Why Lukas Podolski Will Be Arsenal's X-Factor in the Premier League This Season

It was widely reported toward the end of the transfer window that Lukas Podolski was on his way out of Arsenal. Though there was a period during which the German seemed sure to leave, he remained an Arsenal player at 11:01 p.m. on September 1.

Podolski has always been something of an enigma at Arsenal. He arrived in 2012 during the tumultuous summer of Robin van Persie's departure and was immediately thrust into action as the club's starting left winger.

However, his role has diminished somewhat since then. Sometimes shunted to the bench during his first season at the club (and peculiarly almost never able to complete a full 90 minutes), the arrival of Mesut Ozil last season pushed Santi Cazorla to the left wing and Podolski even further down the pecking order.

Podolski does not quite seem to fit into Arsenal's playing style. He's like a Land Rover in a garage full of Ferraris: elite, for sure, but not quite as refined or slick as his teammates.

He rarely starts relative to the other players at his high pay grade, but still somehow manages to be extremely effective at one particular niche.

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Football is fundamentally about scoring goals, and Podolski happens to be extraordinarily adept at doing so. Put him on the field, if even for a short period, and there is a very good chance he'll score.

When Arsenal played Newcastle United last April, Sky Sports calculated a rather incredible statistic: Podolski had been involved in a goal, whether scoring or assisting, every 97 minutes he played.

For all his deficiencies, that number alone justifies keeping him around.

As long as Podolski accepts his role as a somewhat bit-part player when everyone is fit, Arsenal have themselves a unique asset.

Anyone who has watched one or two Arsenal games this season knows exactly what Podolski can do to improve Arsenal's anemic and often lackluster attack.

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Too often the Gunners attempt to play through the middle, trying to artfully flick the ball to each other and around defenders in congested areas. This is proverbial meat and drink for Premier League defenders, who repeatedly stymie Arsenal's flummoxed and tired forwards.

Enter Podolski, with his no-nonsense attitude and relentless effort to weasel his way into favorable goalscoring positions. He is an outstanding finisher and goal-poacher, with a thunderous left foot and the confidence to use it anywhere within a 25-yard radius of goal.

He does sometimes take ill-advised shots, but his attitude is akin to that of a more reckless but singularly focused Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Podolski is not as technically skilled, but he knows he has one job to do, and though he sacrifices defensive nous, does it remarkably well.

We should not expect to see Podolski walking out of the tunnel at the beginning of matches. But if Arsenal need a goal to snatch a point or three, there is no one who inspires more hope than Podolski when he replaces a midfielder or unproductive winger after 70 minutes or so.

Opponents can plan for and attempt to isolate Podolski if he plays from the start. And, more importantly, history indicates that his lack of stamina will cause him to peter out about 60 or 70 minutes into the game.

But attacking diversity against tired legs late in a game is a valuable asset. And, despite his many shortcomings, Podolski provides Arsenal with an essential directness that they generally lack.

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