Podolski is totally UNINFLUENTIAL...?

Frankly i have not watched many of his matches other than in Arsenal shirt...
no idea what sort of a player he is.. and why was he hyped to be a top signing...?
he has no qualities suited to our gamestyle.. and to make things worse, no idea as to what sort of role/position he plays in the side..
poor passing.. not good at playing wide.. dribbling and possession skills average..
only good thing i see from him, is that he tracks back and adds to defense.. have seen nothing more from him.. and nothing seems to be coming too.. (leaving aside the Anfield match and a free kick)
Atleast Ramsey and Giroud had some influential moments.. and looks like they can improve...
i am very disappointed that many of our hyped recent signings (Gervinho and Giroud too) are not rising up as expected....

He needs to play up front or not at all. One thing about Podolski...he is a great finisher and makes good runs if he's up front. He played as a striker pre-season and looked really good, scoring for fun. He must have felt that he would be playing there. It is his favourite position. He's been put out wide and is pretty useless out there.

Up front or nothing for me.

Blame Wenger.

No but seriously, it's the same old story for us again. A player being played out of position/player not fitting into our system or formation/player being overused and not being rotated enough.

He was never going to be a Nasri/Hleb kind of guy creating chances,taking on players etc.

He's a finisher with great movement and some decent link up play +add some dead ball skills to that. That's Poldi, for me at least.

Agree about his poor form just now, but I'm going t judge him more when Gibbs returns.

He misses Gibbs, every time he get the ball he has two players in front of him and no support whoever he should be playing better. Usually when he plays he is lively, he tries beat players or have a pop at goal. Lately he has been too quiet, not playing with the same energy and confidence.

I actually thought that Poldi spent to much time having to sit back covering for Santos inability to play defense at LB.

Not just him Podolski ,unfortunately almost everyone- new signings- looking uninfluential-useless-uninterested-undisciplined-disrespectful in a way...
Maybe coz they'r just not 4Arsenal level=Improper signings as i'v said b4....it is Wenger ?...or simply bcoz of different-inadequate positions they'r plaing @Arsenal ?
However i'm sooo disappointed from Giroud n Podolski mostly, both of em are killing our chances to win according to their role, i guess. ..they'r not capable even on creating chances ! either to score.....they don't look even talented now !

In my opinion he is best playing upfront.

One thing that's certain about Podolski is that give him the ball in a good position and he'll put it in the back of the net. He's as clinical as they come, imo.

I don't know why we ain't trying him up top at the CF position, but then again he won't score coz we don't create!

Wow, Podolski's drop in form coincides with Gibbs, a good LB's injury.

On current form, either drop him for Arshavin and rotate him with Giroud up front, or convert him to full-time striker and switch to a formation that accommodates 2 strikers IMO. That being said, I still think he can play on the left sometimes, but he just shouldn't be the 'reliable' starter for us in that position.

And Wenger still refuses giving Walcott a go as lone striker even when Podolski and Giroud are not delivering..

I feel sorry for Podolski to be honest. He's getting a lot of stick; first to get subbed off and made to play as a LB 2.0

This formation of ours is proving more and more ineffective. We over depend on 4-3-3 which in turn effects players like Podolski.

He's got the ability and quality to succeed. Lay off Pod and blame Wenger!

his form has dropped
mainly I believe lack of Gibbs is why he is suffering
santos comes inside many times
Poldi is type of player that should make runs inside fullback and link up as a result can also release his Fullback who adds width and play close to touchline
Gibbo compliments him well in that sense
while the way santos plays when you see Poldi coming deep and close to touchline collecting the ball ,thats just fail,he is not dribbling type to take on and whip in crosses

on one occasion santos made the right move and it worked he somehow put awful cross in

i also agree we should give this setup a try
indirect creative player on one flank to help us keep the ball in final third, more involved in build up on one flank say Cazorla
wide forward who make inside runs on other(Theo) with Poldi playing off Giroud which would benefit both of them

dont think playing him up top on his on makes it better he is not CF

Art Morte wrote:And Wenger still refuses giving Walcott a go as lone striker even when Podolski and Giroud are not delivering..

To be fair to Giroud, I don't think he has been poor these last few games at all, but we just aren't giving him the chances we did at the beginning of the season when everyone other than him was playing well. I agree though that the pack should be shuffled in some way-shape-or-form up front.

The problem persisting throughout this season is the wide players.. Was never impressing..
Either we buy good wingers and play more direct football with Giroud and Podolski upfront..
Or buy top quality technical midfielders or strikers and go back to our beautiful passing possession football.. I prefer the second option..
Atm.. We are trying to do both with no specialists of either and losing it...

