertonghen was often deployed at left-back.

It soon became apparent that there was a problematic lack of leadership that manifested itself in poor concentration and woeful organization.

Villas-Boas restored Dawson to the side. Spurs still had occasional issues at the back, but they were better organised and a lot more solid with him in the team.

Tottenham have a lot going for them right now, but besides Dawson there is not a whole lot in the way of leadership.

With several young players—some of them new to the Premier League—coming to the fore at Spurs, Dawson's presence as captain is likely to be vital once again.

West Bromwich Albion

West Bromwich Albion quietly went about achieving a highly impressive eighth-place finish last season.

Improving on their 10th and 11th placings of the previous campaigns, it ensured they would remain in the top-flight for a fourth successive season.

It largely flew under the radar as mid-table comfort is coming to be expected of this squad of capable and assured performers.

Chris Brunt has been one such player.

The clever midfielder continues to perform ably against big-name counterparts, all while carrying a captaincy he assumed with minimal fuss.

Occasional injury problems have been the only thing stopping the Northern Irishman in his stride.

Otherwise there seems little reason why Brunt will not continue to lead the Baggies as quietly and effectively as he has.

With reliable on-pitch figures like Liam Ridgewell and Jonas Olsson in support, West Brom have an altogether solid leadership base.

l1 eighth-place

West Ham United

Kevin Nolan's decision to join his former Bolton Wanderers boss Sam Allardyce in the Championship with West Ham United spoke a lot about the player's character.

He could have remained at Newcastle United, but opted for the (ultimately successful) challenge of helping West Ham back to the Premier League.

Nolan was likely handsomely rewarded for his assistance. Nonetheless, it was a courageous move that played its part in galvanising the Hammers for their promotion push.

Of course it was not the first time he had done it either, having already helped Newcastle back up a couple of years earlier.

These are the kind of examples managers love to be able to cite to their players in advocating belief and determination in a cause.

As a player, Nolan has exhibited those virtues throughout his career.

His continuing penchant for a goal is in keeping with this. The Hammers skipper is always looking for a way to contribute, and will work hard to put himself in a position to do so.

Nolan is not in the calibre of peers like Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard—two players he chiefly cited to the BBC last week in obstructing his England dream over the years.

For the teams he has played for, though, he has undoubtedly been just as important.