Gunnerblog

Podolski confirmed; Third place far from it

413 comments May 1st, 2012

So the worst kept secret in football is finally out: Lukas Podolski will join Arsenal this summer.  It is, you won’t be in the least bit surprised to hear, a ‘long term contract for an undisclosed fee’.  Media reports suggest we’ll end up paying about €11m for the Germany striker – a very reasonable fee, and a consequence of the fact that he has just a year remaining on his contract.

Back in September few Arsenal fans would have bet on Arsene Wenger being in charge for 2012/13.  Now, however, it seems planning for next season is well underway, and Podolski is an important part of that.  Arsene says:

“We are delighted to secure the deal for Lukas and see him as an important part of our future. He is a top-class player, a very good finisher and a proven performer at club and international level. He is a very strong player and will provide us with good attacking options.

We are happy to have made this signing early and we are looking forward to watching Lukas contribute at the European Championship over the summer, a level where he has already made 95 caps at the age of 26. That is a phenomenal record and just shows his quality as a player.”

It’s interesting that in the week in which he’s admitted we have an over-reliance on Robin van Persie, Arsene makes a point of heralding Podolski’s ability in front of goal.

The player himself, meanwhile, seems excited about the second major move of his career:

“I’m so happy to be joining Arsenal Football Club and to play in the Premier League. Arsenal is one of the top clubs in Europe with a huge history. There are many top quality players at Arsenal and the style of football which the team plays is fantastic. I’m proud to become an Arsenal player and am looking forward to playing my first match at Emirates Stadium and doing my best for all the Arsenal fans.”

It’s quite the coup to have secured his signing this early.  A good European Championships would only have increased demand for Podolski, and probably his inflated his demands beyond our means.

Like his countryman Per Mertesacker, Podolski fits the new profile of Arsenal signings: mid-twenties, internationally decorated, and continentally-known.  His Bundesliga experience and muscular build mean that adaptation to the Premier League shouldn’t be too problematic, whilst his direct running and powerful shooting offers an immediate improvement upon the likes of Gervinho, Park, and Chamakh.  I expect him to be deployed on the left of a 4-3-3, although he also provides an option through the middle.

And therein lies the first concern with this signing: that it might be a replacement for rather than an augment to Robin van Persie.  I can’t pretend to know whether that will ultimately be the case, but I can say with a degree of conviction that it is not Arsenal’s intention.  Indeed, one hopes signings like this will help convince Robin to sign on and stay.  The second concern is Podolski’s failed stint at Bayern Munich, but as this article by Raphael Honigstein suggests, the player has matured significantly since then.  All in all it’s a good addition and something to be excited about ahead of next season.

As I write, Roy Hodgson is on the verge of being named as the new England manager.  I think it’s the right appointment, for various reasons, but it does mean our final game of the season will see us travelling to West Brom for Hodgson’s farewell.  He’ll want to end on a high, so that looks an increasingly tricky game.

The situation remains simple: win our two remaining games, and third is ours.  However, my dwindling confidence has inevitably got me hoping for slips elsewhere to make our lives easier.  Tomorrow night, Spurs travel to Bolton and Chelsea face Newcastle.  If Chelsea are held to a draw, and Spurs are beaten, a win for Arsenal against Norwich on Saturday would all but guarantee Champions League Football a week in advance.  Wishful thinking perhaps, but my nerves could use a bit of relief.