For years a typical criticism of Arsenal has been that they lack leadership.
Going back since the days of Patrick Vieira's departure it has been a seemingly relentless pastime of the national media to question the character of the Gunners squad and point to the lack guiding figures in the dressing room as an explanation for their slide from greatness.
The situation involving Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang that saw the 32-year-old stripped of the club captaincy in December has done little to help this perception of a lack of discipline at London Colney.
But now Mikel Arteta has made a decision that he hopes will bring that to an end.
"Laca is the captain at the moment yes," the Spaniard confirmed on Wednesday in his press conference ahead of the clash with Wolves having previously only committed to naming a leadership group including Rob Holding and Granit Xhaka.
Alexandre Lacazette is the obvious candidate to succeed his good friend Aubameyang as the oldest member of the squad - despite being just 30-years-of-age himself! - and also a popular presence in the Arsenal dressing room.
However, Arteta will know that this announcement is nothing more than a stop gap.
Lacazette is expected to leave in the summer when his contract expires, while Holding is far from first choice and Xhaka is the subject of renewed interest from Roma, football.london understands.
A more permanent solution is needed.
Having overseen a revolution of changing room culture during his playing days at the Emirates alongside Per Mertesacker, Arteta knows all too well how crucial it is to get this decision right. But who exactly are the candidates?
Well, perhaps the most obvious indication of a succession plan was given during last month's Carabao Cup tie against Liverpool. When Lacazette was replaced by Thomas Partey, the Ghanaian eventually handed the armband to Kieran Tierney who appears to be next in line for the role.
The Scottish international is in charge of collecting the fines at London Colney and has been singled out as future leader by Lacazette himself.
At times though he is not the most vocal around the changing room and can occasionally be a character who keeps himself to himself. On top of this, his position as a left back naturally means that he is not as regularly involved in the heart of the game.
Skippers of successful sides generally come through the heart of a team, and perhaps that is where Arteta should look for his next long-term captain.
It is this rationale that makes Aaron Ramsdale a potential candidate. The England international is a vocal and likeable presence who is not afraid to let his feelings be known, but at the same time being such a young player, he is still developing his own game, and might be better served focusing on that for now, instead of having to deal with any added pressure.
Ben White could also be an option for Arteta to pick.
Composed on the ball and fearless in the tackle, the 24-year-old is something of a posterboy for the type of character the Spaniard wants to see from all his players at the Emirates.
However, his less extroverted nature when compared to some of the other candidates is certainly a mark against his name.
One man who is not afraid to express himself both vocally and creatively on the pitch is Martin Odegaard. The Norwegian is a captain at international level, and having been in the global spotlight since the age of 15, he knows exactly how to handle the intense pressure that comes with playing for the elite club Arteta is trying to turn Arsenal into.
While he has not always been a guaranteed starter this season, the 23-year-old is, by his manager's own admission, close to being the "perfect professional," so his name certainly deserves to be in the conversation.
Regardless of who he ends up picking, Arteta can take heart in the fact that there is such a long list of candidates when it comes to picking his next captain.
The Arsenal boss has had to make some tricky decisions during his time at the Emirates, but this could be his toughest, and most important yet.
