Alright, maybe I was being too harsh. He'll never reach his maximum potential being stuck out on the wing though. I find it amazing that Gervinho has had more chances to play as a CF than Podolski.
I agree. Though he seems ok ATM, I think we should play 4-4-2 with him and Giroud rotating as support striker for Theo/New Striker
IMO podolski is the best finisher we have at the club, i don't know why he hasn't been given a chance up front yet, the only time he even got close to playing the was when we played oxo on the right walcott down the middle and podolski on the left and they interchanged positions at times. In all honesty that was possibly our most exciting line-up for me, it had pace and movement and i think suited us better. Obviously we didn't have that physical presence up there but giroud just isn't cutting it for me, he seems more concerned with having physical and personal battles with defenders as opposed to concentrating on the game and his ability to bring others into play, which for me is seriously lacking. Maybe he does need to be dropped to get a response because when he was injured and then out the team for a while he hit some form when he returned, and for me that front 3 has to be changed, drop cazorla into the midfield with wilshere and diaby, means we have more creative influence in there and get either podolski or oxo on the left.
I would definitely advocate for four/four/two at the moment. It suits the personnel we have and I think we need to play them in their strongest positions. Podolski and Waclott up front, with the option to switch Giroud either furthest forward or supporting Walcott or Podolski. Or Podolski supporting Walcott or Giroud.
Best game of the season for Podolski? 1 goal and 3 assists on the night. Who else on this team could have scored the goal he did today? Nobody, Im convinced. In my eyes he's definitely earned some time up front, maybe now that we've found a good alternative for him Wenger might see fit to try it.
Why move him up front when he can do that from the left? He seems to be in the old "Pires" role. Maybe it just took him time to adapt. His form since Christmas has been fantastic.
Good point. If he can do that from the left then why change it. Also the question about who else could have scored a goal like that, I would say Cazorla, or Vermaelen
As mentioned I think Cazorla or Vermaelen could have scored a goal like that, but it was a great strike. Also agree that if Podolski can do that from the left, then it's a good position for him. Also didn't welcome you to the forum, so welcome Have you used forums before or is this the first one you've joined ?
After that sort of performance from the left, he should stay there for now. Because if we move Podolski into the middle, who plays on the left? Cazorla struggled there and the OX has not been at his best all season.
4-4-2 would be a viable option since we do have several players who can play as strikers. United are a great example of how to make a 4-4-2 work in the modern game. As to your other question, yes I signed up to a forum before, joined a boxing board years back. It was obviously a career game. Not sure if any PL player had 3 assists in a match this season? Anyway, one match does not mean this is his best position. Just like one match does not mean Wenger should not go after a quality signing this transfer window! Cazorla looked very comfortable on the left to me, he chipped in an assist or two in his two appearances there. Santi has even said he expected to play wing here this season, it was his primary position before coming to Arsenal.
Yea I also wrongly remembered it was Podolski, earlier in this thread, but it seems they swapped a lot during the game. From the BBC: "Podolski began the game operating from the left but was continually on the move, swapping positions with Cazorla and Gervinho in a fluid front three."
