Arsenal fans will be forgiven for concluding that the captain's armband is cursed at their club.
With the news that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been stripped of the captaincy after reporting back late for club duty following a trip to France, another Gunners skipper has unceremoniously bitten the dust.
It is a ruthless move by Mikel Arteta, based not only on this latest indiscretion but existing doubts about whether the Gabon striker was actually the right man to lead the club.
Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been stripped of the captaincy by Mikel Arteta
Aubameyang headed back to France last week to visit his mother, who has been unwell
In a further sign of the friction between player and coach, Aubameyang won't even be considered for selection when Arsenal host West Ham on Wednesday night.
But Arsenal have very much been here before. In fact, several times. Aubameyang follows William Gallas and Granit Xhaka in having the captaincy taken away from them.
Others received the honour and then forced through a move to a rival club, while others seemed stricken by injury as soon as they got it.
And the less said about Unai Emery and his five-strong leadership group the better.
You could say that since Thierry Henry departed the club as captain back in 2007, it's been a catalogue of captaincy calamity that has left Arsenal fans crying out for the solid-as-a-rock leadership of Tony Adams or Patrick Vieira.
The Arsenal striker took to social media this week to explain the reason for his absence
But his late return to Arsenal has been a cause for dismay and he has now lost the armband
WILLIAM GALLAS
2007-2008
Those fans who had doubts when Gallas was picked as Henry's successor were proven right when the French defender threw a wobbly after a 2-2 draw at Birmingham that dented Arsenal's title hopes.
In a tempestuous match, striker Eduardo had his leg broken following a tackle by Martin Taylor and James McFadden converted a late penalty conceded by Gael Clichy to see Arsenal drop two valuable points in their title battle with Man United.
When the penalty was awarded, Gallas walked into the Birmingham half in apparent protest, kicked advertising hoardings in fury when it went in and after the final whistle simply sat in the centre circle in a sulk until manager Arsene Wenger came to retrieve him.
William Gallas has his infamous centre circle sulk after Arsenal drew at Birmingham in 2008
Arsene Wenger eventually had to come out and remove his sulking captain from the pitch
Team-mate Jens Lehmann later recalled: 'After the match, he refused to leave the pitch and sat down in the centre circle like a sulky child.
'In the dressing room, Gallas came to blows with Gilberto Silva, who accused him of seeking attention in a daft manner. The row dragged on for the remainder of the season.'
He kept the captaincy after that fit of petulance but lost it in November that same year after giving an interview in which he revealed tensions in the dressing room and criticised younger players for lacking the necessary courage to succeed.
CESC FABREGAS
2008-2011
Aged only 21, Spanish midfielder Fabregas became Arsenal's second youngest-ever captain when he replaced Gallas. Almost immediately, he was ruled out for four months with a knee injury.
Fabregas was an excellent player and there were moments of magic when wearing the armband.
Cesc Fabregas suffered a series of injury setbacks after being handed the armband in 2008
For example, he scored and supplied four assists in a 6-2 win over Blackburn Rovers in 2009. He also supplied two of each in a 6-1 win over Everton on the opening day of 2009-10.
He was susceptible to injury lay-offs, however, and by 2010 speculation was intensifying that he might return to boyhood club Barcelona.
As Arsenal laboured to a 2-2 draw with Fulham on the final day of the 2010-11 season, Fabregas angered supporters by tweeting a picture from the Spanish Grand Prix.
He would ultimately seal his return to Barcelona, emulating Henry in being an Arsenal skipper who moved to the Nou Camp.
Ultimately, Fabregas would return to his boyhood club Barcelona in the summer of 2011
ROBIN VAN PERSIE
2011-2012
In another appointment that turned out to be a bit awkward, Dutch striker Robin van Persie succeeded Fabregas at the start of 2011-12.
More experienced, already vice-captain and a reliable goalscorer, he was a more comfortable fit and being captain certainly didn't slow him down.
Van Persie scored 37 goals in 48 matches in all competitions that season, winning the Premier League Golden Boot in the process.
Robin van Persie was appointed Arsenal captain in 2011 but moved to Man United a year later
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But Arsenal could only finish third in the table and the one thing Van Persie really wanted was a winners' medal in England.
Rejecting a new Arsenal contract in July 2012, he moved to Manchester United for an initial £22.5million in August in a colossal blow for Arsene Wenger and his team.
'I always listen to the little boy inside of me in these situations - when you have to make the harder decisions in life. What does he want?' Van Persie later recalled.
'That boy was screaming for Man United. From my side, and Arsenal as well, there are no hard feelings.'
The fans probably didn't think the same but Van Persie was vindicated when another Golden Boot-winning haul delivered United the title in 2012-13.
THOMAS VERMAELEN
2012-2014
An Arsenal player for three seasons and Van Persie's vice-captain, Vermaelen seemed like a safe pair of hands for the role.
And things started well enough in 2012-13 before the Belgian defender fell victim to the captain's injury curse.
Knee problems meant he could only play a bit-part role during the 2013-14 season, which was a shame because the fans always appreciated his effort.
