If I was given the choice as to which of the two strikers I would rather have in the Arsenal side, I would go for the Germany international Lukas Podolski without a moment’s hesitation. So maybe the title is a little harsh on the World Cup winner, but his current situation does remind me a lot of the long running saga we had before finally getting rid of the self proclaimed king of football, Lord Nicklas Bendtner.
As reported by The Daily Star, Podolski has not had his loan spell with Inter Milan made permanent and that is hardly a surprise after managing just a single goal. And as well as the Turkish club Galatasaray confirming that they would not be trying to sign him this summer, the player himself has poured cold water on recent rumours linking him with a return to the Bundesliga to play for Werder Bremen.
Podolski said, “There’s bound to be speculation in the coming weeks, but at the moment it looks like I will be going back to London.
“Things can always change, but if needs be I will remain at Arsenal next season.
“They are a great club and I think I can help them. I can confirm there has been no interest from Werder Bremen.
“You can take experience from everywhere you play abroad, even if it was not my best year from a sporting perspective.
“But I still have many years ahead of me and a burning desire to play football.”
That is the sort of thing that Bendtner used to say as well but he also kept turning down the chance to sign for another club as he was collecting a nice fat pay check from Arsenal. Podolski is apparently one of the biggest earners in the Arsenal squad, so I wonder if we are going to find it just as difficult to move the German on while he still has a year left on his contract.
Or do you think that Wenger should bring him back as a back up striker?
Bring Podolski back
and play him in the
Emirates cup and
Community shield and
hopefully some will take
him off our hands.
If Wenger had actually continued to play him in his first season when Poldi was 2nd in the club in goals and FIRST IN THE LEAGUE IN ASSISTS, Poldi would gone on to be an Arsenal hero. But, only Wenger would bench a player leading the league in assists.
Not the first time Wenger has ruined a player. Wenger has a roster full of left wingers he has destroyed and left on the wood pile to rot.
This one is all Wenger’s doing- Arsenal deserve whatever they get in this situation.
You’re a brilliant one! WHY DIDN’T WE THINK OF THAT!!!!!????? Why are you working a minimum wage job living in your parents spare room!?!?! You should be managing Arsenal!!!!!
Or Poldi’s effectiveness was an impact sub and he performed when he came on because he is a very one dimensional player.
I think you are being really harsh. Podolski has some great qualities but he just doesn’t fit in our system. He’s better suited for 4-4-2 formation as a support/second striker.
The thing is – Wenger doesnt seem to want him anywhere near the first team at all, and if he does get to play – I’m sure he’ll do good enough to convince wenger to keep him as backup – and then we’re going into a loop… 🙁
killer foot, great ratio goals per minutes played, not much of a tracker nor a great work rate,
I like the guy and the player but he left us wanting more.
I dont know exactly what is that he said about Arsenal and if it can be amended by him for us to forgive?
Just hope that if brought back he doesnt mean that we dont go for a Martinez for example,
Prinz Poldi kommt zuruck mit Tore!!
Not just a great ratio of goals per minutes. He led the EPL in finishing both full seasons with Arsenal (goals per minute, goals per appearance, goals per shots on goal, etc, etc.)
Do you think he was a one trick pony? No. He led the LEAGUE in assists his first season until Wenger inexplicably benched him and then the Arsenal goal production unsurprisingly dropped (but nobody noticed or cared because Wenger paired Kos with Mert at the same time so Arsenal began winning with defense)
Again, facts are facts. Perhaps someone has a problem with FACTS.
More facts:
Podolski: 18 appearances for Inter (substitute for 9 times) – 1 goal = failure
Wellbeck: 34 appearances for Arsenal (substitute 4 times) – 8 goals = success?
To add, Poldi was playing in a new league with a new team he just fo
*found himself dropped into.
While Welbs was far from a huge success, it’s getting annoying having to explain to people how effective his runs are at diverting attention. Welbs was easily one of the best players off the ball this year. That doesn’t show up on the stat sheet though so you get the “no gols he no gud. Wegnar out” chuds spouting off.
Welbs works on his finishing with Wenger this year I hope something jars loose. I could see 15 goals from him next year as a sub rotation guy if his game improves
Yeh, you keep telling us how brilliant wellbeck actually is as a RW or CF and I will keep believing my eyes and cognitive skills.
