UEFA Champions League Playoff Round: Arsenal Tries to Move Forward

Arsenal began their 2011-12 campaign on Saturday at Newcastle United. The Gunners earned a point in a frustrating draw that saw new striker Gervinho sent off after an altercation with Newcastle defender and Premier League Twitter-troublemaker Joey Barton.

After the disappointing result, the Gunners now look forward to the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Playoff Round clash with Italian side Udinese at the Emirates Stadium. 

Udinese finished fourth in Serie A last season, and with the same outcome in the Barclays Premier League for Arsenal. The two sides qualified for this stage of the tournament to playoff for a place in the lucrative group stage as non-winners. 

This is the fifth time in six years Arsenal has had to go through a qualification phase to make it to the group stage. The last time the Gunners needed to compete in this stage of the tournament was back in 2009 when they scored a 5-1 aggregate victory over Celtic to move on.  

The Londoners are concluding a somewhat tumultuous summer in which the probable climax had occurred earlier today in seeing Cesc Fabregas move onto his boyhood club of Barcelona.

A move that was rumored all summer but constantly hushed by Arsene Wenger insisting that Barca was not offering enough for the Spain midfielder, it appears the Catalan club finally matched the asking price.  

Also missing from the Arsenal lineup over the weekend and possibly on Tuesday is French playmaker Samir Nasri. Nasri has been linked in a move to Premier League and Champions League rivals Manchester City.

Manchester City overtook Arsenal late in the season the past campaign in order to qualify directly to the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.

The rumors have continued about both players as supporters grew weary of potential departures and Wenger’s subsequent inability to make a strong wave in the transfer market.

Arsenal fans are now watching arguably two of their best playmakers head for more money as Fabregas heads to the Spanish giants and Nasri looks to get his hands into the always-operating cash register at Eastlands.

The transfer gossip and uninspiring game at St. James’ Park are a source of angst for Arsenal faithful heading into this very important first leg against Udiense; and it is a very difficult one indeed.

Udinese has been able to stake its claim as one of the more competitive teams in Serie A with their fourth place finish last season. The team from Northwest Italy has been a mid-table finisher for most of the 2000s.

However, this is not their first taste of UEFA Champions League competition with their latest appearance coming in the 2004-05 season.

Udinese employs an attacking style of football and the league table from last season confirms this. They scored 65 goals last season—second most in the league—tied with A.C. Milan and finishing behind only Internazionale in that catergory.

The key marksman for the Italian side, Antonio Di Natale was the top scorer in Serie A last season amassing 28 goals.

With Arsenal looking offensively anemic against Newcastle it is hard to see them breaking through for a few goals against the visitor’s tomorrow evening.

The worst-case scenario for the Gunners could possibly be a 0-0 draw allowing Udinese to take an advantage home where they would be more comfortable for the second leg.

While unrest is starting to gather in North London, one of the worst possible events that could happen is for Arsenal to be playing their European Football in the Europa League rather than the Champions League.

That could be an increasing reality if Udinese is able to keep Arsenal silent and take a level match back to Stadio Friuli.