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.
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.