For Inter? I don’t care how Poldi was used at Inter. Any facts about his time there are meaningless for Arsenal.
You cannot deny relevant facts by articulating irrelevant facts. Nice try.
He was fantastic, he was just not played in his preferred role. As for what he said – he criticised wenger for the way he treated him in the situation of loaning him out. It is an honest opinion – and his only mistake was to bring it to the public.
Totally unjust comparison. Bendtner was a flop because of his attitude, training habits, and loutish behavior off the field. Pod struggled for playing time because his passion for defensive duties can be underwhelming for a player who, for Arsenal, typically played on the wing. He’s got a great attitude and apparently is a good guy in the dressing room. His teammates liked him. Had he been on the squad for the second half of the year, he would have made a rare start or two but probably would have come off the bench a lot as a second half sub in tight games. He could have been the difference for us in that stretch last month when we just couldn’t buy a goal at home.
Frankly, his unimpressive stint at Inter could be a blessing in disguise. Maybe not starting much for a mid-table Serie A outfit will make Pod re-dedicate himself to the aspects in his game that he previously schluffed off. Because of the size of his pay packet, it’ll be hard for him to find another team willing to take him on loan or outright transfer. If he can bite a little pride and gear himself to being a second half sub for us next year, I can see him still being a major asset for us.
Your assessment makes sense except…….
Stints on loan are notoriously unreliable measures of ability or attitude. Coq was voted WORST Bundesliga acquisition of the season for his time with Freiburg. If Wenger had followed your logic on this he never would have pulled Coq back because it would have already been determined that Coq was worthless.
Poldi does not need to “rededicate” himself. That is almost insulting He is what he always has been and either he is still capable of blasting home goals or he is not. Messi is useless on defense. Perhaps he should rededicate himself also???
You are still correct that the poor loan spell may be a blessing. Maybe it will force Poldi to adjust his demands to find his sat home.
I’d disagree. Messi puts his foot in for both Barca and Argentina.
But I get your point that his focus is on the attacking side of things (I.e he plays how he should for his position).
Coq failed at Freiburg because the manager there failed to use him as a DM, instead playing him on the wing. How did Mancini use Podolski at Inter? I thought it was on the wing, similar to how Wenger uses him at Arsenal.
My point is that hopefully Podolski can come back from his Inter nightmare and try to make himself into the player that Wenger can best use. Like it or not, Wenger is NEVER going to rely on him as a central striker. Both Giroud and Walcott (and whoever else we hopefully bring in this summer) are better suited for that role. Podolski should realize that the teams that can pay him his 100k/week are limited– and on any of those teams, he’d be struggling for playing time just as he’s done with us. The teams where he’d get regular playing time can’t afford him unless Arsenal subsidizes a huge portion of his wages. I like Podolski. Honestly. I hope he stays with us.
I think you are right that using Coq out of position was a big problem at Freiburg. I don’t know how Poldi was used but he clearly never fit into their plans. The coach was complaining about him from the start – he did not want him.
But Coq also failed to impress at every other chance until this Dec – so ……
there’s only one lord bendtner aka the best striker in the world.
prince poldi is a great character & a very good footballer. He could be our loik remy. but his salary for baking birthday cakes is too high.
of course we cant relay on him but he’s better player on our wage bill than the king of treat room hon diaby..personally than flamini who has nothing to offer..podi can come in and make a difference at any time …
The problem in getting takers for Podolski are his wages,100K a week for a player who’s no longer at his peak makes things very difficult
This is the most ridiculous assertion ever.
Bendtner totally failed to mature into a good player – in fact his skills steadily deteriorated. And he was a behavior nightmare always whining about his situation as a gunner. He could not be pawned off on anyone because he was terrible
Podolski led the EPL in finishing ability (goals per appearance, goals per attempt etc.) both full seasons with Arsenal.
Podolski led the league in assists his first season until Wenger inexplicably benched him.
Podolski ALWAYS kept a super attitude giving his most each time out even when Wenger had snubbed him repeatedly.
Podolski is now reaching the end of his fine career – even so many clubs would love to have him if Wenger accepts the right price.
