There has been a whole lot of debate and many an Arsenal transfer rumour about the Arsenal and Germany striker Lukas Podolski in the build up to the January transfer window. In fact it has been a subject of discussion almost since the 29-year old forward joined the Gunners from the German club Cologne back in the summer of 2012.
Things seem to be reaching the point of no return for Podolski and his Arsenal career however. As his contract runs down, Wenger knows that he will be worth less and less to Arsenal, while the player himself knows that he needs to be playing regular football in order to keep himself in the thoughts of the Germany national team manager Joachim Low. So many people see this season as a make or break one for Podolski and it has not gone well so far.
But to be fair to the German, he has done what has been asked of him on the rare chances given to him, such as scoring that vital last second winner away to Anderlecht. He has not started a single Premier League game and just one in the Champions League, when he scored a screamer against Galatasaray in the 3rd minute and scored our fourth with another great goal.
It is looking like we may be saying goodbye to Podolski in January, but the suspension of Giroud and the injury news on Welbeck may just have given him one last chance to show Wenger what he can do, perhaps in the centre forward role. The question is, will Wenger give him a first EPL start and if so, will Podolski save his Arsenal career?
I think he must be leaving this january. When he has played this year he has nearly always been fantastic so i can’t think of another reason why he has only been used when there is no one else
*Fantastic going forward.
Wenger likes his players to go both ways, and the fact he called Inter a joke shows how he’s frustrated a deal hasn’t already been sorted. Poldi is done at Arsenal. If not a loan now, then he’ll be sold in the summer for sure. I like him, he has a lot of good qualities, but for 100k a week I would hope we have a player the manager relies on. He needs replacing IMO, Poldi out and Shaqiri in would be a good deal. Can’t see the sense in loaning him out and not bringing anyone in.
When Giroud is out, Sanogo and Welbeck took the CF position.
When Santi was not playing, Wenger shifted Ozil wide and took Poldi’s position.
When Ozil was out, Santi, Ox, Sanchez and even Welbeck played as LW.
Just no Podolski.
F__K you Wenger. If you don’t play him, just sell him. Your sweet talk is just disgusting.
Prince poldolski still is one of our best finishers, ill always say! Its unfortunate for him that he isn’t being utilise properly by wenger!
Would really want to see theo start against southampton on new years day! Coyg!
we should just release him on a free transfer togther with Monreal, Diaby, Rosicky, Arteta, Flamini, Per, Ozil, Giroud and Sanago…..
Wenger out!!!
Hafiz in!!!……the asylum
To be honest, I won’t miss Podolski if he’s sold. Never been a good striker for us because he doesn’t make any runs and he also doesn’t work hard enough for the team to be a good enough winger. Give him the ball on a plate and he’ll finish it, but to be honest we need more from our attackers. For me, Podolski isn’t getting in the team ahead of Alexis, Ox, Walcott, Giroud or Welbeck. All of these players work hard for the team and can finish. They integrate well with the rest of the midfield. Podolski for me has always looked out of place. Nice guy, cracking shot, but he brings little else on the pitch.
Whats wrong with fans of today players like Welbeck and The Ox (sometimes) just run like a headless chicken all game it’s like most football fans think running is playing football. Podolski is a striker he will get you goals and Welbeck the next Pele calls himself a striker but he plays like a bricklayer on the pitch. If Podolski bangs in a hat trick we don’t to really work hard all game because we’re in comfortable position
Poldi doesnt guarantee goals….
most recent Arsenal 3 Anderlect 3 if you think scoring 3 goals guarantee win
Running isn’t football, however, it is a big part of it. Seeing as we play with a high line it is imperative that our attackers also drop back and help with defending. I have never seen Podolski do that. Podolski doesn’t work hard and doesn’t guarantee goals. I’d be happy to keep him, but I also wouldn’t be bothered if we sold him. We could do better, namely with Marco Reus.
