Gervinho, Theo, and Giroud have all had extended tryouts at CF, and none of them have really stuck. Giroud especially seems to bottle his chances again and again, and seems to be (and statistically is) the least clinical of the bunch, despite spending the most time at CF. Yet Podolski, our best shooter, has not had a legitimate shot at the position yet. My question is will Arsene finally give him a legitimate shot at at the CF spot? If so, when? We now know Cazorla can do a splendid job playing LW (he's succeeded there in previous years as well), so we dont truly need Podolski there anymore, either. Podolski has shown that he can flourish as a striker in the past. In the German NT, Podolski played as one of two strikers in a 4-4-2 system. His goal per game ratio before he was moved to left wing in 2008 was 0.55, as a striker in a 4-4-2. This is a very good stat at the NT level, but keep in mind this includes games when he was an 18 and 19 year old teenager (he scored only twice in his first 9 NT games). He also won a major FIFA award as a striker (2006 World Cup Best Young Player). He only started as a lone CF in a 4-2-3-1 formation in 2 German NT games: a 2009 friendly against the Ivory coast (he scored a brace), and a 2011 friendly against Italy (did not score). Podolski was not used as a CF by Germany because Loew felt that he had a hole at the LW position, and that he had a better option (2006 WC Golden Boot winner Miroslav Klose), something Arsene cannot claim with any degree of confidence! Keep in mind that since moving to LW with Germany, Podolski's play his plummeted, and he is now riding the bench for them. Podolski has also shown he can succeed as a lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation at the club level. When Novakovic went down last year, Podolski scored 10 goals in 10 consecutive Bundesliga games playing as the lone CF, to close out the first half (Hinrunde) of FC Cologne's season. In the end it was the best club season he's ever had, thanks to his time spent playing up front in a 4-2-3-1 formation. The season before that, Novakovic was benched for 6 games to start the year (before Cologne fired their coach), and Podolski scored 3 goals and 2 assists in that timespan as the lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 (yes I watch a lot of Bundesliga). He's shown he can score for us in the the CL, and the EPL. He's succeeded at CF in the past in quality leagues/games. We don't *need* him at LW anymore, since we have other options available (Cazorla, Ox). So I ask you now, when will this man get his shot up front?
I wouldn't count on him being given a shot at all. We all wanted Arshavin to be played as a CAM, and that never happened.
That's a lot of nice historical info about Podolski, and he deserves a chance at CF. My personal preference though would be Giroud as a support striker in a front two. I think Walcott can make it as a striker but he needs service, I also think Podolski could play that role behind the striker too. Maybe it's because he's playing in an unusual position, but to be honest though, Podolski hasn't been too good for us recently, so I would be cautious about throwing him in there at CF and expecting him to hit the ground running. The last thing I would want if for the goals to dry up. Walcott deserves his place up front at the moment, he looks like our best finisher.
Criticism at a mature, thoughtful, measured level. I don't think there's many of us who see Podolski as a LAM. I was under the impression he'd be used on the front line when he was brought in and wonder why he's not at least been given a run out or two as a striker.
Another player who will probably amount to nothing at Arsenal because Wenger refuses to let him play in his best position.
Definitely deserves a chance to show what he can do. The way things are now, we need to try something different. Oh, and what about the new players we were promised. Only 10 days left.
It's not only a matter of who play CF,RW or LW. as a team we should be able to inter change. I do believe Podolisky would be a leathal CF because his first instinct is to shoot when the opportunity arises. But it's also obvious that Walcott playing the CF role is also a threat with his speed and though not the smartest player,he will always be in goal scoring position. As for Giroud, he's a very hard worker, a bit unfortunate, but a fighter inside the box. Should have scored more goal with a little more composure, maybe need a little more time. My greatest concern though is our midfield. This is where we generally take control. If our midfield play as they suppose to, the strikers will get better opportunity to score goals. now , for most of the games our forwards are playing like defenders and we are still expected them to perform miracle in front of goals. It's about time the midfielder take control of the ball and show some confidence. I am not talking about second half play when the opposition take there feet of the gas. When the pressure is really on our midfielders play negative football.Making more back and sideway passes. Cazorla is our best mid-fielder. not Jack as many try to make it seems. When he roam in the middle and follow the ball he create more goal scoring opportunity and the Manager should allow him to play that way instead of on the left. I do believe though when Roscisky is back and fit the midfield play will be much better because he is very creative,takes on the opposition and creates opening.