Please don’t ever again make such a ridiculous comparison.
Thumbs down are fine, but facts are facts and facts are stubborn things. The assertion that Poldi maintained a great attitude in the face of adversity is not a fact but is undeniable nevertheless.
Not one thing in this comment is false – end of story. If you don’t like facts, you need to see a psychologist, not a football blog site.
I don’t see him playing regularly at arsenal he is probably better off financially following Gerard in the USA, being World Cup winer they bound to exept him, don’t get me wrong I like the guy but it’s been two years now Arsenal is trying to off load him but no one wants him
Not a bad idea about MLS. But I guarantee there is a Bundesliga club that would LOVE to have him – just need the salary to drop.
Mohawk
I don’t see the great prince playing for midd table Gearman team, I just hope he has learnt his lesson regarding work rate and defensive work so he can be a great player again, I’m sure training with Sanchez will have an influence on him like it did with the rest of the team
Poldi to Chelsea in exchange for Peter Cech? Mourinho wants one of ours if we are serious to get him!:)
Mouinho doesn’t dig Germans. Just ask Andre Schurrle
i have come to understand now that Mouinho is a nasty person i don’t think anyone likes him in the game apart from Chelsea fans and even some of them wish he would keep his mouth shut
Who knows what Bundesliga team needs him. Could be a lower table club – he played there before and netted 20 goals for a very poor team.
I can’t see Podolski going the MLS route just yet. Sure, teams would take him, but he won’t command Gerrard/Becks/Kaka $ I’m sure he wants to be on the German Naitonal Team for next year’s Euros, and playing in a second- or third- (fourth?) rate league like MLS is not likely to impress his German national team coaches.
at his age Money talks,
but lets not under estimate the MLS they might not have the players with top skills but boy they shore have athletic players
Podolski’s not too old yet– he can still contribute good football in a top-flight European league for another couple of years. Plus he still has a role on the Gernan national team. MLS will still be there for him in 3 or 4 years.
i would like to kick him up the ass and get him to play football like he can but he doesn’t have the hunger, lets hope he now realizes even the Turkish league don’t want him,
he has to realize that his in one of the top 10 clubs in the world and moving upwards so for him to have any chance he has to have his ‘A’ game every time
It is a pity that Podolski later developed an unknown sour relationship with the Boss which complled the Boss to allowed him go on loan last winter. Podolski utterances as he got to Inter Milan has indicated such. Every Gooner likes the sociable Podolski who was benched for Alexis. Had Podol’ been patient to continue to be Sanchez substitute, he would have remained at Arsenal in the winter doing the job of Alexis’s subtitute which he will be fortunate to get this summer. Arsenal need a 20-25 goals per season wingers left and right and Podol’s goals scoring ratio has declined as a regular stater. Hence the Boss started to play him as a sub at which he was fairly doing well but lacked the patient to accept the challenge. Podolski is not a Lord Bendtner on the field. But as a prince that he is, he’s a complainant like the honourable Lord Bendtner.
I DO NOT KNOW WHAT KING POLDI HAS DONE TO WENGER…ONE OF THE DEADLIEST LEFT FOOT IN THE WORLD… ALWAYS WILL LIVE KING POLDI
FC ARSENAL THE BEST
yes your right about his left foot……………
but its his work rate and lack of defensive work that AW don’t like about him
wenger destroyed poldi…we all know its true, only wenger worshippers would deny this fact…he was one of our best before been benched, he loved arsenal to a fault and he always wanted to play…not similar to bendtner in anyway
Podolski and Bendtner are very different
Podolski is an excellent finisher
Bendtner is a Lord not a footballer
He played 5 Champion League matches and scored 3 CL goals. He wasn’t given a lot of minutes in PL or CL
Also it’s difficult when you go to new club.
What I’m saying is Podolski is NO Bendtner
I know this is a horribly unpopular opinion, but if AW doesn’t bring in another striker this summer might we try Podolski in that role? Then we have the variety of 1 hold-up play-enabler striker, one speedy run-making striker and an assist making many-shot taking striker
Liverpool might buy him.
Good, we all appear to be agreed – the way forward is Podolski and Rosicky.