—–Mannone———
Sagna – Per – Kos – TV5
—-Cazorla—-Arteta——
Walcott—Podolski—-Arshavin
———Giroud————-

You will get the best of Podolski.

That could potentially be our next formation. Not sure if it should be utilised against Schalke, but maybe against Fulham next week instead. Wenger can't surely persist with the current system. And if he doesn't doesn't start Podolski, how about giving


Manonne

Sagna. Mert. Kos. Jenko


Walcott. Arteta. Caz. Arshavin


Podolski

Giroud





Manonne


Sagna. Mert. Verm. Jenko



Ox. Arteta. Caz. Arshavin


Theo Giroud/Podolski






Like I believe, 4-2-3-1 is looking rather bland right now. Moreover, just because it's a 4-4-2 on paper, it doesn't mean we have to start fixed in that position. I think Utd are a prime example of how formations should be used. They often change between 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2 and honestly, besides rvp, I think our squad is just as talented. We've managed it before with: Hleb Cesc Flamini Rosicky; and none of those guys measured taller than 5'8 or even 12 stone in weight, nor were either wide men natural wingers- yet we were playing teams of the park for fun.

Think about it!

Shouldn't Wilshere be in those formations?

Tbh, if I was Wenger I'd try

GK
Sagna - Merte - Verma - Gibbs
Walcott - Wilshere - Arteta - Ox
Cazorla
Podolski

Shouldn't Wilshere be in those formations?

I think he's talking about the Fulham game and Jack is suspended for that one.

For Fulham I would play (I've changed my mind I had a few beers last night )

4-4-1-1

Mannone
Sagna Merty Kos Verminator
Ox (if fit) Cazorla Arteta Arshavin
Poldi
Walcott

But this will probably be the team (assuming we get no injuries against Shalke)

Mannone
Sagna Verm Merty Santos
Coquelin Arteta
Ramsey Cazorla Poldi
Giroud

If it is and we fail to get more than one shot on target and draw 0-0 or worse...the poop will hit the fan big time.

Fact is, if Wenger does change to a 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 and we lose but create chance after chance...I'll forgive him. In fact, I would want him to continue with it.

The Reading game was a prime example. Ok, we looked all over the place at the back at times (not used to it) but once we had two up front we created about 1,000,000 chances! Ok, it was the League Cup but so what? Reading were really up for the game and are a Premiership side (albeit a struggling one).

Art Morte wrote:Shouldn't Wilshere be in those formations?

He's suspended for the next league game against Fulham.

@ furious

There's something unsavoury about starting our 3 CB simulataneously. I can actually envisage more errors than Apple maps on iOS 6. Mert' should be the starter with either kos or verm beside him. If only he was quicker than a geriatric in a zimmer frame

Ox is out for 2 weeks as of yesterday, so I read. If he starts with your second formation then we may as well forfeit the game and give Schalke the win. Santos and Verm need to get dropped, although I see mert getting a rest to cope with Schalkes more nimble players.

If he starts with your second formation then we may as well forfeit the game and give Schalke the win.

Amen to that.

Not sure what teamto pick vs Shalke. I think European opponents, especially away from home, do actually need a 5 man midfield.

My team for Shalke therefore would be...

mannone
Sagna Merty Kos Vermy
Walcott Arteta Coquelin Cazorla Arshavin
Podolski (can rotate with Walcott)

Sadly, I think we know that Ramsey and Santos will play again

Come to think of it, I might have to go with your lineup.

Manonne
Sagna Merty Kos Vermy
Walcott Arteta Coquelin Cazorla Arshavin
Podolski

Rotating Podolski and Theo makes a lot of sense too.

Podolski is at his best as an SS. Hes decent as a winger, but hes also tje.kind of player thay needs to.be the center of.attention. And hes good enough to be. Even at a big.club like Arsenal. In Koln he was played as an SS and was the center of attention and flourished. The same with Germany pre-2010. Hes got speed and good ball skills, but he too dangerous un front if goal to be wasted on the left wing of all places. Hes got possivly the best left foot in the world (for shooting), at least put him on the right so he can cut in and use it. He does like to hit those tough angles though, and is really good at them. But as ive said the whole time, hes not a winger. Hes still good there and i also think hes still fighting through an injury, but hed be so much better as an SS. Also, i dont know so much about Santi, but ive been told he was better outright for Malaga. So i think a 4-4-2 might even be a good idea for Wenger. Or a 4-3-1-2, but either is far better for Poldi and the rest of the team in my opinion.