On the plane home from his side's goalless draw at Slavia Prague four days ago, William Gallas stood up to address players, directors and fans.

"I just wanted to say thank you," explains the Arsenal skipper. "It's important that a captain should do these things."

Not many people thought the France defender was cut out for the captaincy after the departure of Thierry Henry.

"I was surprised when the boss gave me the captaincy," admits Gallas. "It took me a while to settle after my move from Chelsea.

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to work out where Arsenal's newfound resilience is coming from. After last week's dramatic equaliser against Manchester United, which kept the north Londoners at the top of the Premier League, Gallas wildly thumped his badge.

He believes in leading passionately from the front.

In a revealing insight into what makes the new, post-Henry side tick, he says: "It's very important to be friends off the pitch. So I get all the players to go for meals together. What happens off the pitch determines how we are on it. We are all fighting together now.

"Before the warm-up I like to see all the players and give them advice. I try to motivate them.

"I think only about the team. After a game I go up and say well done and keep it up. And we all go into a huddle before games."

Gallas, who skippers Arsene Wenger's young guns at Reading tomorrow night, is a changed man. His reputation as a prickly character preceded him.

"It took time for me to settle but that's because when I first moved to Arsenal I was living in Wimbledon, which is a three-hour round trip to training. But since September I have moved to Hampstead with my wife and two children - and I feel good.

"And when you feel good and your heart is in it and your family is settled you perform much better for the team."

Gallas's inspirational qualities have also been displayed in his charity work for the club. Two days ago he was at TreeHouse School in London, the national centre for Autism education.

He took part in a Fantastic Feet painting activity, with some of the canvases being auctioned off, and a penalty shoot-out with pupils and team-mate Cesc Fabregas.

Arsenal are hoping to raise £250,000 for the school to pay for sports facilities.

But he shows less charity when it comes to winding up his France team-mate Patrice Evra. He beams: "After I scored that goal against United I wanted to see him but I had interviews. United were so surprised. They thought they'd won.

"So I can't wait for when I get together with him in two weeks' time for an international.

I am really going to take the p*ss!"

Arsenal's home match with Chelsea on December 16 is being dedicated to TreeHouse, with a number of fundraising activities. The charity's website is treehouse.