I have also thought Podolski should get his chance as CF. I think he would also be better at holding the ball up and laying it off for the wide players to score than Giroud. Giroud is just not good enough and does not do enough for the team, Im not sure why some people are saying he does. Take yesterday for example, there were about 10 times as many times when he trotted around the pitch than when he put pressure on the ball from a similar position, hes too slow and I think of him as our Torres. I can only think of twice when I thought hes done well and the rest of the time I think he just doesnt show enough to deserve to start for Arsenal. I'm also getting to the point when I think Ramsey deserves a chance to start. He puts in a lot more effort than most of our players and has done enough over the last few weeks to warrant it. Depending on who we play id like to see him and Wilshere with Cazorla in front or if we need to be more defensive put Cazorla wide and Diaby in midfield behind them (until we can sign a new proper DM).
I do take it all with a pinch of salt when I read the opinions about some of our players. People now saying Ramsey should start when a couple of months ago, people wanted him lynched. Same with Diaby, he was 'deadwood' number one and now people have him firmly in their teams. Giroud is getting some stick now, I wonder who it will be in a couple of months . . .
Diaby is a good player when fit, he's just barely ever fit. He spends 90% of his time not helping the team at all, so, while I rate him, it's little wonder people get fed up with him. Ramsey was very poor early in the season. He seems to be improving, though I wouldn't start him. He's regaining confidence, let him do that for a while before he's pushed into the starting line-up. Giroud seems off form at the moment. I think he's decent - nowhere near top quality - but reasonable. He would give a different option if there was anyone to help him in the box when crosses go in. There's never more than 2 players in the box if it's not a set piece cross. Pod through the middle I would like to see. He's got a good shot on him, and he has the power to hold play up when required, but he can also put on that burst of pace.
We should play 4-4-2 (the formation we played during our succesful years) with Giroud and Walcott playing up front
It wasn't just because of his injury record though, people on here have slated the guy in the past and always held him up as 'deadwood' and a liability. The same with Ramsey. Now Giroud is getting some stick. Like I said, I take it all with a pinch of salt, because some people seem to have short memories and yesterday's villain seems to be today's hero.
That's life, that's what people say. You're riding high in April, Shot down in May. But I know I'm gonna change their tune, When I'm right back on top in June.
He was given a shot at least 4 times in the first half of the season, and was generally anonymous. Unlike Giroud (who didn't exactly set the world on fire himself) Podolski had trouble even getting into positions, his movement suffered and looked lost. Naturally he had been performing better on the wing, so I don't find it surprising. I wish he gets another shot, but can't say he didn't get a shot already.
Four times? I can only think of the Sunderland game where he started the through the middle. What were the other three times?
Huh... I actually counted some CL games in there, but Gervinho started middle there. I guess Sunderland was just a looong game.
There are some fickle fans on here but even when others where having a go about Ramsey I said at least his workrate is high and may have said that this season would be the last to wait for him to recover fully from his injury but that was about the extent of my criticism of him. I have also been consistent with my view of Giroud, that the physical demands and pace of the PL are a step too far for him. The way some people on here go on about him youd wonder why he didnt get snapped up for even more than we paid and offered £200k a week, but its simple, he isnt that good. The last player I disagreed with so many about was Denilson and was calling for Song to start long before he did regularly. I hope Giroud can prove me wrong as it will mean we dont need to replace him, but I expect to be proven right soon enough. Ive been fairl consistent about Diaby as well and thought he wasnt worth waiting to get over his injury problems, has a tendancy to run at defenders until he loses the ball and gets booked too often. I admit to thinking I may have been wrong about him this season though, until yesterday that was.
I expected the same. I remember when Wenger bought Podolski, he said 'I see him as a striker'. Yet he's used him exclusively as a winger for close to 6 months now. How can Wenger say one thing, do the complete opposite, and not expect those who are listening to be confused at his approach?
Someone has already pointed out that Podolski's only time at CF this season was for about 60 minutes during the Sunderland game. I'd like to add that this was our season opener, if I recall it was 5 or 6 days after the pre-season friendly against FC Cologne. If you recall that friendly, it was the first game where Podolski joined up with the team. In his postmatch comments Podolski said that he was still "2 or 3 weeks away from match fitness". It's no surprise that less than a week later, he did not look fully fit against Sunderland, in his only match at CF. He also looked off his game in the second match of the season (Stoke I think it was) where he played wing. The point being, he still has not had a legitimate shot at CF, unlike Giroud, Theo, and even Gervinho and Chamakh have received.
Because 10 goals in his first season equals amounting to nothing . I agree that he should play up front, but even if he's stuck on the wing he won't "amount to nothing"
