It’s been quite a while since my last post, but today I’m back with a new edition of Doppelpass. I want to take the opportunity to look back at the past few weeks and focus on the form of Lukas Podolski and his future at the club.
Lukas has always been a fan favourite. Right from the start he was the one doing the London tour, meeting fans in a local pub. Despite that, many were a bit disappointed about his performances on the pitch. An opinion that I cannot share.
At the start of the season, Lukas had been in great shape and got on the scoresheet twice against Fulham. Sadly he suffered injuries shortly afterwards for a couple of month which disrupted his rhythm.
When he made his comeback, it was more than obvious that he wouldn’t walk in the starting line up straight away. Some critics have been quick to write him off, but recent weeks have shown that Poldi has not reached the end of the road at Arsenal yet. With four goals in four matches, he made a big statement in a time we had to get back to scoring and self esteem.
Many fans and/or journalists have speculated about his departure from the club in the summer – a transfer which definitely won’t happen. Besides, the fact of the matter is that Lukas is happy with life in London, and Arsenal need good striking options, of which he is.
His experience with the German national team and his natural killer instinct in the box are qualities Arsenal simply cannot afford to lose. In recent weeks we’ve seen his deadly left foot. Lukas doesn’t need to be given many chances to convert attempts into goals, and that’s what Arsenal need up front. Also a forward’s long-term performance is linked to regular starts, which is the course that Poldi finds himself on at the moment.
There will be tough competition next season up front, at least that’s what I’m hoping for, but Poldi has shown that he is capable of playing central and on the wings up front. That could give him a good chance to be part of a new striking force.
Just to add some context in this injury interrupted season Podolski has only played 1459 minutes for Arsenal and has scored 12 goals. He has scored every 121 minutes he is on the pitch which is impressive by any standards. Were those minutes to be actual full games he has played the equivalent of 16 full game and has 12 goals. I will let that sink in…..
His time at Arsenal has not ended yet…
Chris Mader
Mad, Jens-like, thirty-something German. Waving the Arsenal flag in Münster, Germany. Red member. Visiting Arsenal matches for more than 10 years now. Still fussed EasyJet won’t get me free flights. Always down N5 with my dad. Worked in London for about half a year. Started my own German Arsenal blog about two years ago. Expert on Bundesliga issues. BVB my local club.
No comments yet.