If there’s one player who sums up the duality of this Arsenal side, it’s Lukas Podolski. The German ace can be deadly on his day, but he’s also capable of being completely anonymous too. Arsenal fans are never quite sure which version of the German winger is going to turn up.
Statistically speaking, the German international has done quite well this season. In 22 starts down the left wing, he’s managed to find the back of the net 10 times. That’s not a bad return for a player who has had his injury issues this year and only ever seems to play 60-70 minutes per game. It’s also worth noting that he’s chipped in with quite a few fantastic crosses over the course of this season too.
Lukas Podolski has always been a natural goal-scorer. Way back in 2003, he scored 10 goals in 20 appearances for FC Koln. The season after this, he found the back of the net 29 times in 32 appearances (wow!). He’s managed to maintain a good record through his career (with the one anomaly being his time at Bayern Munich).
His best quality is his shooting power. There are few players with as much precision and power (when it comes to his left foot) than Lukas Podolski. That’s why his record is so good.
It’s also (potentially) why Lukas Podolski is so frustrated with his current position at Arsenal. As previously mentioned, he tends to get substituted early into games and he’s not too happy about it. Check out these quotes:
“Of course. I play and, in the last games, I always come out and of course you cannot be happy when you always go out after 60, 70 minutes. Of course I am not happy always to be substituted.
It’s the decision of the boss. It’s not always easy when you play for a big club but of course I am not happy to always come out and watch from outside. You cannot be happy with this situation.” (Source: The Metro)
Whilst I can’t really criticise a player who just wants to play as much as possible, I can’t help but feel that Lukas Podolski is being a bit hot-headed here. There is a space for more Podolski in this Arsenal team, but only if he starts performing to a higher level.
Arsenal need Podolski to start using his pace more. They need him to run in behind. They need him to be more adventurous. He’s got one of the best crosses in the game, so I’d like to see him consciously get into a position to deliver this more.
Perhaps most importantly, I’d like to see him work harder to make an impact in games where Arsenal are struggling. If he continues to go missing in games, there just won’t be a space for him in Arsene Wenger’s side.
It’s up to the player himself to turn things around. With Arsenal’s squad crippled by injury and fatigue, this looks like a good opportunity for him to shine. Fingers crossed that he comes up trumps.
What’s your take? What does the future hold for Lukas Podolski?
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