As ever with the t’interweb, there is no shortage of Arsenal news all over the place. You can read about Arsenal on football websites, Arsenal blogs, Twitter, Facebook – so much so that I pretty much shield myself from all of that. I don’t have time for rumour and gossip, and quite frankly it bores me. My Arsenal knowledge and opinion comes from watching the matches, the official Arsenal website, Arseblog and the BBC Football website.
So it peaked my interested when it was reported that Arsenal have agreed a deal for Lukas Podolski. Apparently we have agreed a deal with Cologne, although Podolski has yet to pass a medical or agree personal terms.
So it’s hardly a done deal.
But if all of this does happen, then what does this mean for Arsenal?
Essentially it can only mean one of two things. It means that Arsenal are finally bringing in quality players so they can compete at the very top, or it means that Arsenal are preparing to lose their captain Robin Van Persie.
The problem is that we have a reputation of losing our captains year after year. We lost Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry, William Gallas and Cesc Fabregas while they were Arsenal’s club captain. I’m not sure whether giving a player the captains armband is Arsene’s secret way of telling the world that is our star player and they’re up for sale. With the exception of Gallas, obviously.
The other problem is if you had to name another player in the game today that is most similar to Van Persie, then it’s Lukas Podolski. You can be as pedantic as you like, but they both have a a truly wicked shot with their left foot and can bury a chance when the opportunity presents itself. They are both technically excellent on the ball and both of them have 5 letters in their first name. The only difference from what I’ve seen, is that Podolski has more natural pace.
And the key question is, can you imagine Arsenal playing Van Persie and Podolski together?
The answer is yes, but will Arsene use Podolski out wide or down the middle? Podolski is equipped to play down the centre, in Van Persie’s position or with his pace, on either wing. Does Arsene see him more of a provider or a goalscorer?
The answers to these questions won’t be answered until he starts playing for us (if he does come) or when and if Van Persie leaves.
Has Arsene had enough of Gervinho and Walcott?
The possible arrival of Lukas Podolski poses more questions than answers.
I really don’t understand why people chase this ridiculous question. It is something created by the media to whip up a bit more anxiety about RVP.
Of course they can play together!
We have all been saying that we are way too dependent on RVP to win us games. We have also been saying that we are never going to win anything when the best changes we can make to alter a game are to bring on Chamakh and Park. There is plenty of room for Podolski in this squad and in this team and he will be a great acquisition.
It has been reported that Arsene was very impressed by him in the Pre-season friendly we played against Cologne. So was I !!! He was terrific and made what could have been a comfortable stroll for us into quite a tough game. He has great versatility, technique and creativity. How could we say that we do not want that in our team?
Let’s be realistic, Van Persie has 12 months left on his contract this summer and will either let it run or Arsenal will sell him to the highest bidder.
No co-incidence that Van Persie has been linked to City today, on the same day Podolski apparently agrees to sign?
Mike, don’t be a conspiracy theory tw*t all your life.
Stop making things up, see what happens…
no it doesnt stop with the cheap headline tittle tattle
Poldoski plays for Cologne and we are going to give him £100k a week.
He is 26 and playing for a team in Germany the equivalent of Wolves.
He no longer plays for Germany and was deemed not good enough for Bayern Munich when booted out in 2009.
The truth is that all of the cards are in the hands of RVP so what Arsenal FC would like to happen is irrelevant. If he wants to go they will not (regardless of what has been said) force him to stay & see out his contract. Equally, it would be madness to sell him (for the sake of the balance sheet) if he wants to stay & he can be accomodated financially. The team has been diluted year on year by selling our best players & not replacing them with suitable experience or quality.The club is currently at a crossroads, either it addresses the selling policy & lack of suitable replacements over the past 4 years & pushes on to be a real contender in English & European football, or it will slide further from being a “also ran” into mediocrity. All credit to the players who almost pulled off the most spectacular reversal in Champions League history, but the truth remains that if we’d had any quality strikers on the bench last Thuesday the impossible would have become a reality.
I think Wenger will predominantly see him as the second player challenging for the left wing role but like most Wenger signings, he has the ability to play in a number of positions and systems. As for the RvP situation, I have this feeling with Robin that I didn’t have with Cesc and Cu..Nasri. First of all he is a lot more mature than the other two will EVER be in my opinion and the best captain we’ve had since Paddy. He obviously adores the club and I remember him saying a few years ago that he wants to be like a Bergkamp for us, both on and off the pitch. Also I have heard a lot of well respected Dutch players and journalists say that the ultimate place for Dutch players to play is the English league. I think his decision will be based on two factors alone, if we qualify for the Champon’s League and if Wenger brings in at least 2 or 3 ‘big names’ including another striker.
I think and hope that Wenger now knows he needs 2 or 3 top players around to add to the squad to show Persie that Arsenal is the place to be and are heading in the right direction. Hopefully this happen!
Podolski left Bayern to get first team football and give him a better chance playing for Germany. His 95 caps proves he was right. When he moved to Bayern he was 19 same age as Rooney at the time and he had Toni, Klose and Ribery as their main strikers with Gomez then they bought Robben. That’s like Man Utd having Shearer, Inzarghi, Solksyear in their pomp and a young Zidane and then signing Overmars. He was never booted out and they wanted to keep him, he left to prolong his international career which he has done and will keep on doing so at Euro 2012.
Also when he was moved back to Cologne he was promised the earth that they would sign top players to compete with Bayern and play along side him.
He is a better player then what we currently have and him signing does not mean we are selling RVP. He is 26 and still has a lot to give in his career plus personal terms have been agreed by the sounds of things and at £10 million is a steal. The RVP and Man City has been drummed up by the SKYSPORTS and it’s more likely Man City will sign Carvani from Napoli because unless they win the CL they will not be in it next season and he younger then RVP and injury record is not as bad. Mancini was using RVP to say to Napoli we will look else where, if you don’t sell him to us. People forget their are three massive strikers on sale this summer Llorente Torres, Tevez and Carvani.
John thank you so very much for giving a right proper answer to the sputum put forth by “you can’t make this up”. Germany’s national team coach said Pod has matured greatly, fact. He WAS promised the moon by Cologne in terms of squad building, they renigged (sp) on promises fact. He CAN PLAY with RvP-as 2 striker, out wide (which he DOES play for Germany), solo striker on RvP days off. People need to chill the frigg out & stop stirring up the shiite