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Lukas Podolski believes he spent far too much time sat on the sidelines at Arsenal and deserved more game time.
The ex-Gunner enjoyed three years at the Emirates (2012 – 2015) after arriving in a £15million switch from Cologne.
Podolski went on to score 31 times in 82 games during his three years, which saw him lift the FA Cup.
However, he did struggle to hold down a starting place for Arsene Wenger’s side with Olivier Giroud often preferred down the middle. By January 2015 he was loaned out to Inter Milan before joining Galatasaray a few months later.
Lukas Podolski enjoyed his time at Arsenal
‘I didn’t get enough game time; I felt that I performed well and didn’t get the minutes I deserved,’ he told FourFourTwo.
‘On the other hand, if you look at my stats, I played in about 80 matches and was directly involved in a lot of goals by scoring or assisting.
‘My relationship with the fans and players was positive. We won the FA Cup in 2014, which was the club’s first trophy for quite a few years. And I liked living in London, in Hampstead. My family enjoyed it, too.’
Podolski says he wrongfully spent too much time on the bench
Despite his lack of match time the German insists he has no resentment towards Wenger.
He told FourFourTwo: “He was a great manager and I really like him as a person, too.
“He was like a grandpa: a very intelligent man, who was nice to talk to. He could speak lots of languages and never yelled.
“He was Arsenal: he created everything. Arsene created a style of playing. He was the man who oversaw the club’s move to the Emirates Stadium, and won so many trophies there.”
