Match Reaction v Leicester (away).

[SMatthews]

It's always been a bit weird to me when people want to blame Bould. He's an assistant. One of a few. He does as he's told.

A good assistant should push back a little and challenge their boss if they aren’t on the same page. Which isn’t to say Bould didn’t. Mostly, criticising them is just an easy go-to as no fan has a clue what goes on in the training ground - most of our ‘analysis’ is half-baked and based on assumptions and biases.

[Mac76]

Thats the definition of a servant, not an assistant.

i agree, Bould seems to just sit there being paid handsomely and having no discernably positive effect whatsoever - i suspect his still being there is a symptom of Emery not knowing - or even caring - enough about defence, and or perhaps anotehr sign of Emery being a somewhat subservient figure, as per the embarrassing statement he had to make around Christmas about our not being able to sign anyone in January. in other words he might not think he has much value but the club want to keep Bould anyway?

[GP]

Thats the definition of a servant, not an assistant.

No it isn't. He's the manager's assistant. He assists the manager.

[Marc Overmars]

I’m not sure assistants really have much of a say unless they’re the managers right hand man. Wenger had Boro Primorac and Emery has that bloke who’s always going nuts in training sessions and on the touchline, Carcedo is it?

Bould has been involved for 7 years now and our defence is as bad as it’s ever been. At 56 he clearly doesn’t harbour any ambitions of being a manager himself either.

He was probably only kept on for familiarity to ease the transition after Wenger. I’m not sure he’s ever been much more than a yes man who does as he’s told.

[Letters]

You know, I think that under the Wenger and Fergie years a lot of us learned to look down on teams that played defensive and got overtly physical. It's so ironic because that's what our identity was pre Wenger and even in his early years of success in the late 90's.

I absolutely wouldn't want to go back to 1-0 to the Arsenal and route one punt it up to Smith/Wright/whoever football.
But it's not a choice, you can be an attacking side and still be competent at the back. Liverpool have tightened up at the back but they are still scoring a shitload of goals.
The continued incompetence at the back is so obviously and so consistently our problem, it's incredible that hasn't been addressed.

[Bumble]

I absolutely wouldn't want to go back to 1-0 to the Arsenal and route one punt it up to Smith/Wright/whoever football.
But it's not a choice, you can be an attacking side and still be competent at the back. Liverpool have tightened up at the back but they are still scoring a shitload of goals.
The continued incompetence at the back is so obviously and so consistently our problem, it's incredible that hasn't been addressed.

We aren't that attacking either, we need a strong backline because sometimes 1-0 has to be enough. You win the league with a tight defence and goals from multiple areas of the team. We have 2 goal scorers and not much else. Our 3rd highest scorer has 6 goals this year of which one is leaving, and the other 2 we wouldn't be fussed if they left (Ozil, Mukhi). Then Welbeck is on 5. He hasn't played since November.

[Letters]

I keep forgetting Welbeck even still plays for us
Ramsey is such a big loss, we've really cocked that one up

[SMatthews]

We aren't that attacking either, we need a strong backline because sometimes 1-0 has to be enough. You win the league with a tight defence and goals from multiple areas of the team. We have 2 goal scorers and not much else. Our 3rd highest scorer has 6 goals this year of which one is leaving, and the other 2 we wouldn't be fussed if they left (Ozil, Mukhi). Then Welbeck is on 5. He hasn't played since November.

It’s the same story across the other teams pushing for top four. In general, we aren’t scoring less. A slightly worrying stat is we are taking less shots at goal, but within that we’ve become far more efficient in taking our chances based on goals scored vs shots taken.

[SMatthews]

I keep forgetting Welbeck even still plays for us
Ramsey is such a big loss, we've really cocked that one up

I think this injury is the perfect reminder of why his transfer isn’t that much of a loss.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Also in the game, we played a 442 which many seem desperate for us to play. It obviously worked horribly despite featuring some of our best players.

If we have to play it, I think it has to be a diamond given our personnel.

Definitely need another goal scorer in the team.....which is partly why I'd focus all our resources this summer almost entirely on a wide player with cutting edge and a centre half.