Denilson shocks Arsenal by questioning Fabregas captaincy
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Cesc is no leader! Denilson shocks Arsenal by questioning Fabregas captaincy
Wearing the armband: Cesc Fabregas
Denilson has rocked the boat at Arsenal by questioning Cesc Fabregas's captaincy.
The Brazilian midfielder has revealed he does not consider Fabregas a true leader, and admits that the team lacks a strong personality on the pitch to galvanise the side.
Many observers credit Spain star Fabregas with being the man who could finally fire The Gunners to a trophy for the first time since 2005 - Arsenal currently sit third in the Barclays Premier League table and are set to take on Leeds United in an FA Cup third round replay on Wednesday night.
But Denilson believes there is no one man who can claim to have inspired the team and that results so far are a sign of a strong collective unit.
'Fabregas is the captain but he is not a leader,' he said in an interview with Arsenal Brazil and published on Arseblog.com. 'It's a personality thing and a leader can be young. It's something they are born with.
'We are lacking leadership and we need leadership to go forward. There isn't a leader. I don't see one player as a leader.
'At Arsenal it's more of a collective team at the moment, everyone is talking - but a leader is always important for a team.'
Fabregas used his Twitter account to respond to Denilson's comments, and insisted there was no disharmony within the Arsenal camp.
Thumbs up: Denilson and Fabregas on their way to Leeds for Arsenal's FA Cup replay
Instead of dismissing his team-mate's criticism, Fabregas sympathised with the Brazilian's situation before urging on his Gunners' team-mates to record a win over Leeds at Elland Road.
He posted: 'Abt what Deni said. I've been in his situation before, just a misunderstending. Now lets win tonite!'
Fabregas also posted a picture taken with Denilson as they travelled on the train up to Leeds for the cup replay, with both men smiling and posing with thumbs up.
But Denilson has thrown his backing behind Manuel Almunia, the deposed and now out-of-favour former Arsenal no 1.
He said: 'The best keeper at Arsenal is Manuel Almunia.'
Denilson is expected to feature again at Elland Road, as Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger rotates his squad.
It was the Brazilian who had given away a penalty to Leeds in the first tie 10 days ago. Fabregas kept the Gunners in the competition with a last-minute spot-kick of his own, and afterwards had given Denilson a dressing down for making such a clumsy challenge.
'They scored from a penalty that, at this stage when you are a professional footballer you can not give away this type of penalty so easily,' Fabregas said in his post-match TV interview.
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True, Arsenal do not have any strong leader.....
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such comment are overblown.
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arseblog.com :)