This is not about chances, his fate was decided long time ago.
if you mark Poldi tight hes totally finished….
give him a chance to shoot and chances of scoring is high…..
time to move on
Poldi and Wenger OUT!!
If he leaves in January, I hope it’s not on loan (rumors of Inter loan). I either want him to stay or sold so that we can use funds for top striker
I would like to see him start against Southanpton. Even though Sanogo has improved since last season, it would be stupid to start him against a top team. Remember, Southampton drew with Chelski.
If Wenger continues being stubborn and refuses to start Podolski, then alternatively put Sanchez up front and try Campbell on the wing
If possible, I’d like this
…………………..Prince Podolski
Prince Walcott….Sir Cazorla….King Sanchez
…………………….Sir Rosicky
……………(.Flamini/Coquelin/Chambers)
Debuchy……..Mertsacker…..Koscielny…Gibbs
……………………….Szczesny
would rather Podolski do nothing the whole game but get 1 goal with 1 chance which is exactly what we need and would rather have. Our other players just run around like blind people not knowing which way the goal is and cruising and setting camp outside the box with sidewards passing spam. it’s good to have hard working player but every strikers man priority should be scoring and assisting goal and Podolski does that
once chance and lost 2-1 or 3-1 etc…??
it will 10 vs 11 for 89 mins and chances of conceding is extremely high
Poldi doesn’t pass the ball around like the other minnions so wenger doesn’t want him in the line up. He’s not an arsenal type of player so he’s being benched since wenger wants all his players to play a certani way and anyone who deviates from this style is cut.
I thought the role of a striker was to score goals it’s not podi’s fault arsene didn’t buy good defenders. Is it? I don’t see Augero in Manchester city penalty box defending because they have defenders so why do you fans keep comparing welbeck to podi. Did you saw the chances welbeck missed against west ham? Oh and not just west ham every other team we play. Need I remind you all of his scoring ratio which is atrocious like his first touch. Let’s face it podi is a better finisher and a better player than our C- rated forward welbeck so please no more comparison.
Opinions divided
no doubt Poldi is a great finisher…but his work rate leaves much to be desired. the mentality of the arsenal squad now is for all players to fight for every ball within their zone, this mentality even hightened with the inclusion of the ever-amazing Sanchez. Poldi does not really fit into this mentality and he creates some inbalance(on the defensive side of our game) when he plays. We’ve had to grind out results in our last two EPL games- a mode where Poldi will invariably be a liability. He’ll get his chance(like he did in our Carling cup game against Southampton, which he squandered), which i hope he takes. He should also stop whining and be ready to give a quality performance when called upon, just like Rosicky did.
I rest my case.
Strikers score, defenders defend, midfield keep the ball and work hard
Would rather have a striker who will gurantee goals than one who will run the whole pitch and be ineffective in the opposition box
nicely said @tBerg, but last time i checked, football is a team game and not just for strikers, midfielders or defenders
It hurts me a lot when Arsenal fans fail to appreciate the kind of player Podolski is.Time after time not just once Podolski keeps saving Arsenal when we just can’t score goals and what some fans do is criticize him and want him out.Just like one of the guys here rightly said,” It is not Podolski’s fault that Wenger didn’t buy defenders”, if we had good defenders like Chelsea and Mancity we wouldn’t be complaining.Now consider if Podolski was playing behind Costa for Chelsea or behind Aguero for Mancity when he knows that he doesn’t have much defending responsibility cus he has players like Matic for Chelsea,Yaya Toure and Fernando for city covering for him,now imagine how many goals Podolski would have a season.The problem is that Wenger doesn’t know how to use Podolski and is not Podolski’s fault.Talking about ‘work rate’ which is the new word fans around here use to disqualify players,exception of Sanchez and Koscielny i don’t see anybody who works hard for the team.Running up and down like a senseless sheep with no end product is not football(talking about Welbeck,Chamberlain and Wilshere).