There have been reports that Steve Bould is set to leave Arsenal this summer as the club look to sort out their defensive problems properly.

arsene wenger steve bould
Steve Bould and Arsene Wenger.

Steve Bould was one of only a few backroom staff to remain at Arsenal last summer, sharing the role of first-team assistant head coach with Juan Carlos Carcedo who arrived with Unai Emery.

Bould was named Arsene Wenger’s assistant manager in 2012 when Pat Rice retired and was the manager of the u18s from 2001 before that.

Since 2012, however, Arsenal’s defence in the Premier League has conceded the following number of goals:

2012/13 – 37

2013/14 – 41

2014/15 – 36

2015/16 – 36

2016/17 – 44

2017/18 – 51

2018/19 – 51

BATE Borisov's Serbian striker Nemanja Milic (L) vies with Arsenal's German defender Shkodran Mustafi (R) during the UEFA Europa League round of 32, 2nd leg football match between Arsenal and Bate Borisov at the Emirates stadium in London on February 21, 2019. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)
BATE Borisov’s Serbian striker Nemanja Milic (L) vies with Arsenal’s German defender Shkodran Mustafi (R) during the UEFA Europa League round of 32, 2nd leg football match between Arsenal and Bate Borisov at the Emirates stadium in London on February 21, 2019. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)

When you combine goals conceded in the other competitions, Arsenal shipped an embarrassing 65 goals this season and there certainly seems to be a decline at the back rather than a resurgence of any sort.

Is that Steve Bould’s fault? That question probably does need to be answered.

It’s worth noting that Bould was also rumoured to be on his way out last summer but stuck around against the odds. He reportedly applied for the manager’s role at Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC in Korea but didn’t make the final shortlist. He was also linked with teaming up with Thierry Henry at Aston Villa and the Stoke manager’s job.