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Could Steve Bould be Arsenal’s blessing in disguise?

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Pat Rice is a living legend for Arsenal Football Club, serving the club as a player and Assistant Manager for many years. Even though his departure was sad and I’m sure came at a cost in many areas, under every cloud there’s a silver lining. The appointment of Steve Bould as the new Assistant Manager looks like a very good one.

Sunday’s win at Liverpool produced another clean sheet for Arsenal and three games into the new Premier League campaign, the Gunners remain the only team to have not conceded a goal. I can’t think of anyone who would’ve expected that.

Not even Arsenal’s Invincibles kept three clean sheets in a row in the league. That defence of Lauren, Sol Campbell, Martin Keown, Kolo Toure and Ashley Cole was solid, they conceded less than a goal a game that 2003/04 season yet they didn’t manage it so that really shows how difficult that is to achieve.

In my opinion it’s no coincidence that Arsenal’s defence looks tighter now  that Bould is Assistant Manager. A former centre-back for the club, he was part of the team in the years of George Graham when alongside the likes of the legendary Tony Adams, Arsenal were referred to as boring because they frequently won games 1-0. Certainly not the Arsenal we’ve got used to seeing and I don’t think it will be ever be the case under Arsene Wenger but Bould’s influence certainly looks to have made an positive impact.

The defensive displays against Sunderland, Stoke and Liverpool have all been much better than what people have come to expect from Arsenal. It is clear that there’s more of an understanding between all the players in the team, not just defenders. The team looks organised so it’s not just by chance they’ve kept three clean sheets in a row. They’ve had a bit of luck but so did the Invincibles when they went 49 games unbeaten; you always need a bit of luck.

Even Podolski and Oxlade-Chamberlain were working hard for the team on Sunday when the team weren’t in possession and Laurent Koscielny, who I would argue was Arsenal’s best defender last season, has only been a late substitute in one of the three games. Also Vito Mannone has two clean sheets in a row, a man with limited Premier League experience, and another inexperienced player Carl Jenkinson has also impressed, deputising for the injured Bacary Sagna.

There has been a lot of talk about where Arsenal’s goals are going to come from this season after Robin Van Persie’s departure to Man-Utd and Alex Song joining Barcelona. Whilst it’s true that you need no shortage of goals, it certainly helps when you have a solid backline. Arsenal’s problem for many years has been a leaky defence and that has cost them dear in their hunt for trophies. If they could reduce the goals against tally this season, they would be in a much better position to end their drought.

I’m not for a minute suggesting Arsenal may become ‘boring’ because obviously under Wenger it would never happen and the new signings will score goals and play the exciting football that you associate with Arsenal.

If the defence can keep up their good work, (it is still early days and they will obviously concede goals), some of the weight will be lifted from the shoulders of the forward players and it can only benefit the club’s fortune.

Three tricky tests have been passed but undoubtedly their next three fixtures are even trickier. Southampton at home, Man-City away and Chelsea at home will all provide very stern tests of Arsenal’s impressive defensive start.

Can Arsenal keep the good record going and use that as a catalyst for winning silverware? Only time will tell.

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  • Mike Gunner says:

    Time will tell is correct. So far so good. The next three games will tell us how good the gunners are.If the gnners can get a minimum of six points,I would say the gunners could finally begin to fight for th epl.

  • Ayo says:

    Hopefully we keep d momentum going den we r in for the title …… Let our Midfielders complement d work of the Defenders then bring Man u, chelsea, Bacelona,Real madrid we gonna shock dem

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