Written by Mean Lean on Tuesday, 23 August 2011 23:52

I seriously cannot remember the last time I felt this way about an Arsenal game, if ever. It is normal to have a few nerves before the game, I usually do. I am usually excited at the prospect of good football, nice combinations, Van Persie pieces of magic, someone slipping Theo through or a last ditch Koscielny challenge. This is very different.

I find it hard to think about it and even more difficult to construct a preview of this game. At the time of writing this I am filled with nerves and this is being written on Tuesday evening. I dread to think what I will be like come kick off time.

Too much is riding on this one game. Literally we cannot afford to lose this match and that is enough pressure in itself. Arsenal fans are accustomed to being in the Champions League, we have taken it for granted, I certainly have but there is a genuine chance of being knocked out if things do not go our way.

The knock on effect from elimination will hamper our chances of adding quality in the transfer window, it could change the opinion of other star players in the squad and the negativity around the club will only increase.

But on the other hand, this is a chance for the players to step forward puff out their chests and fight for the cause. To show that they have the quality to put this club back on the straight and narrow. Progression to the group stages will be accompanied by new acquisitions and returning players from the treatment table will make us a force once more.

Mixed news on the injury front which isn't a surprise. Jack Wilshere who was back in training has suffered the dreaded setback and will be missing for 2-3 weeks. With Cesc and Nasri already departed, we look short in midfield but the return of Alex Song and Emmanuel Frimpong from suspension will give us extra defensive stability in that area. Tomas Rosicky is fully rested and available for selection. I suspect that he will go straight into the team and possibly Aaron Ramsey could be rested for Old Trafford as he looked out on his feet at the end of the Liverpool game.

With Laurent Koscielny still struggling for fitness, the return of Johan Djourou will ease Wenger's fears slightly, I didn't want to see Alex Song moved back into defence for such an important game, especially with our depleted list of midfielders.

Given our one goal advantage and lack of midfield creativity, it will be very interesting to see how we approach the game. Will Arsene shy away from risking the inexperience of Frimpong and go for a more attacking midfield of Song, Ramsey and Rosicky. They would have a better understanding together and would add more guile, but adding Frimpong would give us a physical edge and an extra drive from midfield. It would also free either Rosicky or Ramsey to concentrate more on the creative side of the game. I personally hope to see the latter.

I would expect our team to come out fairly compressed and conservative with an onus on breaking quickly when we win the ball back. With Gervinho and Walcott out wide, we have plenty of pace to hurt Udinese should their back line wonder up field. Hopefully van Persie will drop off his marker a little more than he has done in recent games to allow the wide players to move into the spaces vacated by the Dutchman.

If ever there was a time to stand up and be counted then this is the game. Players like Thomas Vermaelen, Tomas Rosicky, Bacary Sagna, Alex Song and Robin van Persie have to wear their hearts on their sleeves and put in mature and committed performances. I want every player on the pitch to do themselves proud and leave everything they have on that pitch.

A massive 90 minutes awaits. Let us hope the boys can deliver.

Mean Lean's Predicted Line Up

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Comments (37)

• 24-Aug-2011 07:54 | | John
  

  Everything Arsenal has gone in Drama Queen mode; relax, not making the CL would be bad but it's not the end of the world. The vast majority of cubs survives without CL and many still manage to attract top players. I sometimes think it might be a blessing; a year to regroup & focus on the EPL, with the added benefit that some of the haters and gloryhunters might move their support to fake clubs such as Citeh and Chelsea. Arsenal will be back, Wenger has laid all the fundaments for a glorious future.

• 24-Aug-2011 07:59 | | Petey
  

  Replace Ros with Ram and all will be good solid as a rock

• 24-Aug-2011 08:06 | | richard morgan  - Arsenal line up vs udinese
  

  Good line up suggestion there but i would do one thing slightly different something I do when i use Barcelona or arsenal on PES11 that is use Frimnpong and Song as holding players who can alternate between forward moves and staying back leaving Rosicky to concentrate purely on the attacking side of the game. Yes nerves are good to have this is a bannana skin but we have experience throughout this squad in this type of match I'd like to see us going in at half time 0-0 or better because at 0-0 they will have to throw caution to the wind in the second half. the good thing is I believe we can score that important away goal meaning that they then have to score 3 to progress and when we have had eleven men on the pitch we have looked more solid defensively. Of course the tie tonight is important and will have an impact on the players who we can bring in but by losing we would go into europa league so would not be out of europe completely. The utd game is far more important though and here i would like to see Wenger take a gamble of sorts by playing Djourou in a holding midfielder role or have Koscelny and Djourou as CD and Verminator in the holding midfield role then use rosicky and ramsey in tandem just in front with walcott and Miyaichi on wings rvp up front if Koscelny not fit then play Jenkinson alongside the verminator in defence and Djourou as holding midfielder I would hold arshavin back and bring him on as an attacking midfielder late on

