Lukas Podolski is happy with life at Arsenal, according to Arsene Wenger, despite near constant speculation that he could be set for a summer departure.
The German international has an incredible scoring rate with the Gunners but has struggled to find his place in the team at times when everybody is fit.
He’s publicly spoken about his desire to play more centrally than as a wide forward, but Arsene Wenger believes that’s the best position for him and that’s backed up by his scoring rate.
“I think overall Podolski is happy here,” he said. “If you look at the number of games he has played, with the number of goals he has scored and the number of assists he has, he is a very efficient player.
“He has over 100 caps with Germany and does not have one cap in the middle. Over 100 caps on the left. You cannot say it is not his job.
“He is happy there. He made a great international career there.”
With 15 goals from 18 starts, and Arsenal short of forward options anyway, it seems odd to think he might be allowed leave the club, and it seems that Arsene Wenger is keen to retain the services of the former Cologne and Bayern Munich man.
#aha
I like him … he’s nuts though.
That’s half of why I like him!
#aha #aha #poldi
Take onnnn mee, Lukas podolski. Take meeee ooonnn, Lukas podolski.
Love Poldi and we need his goalscoring abilities. Hopefully he will get more games next season….
#aha #Redarmy #poldi #gunners #Facup
He’s best left happy. He’s best ‘left’. Happy?
#aha I honestly think Arsène would be deluded to let this guy go. he scores for fun. How long has it been since we had a player who’s best skill was scoring goals… I’m all for players working hard but when you have a player with a foot as lethal as poldis, isn’t it a bit detrimental to have him tracking back and sometimes found out of attacking position on the counter.. personally I’d just keep him roaming behind the opposition full back
Ya, he doesn’t do much roaming though.
Thumbs up if you read ‘overall’ in the Wenger’s style.
OVOL.
Or was that just me?
Yeah that’s all well and good that he’s scoring goals from wide left, but: 1. He goes missing from games fairly often. Would that happen if he was through the middle? 2. He might score even more goals through the middle, and as Giroud struggled in patches this season surely it made sense to play him there? 3. A wide man has to defend as well as attack. Poldi is pretty clumsy defensively and gives away a lot of free kicks/pens. With the team playing as they are at the momrnt it makes sense to have him on the left,… Read more »
1. Probably…
2. Didn’t work when we tried it.
3. That’s what training is for. Give him some sessions with Bouldy over the summer, and let’s see.
I should have added: I really want to see him here and doing even better next year. I like him, he’s entertaining, and I love his goals!
Aha
I think the boss is wrong. Play me behind Giroud as a supporting striker and I’ll score for fun with his set up play
Aha
I wud hate to see poldi leave, I think he is a great player with a fantastic attitude. The players all love him so he must be a great guy to have around the place. He is the type of player that when he gets the ball in and around the box you know there is a good chance there is something going to happen. He has the highest shot to goal ratio in the league. He left foot shot looks like a hell fire missile(wud not like to get hit in the face by one although john terry or… Read more »
#aha great player, looked lost playing thru the middle last season. Wide left his best pos. Mayb they should try him on the right to cut inside aaand swing that powerful left foot
Very happy about his recent upturn in form, wouldn’t be the same without him.
He may play well or even score in the odd game through the middle but as AW said, he’s never really played through the middle on his own for any of his clubs or his country. I agree, he has defensive frailties, which is why there are certain games where I think we need to have more defensive options on the left if we cannot be assured of dominating possession. He is a fantastic option and should get enough game time across a season to keep him happy. So, overall (classic AW) we need players of his class throughout the… Read more »
He used to play some kind of deep-lying forward, somtimes center forward for 1.FC Köln. This certainly is the reason why he wants to through the middle again.
All the great ones are a little crazy. Here’s hoping he stays at least another season. #aha
Fantastic left foot player luv him
Podolski is one of those guys who will get you 15 goals a season IF he plats in a good side. He is not the sort of bloke you can rely on to inspire the team or drag you out of a hole when the team is playing shit. That’s not a slight on the guy. He brings something fresh and different to the side with his shooting and his ability to finish off the great play of others reminds me of Feddie Ljungberg. He won’t single handedly win you the league but will be a very important cog if… Read more »
“He is not the sort of bloke you can rely on to inspire the team or drag you out of a hole when the team is playing shit.”
Ask Westham?
Why the feck have I never heard this at the emirates?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcHdHNbC3jM
needs moar overly excited eurovision song contest-germans: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3Juhm54IkI
The Germans are just so hopelessly uncool in such an endearing way.
Give the guy an extension! He’s worth it just in team morale! Love seeing him get given the full 90 minutes recently
Love the guy. One of those who lifts the moral in a squad. Pure comedy when he stole Ramseys MOM award and gave him (his own) energy drink instead.
Hull City 0 Arsenal 3 : MOTM Ramsey & Podolski po…: http://youtu.be/8C9B7Dfqgto
Save you all the time.
Podolski can have it, has the physical presence he’s strong won’t take crap from nobody, noticed that in recent games and ofcourse he scores when he wants. A must keep soldier.
We pay the highest wage for any coach in this whole wide world. Are we getting what we’ve been paying for?
I think so. Yes, definitely.
off topic, Mikel Obi at arsenal would be so dope…we can use the other mikel for fa cup and carling cup. We should be able to get him for around 15m
He’s a poor man’s Alex Song!
Come on Shitty
Poldi is a bit of an enigma for me. As much as I’ve enjoyed his recent upturn in form, I can’t ignore the fact that he’s gone AWOL in many games for most of the season.
Happy Left Foot.
Arsenal should go for Mikel? Well that shouldn’t be a surprise… Any player can make it under Arsene!
Happy that he is happy.
We need him to say.
It’s taken18 months to clear his ankle problems – which he had before he joined us so pipe down.
Theo – Poldi – Giroud and Somebody new
Will be fantastic next season.
Makes sense. He isn’t a CF for Germany, what makes some clever people on this site think we can turn him into one. Best from left wing.
…meanwhile, Spurs got thumped by West Ham today. Don’t hear any moaning in the media about the 100m they’ve pissed into the wind.
Also Newcastle won today by 3 goals and United got beat.
When we beat these teams, they say that we are playing poor teams. with nothing to play for.
Bollocks.
Podolski needs the support of a strong LB. When Gibbs is playing (and recently Monreal who has gotten better), he is afforded more liberty to move forward and closer in field toward Giroud. That is the zone where he is most devastating. It’s when we struggle at LB that we do not see as efficient a Podolski as we would like. We will still need another striker to fully function through the middle. Someone who can create things on his own and have pace when the game is more open. Giroud is a good striker (21 goals all competition and… Read more »
Not sure if left foot…or ROCKET LAUNCHER
May be a left foot with inbuilt ROCKET LAUNCHER
Wenger didn’t say he wouldn’t sell Podolski, just he’s happy… If wenger finds cheaper alternatives, Podolski is gone. Looking at the way Podolski moves around during matches, he can’t really play intricate tippi tappi, especially in big games when he’s marked by good defenders; he can’t dribble either. Wenger played him a few games, I recall, in Giroud’s place and sadly Podolski flopped in those games, as a CF. Wenger is not wrong saying left is Podolski’s position but do we play similar to how the German national team plays (ie using the left)? No. For example, Podolski can cross… Read more »