BOULDY THE NEW PAT RICE??

[arseofacrow]

I thought we kept our defensive shape quite well yesterday, not the fullback s bombing forward but the back 4 and the 2 infront, last year we were all over the place on a weekly basis, somthing has definitely happened on the training pitch.

There's some guy on twitter that is spot on about Arsenal stuff from the Cazorla tip weeks before anyone else picked up on it to knowing the team on Fri night, he claims that Bould almost took Songs head off in the training camp in Germany for his attitude, a week later Song is no more, he must be doing something right.

Unfortunately our defensive shape is still a big problem - as evidenced by the first 20 minutes yesterday when it was a little too easy for Sunderland to open us up. Whether it was their reticence to continu being positive or us assuming more control I'm not sure. it just looked all too familiar.

[1989]

Answer to the question in the thread title: Yes.

He's worked his magic. Never seen us so solid at Stoke. Keep it up big man.

[arseofacrow]

Answer to the question in the thread title: Yes.

He's worked his magic. Never seen us so solid at Stoke. Keep it up big man.

You really are the man who jump the gun was invented for.

[Gunnersaurus]

He's not jumping the gun, after 2 games you can clearly see that they are more organised and I don't feel nervous anymore when other teams attack.

Can't say i felt that at any stage recently.

It's no coincidence to me, Song goes, the midfield protects the defence better, the defence feel more secure.

[augie]

For what it is worth I too think that he is jumping the gun - we are two games in and just as it is too early to make proper judgements on our new signings, so too is it too early to make a judgement on bouldie's performance. I do like the fact that he appears to have reactivated our near post corner routine that was so effective for us back in GG's day

[mcdowell42]

For what it is worth I too think that he is jumping the gun - we are two games in and just as it is too early to make proper judgements on our new signings, so too is it too early to make a judgement on bouldie's performance. I do like the fact that he appears to have reactivated our near post corner routine that was so effective for us back in GG's day

In saying that augie we had 12 corners today and not once did we really look like scoring from them and this has been a problem for the last number of years.From a defensive point thought we did well today tbh was concerned when i heard mannone was playing but in truth didnt have alot to do.Giroud i thought helped out at the back quite well when they did get setpieces he had a couple of good headed clearances.

[begeegs]

Answer to the question in the thread title: Yes.

He's worked his magic. Never seen us so solid at Stoke. Keep it up big man.

You really are the man who jump the gun was invented for.

Gotta agree with 1989. We never have gone to Stoke and played this solid at the back. The only wobble was a Ramsey dispossession which is a feature of his game that I'd rather not see. Ok - we are only two games in, but for a change, our defense looks good.

[1989]

Answer to the question in the thread title: Yes.

He's worked his magic. Never seen us so solid at Stoke. Keep it up big man.

You really are the man who jump the gun was invented for.

Come on, you can't tell me you've seen Arsenal be as solid defensively as we were today at the neanderthals.

We've played them away 6 times since they got promoted and today was the first time we didn't concede at their place, despite missing Sagna, Koscielny and Szczesny as well.

[RioGooner]

I like the discipline imposed to our full backs, gibbs and Jenkinson, who are dodgy and very very dodgy look quite solid and confortable, and that has to do with Bouldie's work. That and our newfound deadball organization is very interesting as well. On the other hand, Song's departure would instantly make us look better on the open play.

[arseofacrow]

Answer to the question in the thread title: Yes.

He's worked his magic. Never seen us so solid at Stoke. Keep it up big man.

You really are the man who jump the gun was invented for.

Come on, you can't tell me you've seen Arsenal be as solid defensively as we were today at the neanderthals.

We've played them away 6 times since they got promoted and today was the first time we didn't concede at their place, despite missing Sagna, Koscielny and Szczesny as well.

Your answer to Steve Bould will it work I think is jumping the gun. Will Steve Bould help to make us look more solid against Stoke than we have in the past - that's different. One is short term and the other long term.

As for players missing, how about Rory Delap and Matthew Etherington, two players who have done very well against us especially at their place.

Let's give it some time - and hop we don't go and conceded three or four against Liverpool - cos that might mean Bould hasn't worked his magic - or it might, if you look a little longer term than one match.

[Herd]

Judge him in May !

[Vinny1967]

Probably too early to tell to be honest as Sunderland and Stoke really never tested us properly.

In saying that the signs are good. Have long felt Bould could be the best signing we made this summer as Wenger needs someone in his ear and I think he listens to Bould. Really liked to hear that he tore Song a new asshole in the training camp. Thought we showed a bit more discipline, particularily against Stoke and hope he can bring some much needed discipline to our defence.
As Herd said judge him at the end of the season.

[begeegs]

Probably too early to tell to be honest as Sunderland and Stoke really never tested us properly.

In saying that the signs are good. Have long felt Bould could be the best signing we made this summer as Wenger needs someone in his ear and I think he listens to Bould. Really liked to hear that he tore Song a new asshole in the training camp. Thought we showed a bit more discipline, particularily against Stoke and hope he can bring some much needed discipline to our defence.
As Herd said judge him at the end of the season.

OK - Although the signs are initially encouraging defensively, maybe the reason that Sunderland and Stoke never tested us properly is because we are keeping our shape and defending as a team for a change. Last year (and the years before that), we constantly kept having players bomb forward, so we were very vulnerable to the counter and having players out of position. I can't really think of any counters where that has happened yet this year. The chances that our opponents have had this year are from giveaways in our own half. That is credit to Mr. Bould. I am just waiting for the new players up front to gel to be really optimistic.

[TeeCee]

FFS, we've played Sunderland and Stoke, two of the lowest scorers in the premier league and two teams who hardly spend the game streaming forward. We can all celebrate Bouldy doing a top job if we concede just 1 or 2 goals over the next 5 games......I fear the number conceded in those games will be 10 or more.

[Vinny1967]

Probably too early to tell to be honest as Sunderland and Stoke really never tested us properly.

In saying that the signs are good. Have long felt Bould could be the best signing we made this summer as Wenger needs someone in his ear and I think he listens to Bould. Really liked to hear that he tore Song a new asshole in the training camp. Thought we showed a bit more discipline, particularily against Stoke and hope he can bring some much needed discipline to our defence.
As Herd said judge him at the end of the season.

OK - Although the signs are initially encouraging defensively, maybe the reason that Sunderland and Stoke never tested us properly is because we are keeping our shape and defending as a team for a change. Last year (and the years before that), we constantly kept having players bomb forward, so we were very vulnerable to the counter and having players out of position. I can't really think of any counters where that has happened yet this year. The chances that our opponents have had this year are from giveaways in our own half. That is credit to Mr. Bould. I am just waiting for the new players up front to gel to be really optimistic.

Yeah I agree the signs are optimistic. We are keeping our shape far better defensively and was well impressed with Mer on Sat.