• 24-Aug-2011 08:10 | | GOONER
  

  i wud say jenkinson instead of traore. i think he had a good game against liverpool. and frimpong might be a super sub for us.

• 24-Aug-2011 08:12 | | richard morgan
  

  sorry petey,
  
  But Ramsey was ineffectual against Liverpool he was overrun by the experienced players of liverpool. Also remember England wales qualifier where Ramsey was kept quiet by the england midfield he just does not have the ability at the moment to dictate games so rosicky with slightly more experience and prescence would get my nod.

• 24-Aug-2011 08:14 | | The BearMan  - Keep your heads!
  

  Despite the odds stack high against Arsenal for tonights game, I am pleading to our lads to keep their heads. Play not just with with passion but remain relaxed and use your heads.
  
  The squad that demonstrate excellent team work tonight will walk away as victors. On paper they have the upper hand, but it is how much Arsenal wants it. This game can define Arsenal's season!
  
  Remember this game starts off, 11 against 11, with 90 minutes playing time. We can raise our game if we enter this game with the right attitude.
  
  My question to the players are: Are you worthy to match your skills against Europe's elite? Please answer this on the pity!

• 24-Aug-2011 08:14 | | goonerboy  - Self made crisis
  

  If it is so important why did Arsenal's Board and officials not prioritise the purchase of replacement players it sold?- its not as if they did not know that this game was coming up. They clearly were trying to ride their luck.
  You can't have your cake and eat it too- if you want to cash in on your top players, slash your wage bill, play tight ass in the market place you cannot not expect to achieve the same results with the best players in the team gone.
  Like it or not Arsenal's Board have given out the message to the rest of the world-that cashing is all that matters. As a result the team is in a sorry state.

• 24-Aug-2011 08:17 | | The BearMan  - Correction
  

  Arsenal must answer thier doubters on the pitch!

• 24-Aug-2011 08:31 | | rpn_arsenal  - Really??
  

  Come on made, ramsey was really awful against liverpool. He was one of the main factor we lose the game..

• 24-Aug-2011 08:33 | | johanes olum  - hating the fact we are not the arsenal 6 years bac
  

  stop gambling

• 24-Aug-2011 08:34 | | Vanmoulds  - arshavin?
  

  If Wenger went with Song and Frimpong in the middle, thus freeing up the more attacking midfielder from defensive responsibilities, would you not rather see Arshavin than Rosicky.
  the guy is brilliant through the middle and loves to counter attack which could be great with the wingers we have either side. Also him and van persie down the middle could really strike up a really good partnership. its his natural position, surely worth a punt?
  anyone agree?

• 24-Aug-2011 08:36 | | JOHN  - Are you sure your not Citeh or Chelsea.
  

  Your not an Arsenal supporter John. your a loser. why dont you go and support villa or everton where they won nothing and dont get into cl. that would be a blessing.

• 24-Aug-2011 08:58 | | KINGRVP
  

  I may seem a bit pessimistic but losing today wouldn't be so bad. I think losing out today would enable us to focus on the premiership because realistically I don't think we can win the CL (remember bayern missed out and came back stronger) I think the loss of CL football will force Wenger to have a change in heart about his transfer policy. I always believed in Wenger's youth policy but seeing United against the Spurs I realized they had many promising youngsters in their squad yet managed to outclass Spurs (though inferior opposition). I believe in as a club manager you have to manage the whole club beginning from players staff and also the fans we are part of the club. I think the fans need something to make them believe again and a new marquee signing would do morale at the club a world of good.

• 24-Aug-2011 09:23 | | GoonerKev  - Ramsey dead on his feet?
  

  Ramsey dead on his feet?
  
  We are 3 games into the new season and we are already talking about resting players. If he is dead on his feet after 3 games then he is in the wrong profession.
  
  This being a 20 year old too, has the world gone mad!
  
