Back Four - Bould or Keown?

VoiceOfReason · Post by **VoiceOfReason** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 12:50 pm

Whenever people discuss the famous back four, they usually present it like this:

Dixon, Adams, Bould/Keown, Winterburn.

And last night, I started wondering just which of the two I'd opt for if I really had to choose.

Personally, I think that on their very best days, Keown was the better defender. But Bould had greater longevity, and was perhaps more pivotal to the back four unit, being involved during the 1989 & 1991 league title wins.

Keown was involved in the 1998 & 2002 title wins, but the back four was perhaps less focal during this time, as the attacking play was so much more dynamic (and we weren't relying on the defence to help grind out 1-0 victories).

I'd assume that Keown's 2004 title win would be irrelevant to this discussion, as the back four had dissolved by then.

So really, the question isn't which was the better player overall, or the better Arsenal player - it's which player was best in the back four unit?

augie · Post by **augie** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 1:08 pm

Good question - it always seems to be understood that the famous back 5 includes Bouldie but I don't know if that is fair to killer. As a partnership I'd say Bouldie and TA6 were the more compatible but keown was a good physical hard man as well

As much as I would love to vote for keown (a legend for all time after old shatford

) I have to say that Bouldie gets my vote

Post by **flash gunner** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 1:20 pm

Bould

Clash · Post by **Clash** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 1:23 pm

Voted for Bould but not a lot in it. Often wonder how Keown and Adams would developed under Graham if Keown hadnt left for Villa when he did. But for me Bould was our best defender out of them all for a spell. He ensured we didnt miss Adams too much when he was in prison during the 90/91 season. We missed Bould far more it seems in 91//92 when he missed most of the season and we finished 4th.

I still think if Bould had been fit that season we'd have won the 1992 title and the european cup at Wembley. People say the table doesnt lie but no way were that Leeds team a better team than ours !!!

Post by **REB** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 2:22 pm

keown was a better defender,bould a better ball player. keown for me.

rodders999 · Post by **rodders999** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 3:00 pm

KEOWN...THERE'S ONLY ONE KEOWN

Marked his man like a rash, took no crap and made me proud to be a gooner. A player I could relate to, which can't be said for many these days.

falkirk goon · Post by **falkirk goon** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 3:04 pm

I liked Bouldy as a player dont get me wrong but its Keown for me,he had that bit of nasty fuckerness about him

VoiceOfReason · Post by **VoiceOfReason** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 3:10 pm

Why has the poll result been changed? It was 7-2 in favour of Bould earlier and now it's 5-5.

rodders999 · Post by **rodders999** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 3:12 pm

VoiceOfReason wrote:Why has the poll result been changed? It was 7-2 in favour of Bould earlier and now it's 5-5.

Welcome to North Korea

1989 · Post by **1989** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 4:09 pm

Keown. England managers thought the same too.

Post by **REB** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 4:23 pm

VoiceOfReason wrote:Why has the poll result been changed? It was 7-2 in favour of Bould earlier and now it's 5-5.

nothing to do with us , don't know how that happened

clockender1 · Post by **clockender1** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 4:32 pm

Bould. Loved them both.

Keown would eat our current squad for breakfast.

We had three proper centre halves.

George did know. A travesty that pallister got picked ahead of bouldy.

Him n nutty so unlucky. Had we been any other club that back six would have been Englands for a decade, but the FA. Can't stick us.

Post by **REB** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 5:05 pm

clockender1 wrote:Bould. Loved them both.

Keown would eat our current squad for breakfast.

We had three proper centre halves.

George did know. A travesty that pallister got picked ahead of bouldy.

Him n nutty so unlucky. Had we been any other club that back six would have been Englands for a decade, but the FA. Can't stick us.

George knew alright, id even have andy linigan and colin pates before the 3 idiots we have now

Post by **QuartzGooner** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 6:05 pm

Keown.

Better on the ball.

But Bould was very good, and Adams preffered him as a person, though said he fully respected Keown as a player.

If I had to choose any partnership from that era for central defence it would be Adams and Campbell though.

VoiceOfReason · Post by **VoiceOfReason** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 6:33 pm

QuartzGooner wrote: But Bould was very good, and Adams preffered him as a person, though said he fully respected Keown as a player.

Did Adams and Keown not get on? Or am I jumping to conclusions? Your comment seems to imply that Adams liked Keown professionally, but not personally. Apologies if I've misinterpreted, just never heard anything about that before.

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