Arsenal’s defence has been pretty embarrassing for years. In fact, once the back four that George Graham had put together – Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn, Tony Adams and Steve Bould – slowly disintegrated, Arsenal have looked dangerously fragile.

Defending, you see, isn’t one of Wenger’s strengths. He loves attacking players and the coach often seems to believe that, no matter how terrible you defend, if you can score goals then you’re onto a winner.

In the Premier League, this isn’t the case. As English football has become increasingly competitive and intense over the years, defending has to be tighter than ever. It’s all very well and good to be able to score a huge amount of goals, which Arsenal can’t even really do at the moment, but why not defend AS WELL? It’s a crazy notion, I know. At least to Wenger anyway.

In 2012, Steve Bould, who used to be part of the aforementioned George Graham back four, was promoted to the first team to become Wenger’s assist. Fans were thrilled since presumably the former centre-back would actually be able to teach Arsenal how to defend set-pieces, counter-attacks and corners…

Apparently not. If anything, Arsenal’s defending has steadily gotten worse over the past six years.

This is probably because Bould is basically just there as decoration. He was probably brought on board to appease fans during a time when Arsenal hadn’t won anything for a long time and were leaking goals left and right.

Recently, former Gunner Alan Smith revealed:

“You can only do what you’re allowed to do on the training ground.

“Bould takes some stick off some but they don’t see what goes on Monday to Friday.

“And I just think it is a criminal waste of his talents.

“He’s one of the best defenders the club has ever had and not to use his knowledge, just seems senseless to me.

“He does bits and pieces I think without really going to town on getting hold of that back four they way George Graham did.

“Arsene is still in charge of all the sessions so I do think it is a waste of someone like him because he’s not given that free hand to go out and pass on that great knowledge he’s got.”

Wenger apparently still has complete control over training sessions and Bould doesn’t really do anything.

Arsenal’s defending is already a massive problem and it’s only going to get worse.