Arsenal vs. Udinese - Champions League Qualifier Preview

Tonight Arsenal will play Udinese in a two leg Champions League encounter that they should never have been involved in. They will do it without their previous captain, Cesc Fabregas whom they have just sold to Barcelona in one of the most inevitable but ill timed transfers of all time, without their new captain Robin Van Persie - their attacking focal point and without manager Arsene Wenger who is banned from not only the bench and dressing room but also from communicating with them before and during the game. It's worth highlighting that the Italian club have also had their best player Alex Sanchez, pillaged by Barcelona as well as losing Gokhan Inler and Christain Zapata. They are also two weeks behind Arsenal in terms of preparation for the season ahead and Arsenal have enjoyed success against Italian teams over the last decade winning seven times, drawing three and losing just twice. They however go into this tie knowing all of the pressure is on Arsenal. There haven't been many more important games since his arrival September 1997 and for Wenger to be out of contact with his players (as a result of one of the worst referring decisions of last season) is a cruel twist of fate. Anything other than a comfortable win and clean sheet will make next weeks visit to the Stadio Frulli one of Wenger's most uncomfortable experiences as Arsenal manager. "Losing doesn't bare thinking about" is one of those cliches that people chuck around with wanton abandon but for Wenger it rings very true. Losing to Udinese will, in all likelihood, set into action a chain of events that will see somebody else manage Arsenal for the first time in 15 seasons. Already embarrassed at last seasons amazing collapse, angry at the rise in ticket prices and irate that the promised 'busy summer" in the transfer market has not materialised, Wenger will have no currency left with fans if Arsenal don't make the Champions League. Just as pressing, Wenger will not have the allure of the Champions league or the £30m+ that each season's participation earns to not only replace Cesc Fabregas but Samir Nasri too (and some fans would still argue Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Patrick Vieira and Sol Campbell). The situation domestically is no less ominous. Arsenal will play Liverpool at home and Manchester United away before the end of August - they garnered a single point in those two fixtures last year and few people would bet on them getting more than that this time around. Arsenal could well find themselves 7 points behind the two Manchester clubs within two weeks of the season starting. Trouble of this magnitude on the pitch will inevitably spread to the business side of the club. If the season turns out to be as bleak as suggested, Arsenal's fans, hardcore and corporate alike, might start to wonder if there might are better ways of spending their Saturdays. Losing their most marketable player and Champions League football in quick succession may make Emirates Airline and Nike wonder what sort of exposure their sponsorship of Arsenal gives them. The sponsorship deals and due to be renegotiated soon and a club with no global super stars or Champions league football does not command the sums of money that Samsung pay Chelsea or AEG pay Manchester United. If Arsenal lose the income from Emirates Airline, corporate fans and the Champions League they will struggle to meet the remaining repayments needed on the Emirates Stadium and by then the club will be in the midst turbulent times that would eclipse the last two seasons at Liverpool. That situation is some way in the future and reasonably hypothetical but it could look a lot more realistic at 9:30 tonight. Udinese could well be the gust of wind that brings down the house of cards built by Arsene Wenger and the Arsenal board over the previous ten years.