Arsenal Vs. Udinese, 2011 UEFA Champions League Playoff Round: Gunners Win 1-0 On Theo Walcott Goal

It’s been a totally wide open match for the last few minutes, and it would be shocking if Walcott’s opener ended up being the game’s only goal.

The loss of Cristian Zapata is already looking like a huge one for Udinese, and youngsters like Neuton will have to promptly up their games.

Arsenal Vs. Udinese, UEFA Champions League

Time: 2:45 pm ET, 7:45 pm BST

Arsenal lineup (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Sagna, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Gibbs; Song, Ramsey; Walcott, Rosicky, Gervinho; Chamakh

Udinese lineup (4-5-1): Handanovic; Neuton, Danilo, Benatia, Ekstrand; Armero, Agyemang-Badu, Asamoah, Pinzi, Isla; Di Natale

Yes, that Andrei Arshavin. The one who has been stuck out on the wing and who has disappointed through good chunks of his time at Arsenal. In the 2007-08 UEFA Cup, he emerged from the relative shadows to become a superstar, then continued his fantastic performances at Euro 2008 for Russia. He quickly became the hottest property in European football, and after a long transfer saga, Arsenal eventually got their man.

It’s a pipe dream for the neutral football fan, but here’s to hoping that Wenger pulls a rabbit out of his hat and Arshavin impresses in the middle against Udinese. Come Arsene, throw him in there. Surely there’s no better option at this juncture.

Manager Francesco Guido looks likely to stick to his system that is based around a three-man back line and a three man center of midfield. Based on the opposition and personnel in the team, it can look like any of a 3-5-2, 3-5-1-1, 5-3-2 or 5-3-1-1. In any event, the basic principles are the same and the setup creates a very bad matchup for any team who attempts to play in a 4-4-2 formation against them.

Arsenal can and should win at home on Tuesday evening, but they’re hardly locked into a place in the UEFA Champions League group stages. The Gunners will not just be getting a simple 180 minutes against an inferior team who lays down and dies.