Once upon a time, Arsenal's engine was powered by the old guard - the likes of Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry and Tony Adams set the standard impossibly high.
The last decade has been something of a wilderness for the Gunners as, year by year, they gradually lost the leaders that made the club what they are. Out went William Gallas, Robin van Persie, Cesc Fabregas, Thomas Vermaelen, Lauren Koscielny. Arsenal fans have been crying out for a figurehead who can push the club back into title contention after watching so many skippers try and fail.
For a time, simply finishing in the top four was deemed as a failure for Arsenal - now it's the holy grail after four years outside the Champions League, and their recent plight since the departure of Arsene Wenger has coincided with a lack of generals on the pitch.
Gone are the days of Thierry Henry (C) and Patrick Vieira (R), who led Arsenal to the glory years
The Gunners have lost influential players in recent years and both Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Granit Xhaka (right) have not been able to guide the club alone
Mikel Arteta - a former Arsenal captain himself who knows what it means to lead the club and how important it is for the group to have someone to look up to - has been slowly rebuilding the club from the rubble of a disastrous tenure under Unai Emery but has lacked players who strike the right balance.
David Luiz is an experienced player with a bundle of trophies on his CV but his recent performances couldn't match up to that and he was released in the summer. Everyone who watches Granit Xhaka can admire his fiery nature but he too often steps over the line - and it cost him the armband.
Current captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was only appointed because he was seen as Arsenal's talisman, someone the squad could get behind. He isn't vocal enough and his form has tanked.
So Arteta has been forced to look elsewhere and build a leadership system, much like Gareth Southgate has done with England - where he has one official skipper in Harry Kane and has introduced several other key figures like Jordan Henderson, Harry Maguire and Marcus Rashford.
Mikel Arteta is building a leadership unit at the Emirates based around young talent
Arsenal's transfer business was slated this summer after spending £149m and failing to win any of their first three games. There were serious question marks over moves for Martin Odegaard, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Aaron Ramsdale and Nuno Tavares. It was warranted - but after three wins on the bounce, it is clear there is a strategy.
'I think we are building some leadership in the group,' he said last month. 'It's a really young group, with a lot of players under 23. Martin [Odegaard] is the captain of the national team and Sambi [Lokonga] was the captain at Anderlecht.
'Martin has this capacity to do that with his talent, taking the ball in moments where others probably refuse to, but as well with his attitude, his rhythm and the way he presses and puts people under pressure.'
'I'm delighted to have him not only what he gives us with the ball, he's a real leader and example without the ball.'
Martin Odegaard is the skipper for Norway and is showing signs he could be their talisman
Another of his youthful summer signings is also demonstrating the same qualities. Aaron Ramsdale's £23m switch from Sheffield United raised eyebrows - he had hardly pulled up trees last season as the Blades plummeted down to the Championship, but he has already dethroned Bernd Leno as Arsenal's No 1