  That said Ramsey was awful against Liverpool, it wasnt tiredness, it was laziness. He was letting people run off him all game.
  
  But at the moment we have few players in midfield so resting players is not an option.
  
  I would go with Rosicky if he is over his injury, ahead of Song and Frimpong, which will make us more solid playing them 2. Ramsey would be on the bench because them 3 I think would be more useful to start, not because he needs a rest

• 24-Aug-2011 09:42 | | Alex  - missing CL - who cares?!
  

  Missing CL means missing about 20 mill + ticket sales for home CL games. But that's not bad, the sale of Cesc and Nasri gave Wenger and co almost 60 mill. And seing how that cash is going straight to the bank and not new players, missing 20 mill from CL is no big deal at all. And Arsenal being a less attractive club to play for after CL eliminination will not make any difference, since Wenger isn't really trying to get new players anyway. So no big deal at all, less games to play, more time to relax and spend it with mr Lewin.

• 24-Aug-2011 11:04 | | Podge
  

  fair point but our young players are better than theirs. Cleverly is noton the same level as Wilshere or Ramsey. Welbeck is good but Bendtner is better, Jones isn't even half the player Alex Song is. The reason Manu have that balance is a)luck I know it sounds like a bitter rival fan but it's true 0-0 86th min ManU will get mistake from the keeper or striker played onside or bullshit call from ref. b) Manu teams are always more than the sum of their parts credit to Fergie for that. And c) they can go spend 50m+ on young players in one summer.
  
  Another point, they have won 2 games they haven't shown a balanced team yet. Are Smalling and Jones better players than O Shea and Wes Brown right now? losing VDS Neville O Shea Scholes and Brown in one summer has gutted the squad of experience allthose guys had 13 years+ at the top.
  
  I said it when they signed him and I'll say it again De Gea is 6'5 and weighs under 12st needs about 18 months in the gym before he is ready for premiership football

• 24-Aug-2011 12:34 | | richie  - Players lack of fitness
  

  With the Asian tour none of them had a proper pre-season which might explain why the players will need to play themselves into shape. Ramsey's fitness level looked terrible, 2nd half he was out on his feet.

• 24-Aug-2011 12:48 | | Alex  - yes, I'm replying to my own post!
  

  Btw, do Arsenal have the worst fitness coach in the world? Players adropping like flies. Koscielny only lasted 14 minutes at the Emirates, Diaby plays once every 35 games, Djourou lasted 7 minutes after replacing Koscielny and Rosicky spent 3 of his 4 years at Arsenal bonding with the medical and fitness staff. Not to mentieon van Persie and Vermaelen, who spent the good part of the season "injured" Also, Gibbs, Walcott, Fabianski and others are also constantly injured. Get a better fitness coach please

• 24-Aug-2011 13:29 | | Man United Killa  - Against all Odds
  

  Mean Lean..this is unusual even for you! I have always thought you were 'The glass is half full type' regardless-especialy when it comes to Arsenal.I have my own doubts about this squad.You and I know that.Nonetheless I hope we dig deep today.Lets face it, a team like ours should not have to dig that deep to beat Udinese (no disrepect).We need only stay focus.But now we find ourselves dead worried about every single game.This is not good.Dont you agree?Something is amiss and the sooner we fix it (which I doubt will happen within the next 7 days) the better it will be for our assault on trophies.
  Now, I hate what is going on at the club but I will be cheering the boys at Fruili today (I still think our squad is rubbish)...I just hope this tablet does not go off before I get there!

• 24-Aug-2011 15:15 | | Den
  

  Man U game more important? Are you mad. If we lose tonight we definately won't spend any money as we'll lose anything north of 30 mill meaning no replacements for cesc and nasri. Forget Europa no one takes that seriously. Lose on Sunday we can still recover it's still very early. By the way with all the players either making debut or playing out of position that you suggest we'd get slaughtered at OT. Thank got wenger doesn't pay attention to supporters.

• 24-Aug-2011 17:04 | | Den
  

  Great suggestion I'd go with song frimpong and arshavin

• 24-Aug-2011 17:19 | | Aloba  - Why manager not useing new singing
  

  Why did u refuse to use new singing in d wing apart from gervinho u sing

• 24-Aug-2011 17:44 | | Paolo  - Udinese's fan
  

  I hope tonight we'll see a great sport show.
  
  If some of you is now at UDINE, I highly recommend you to buy the italian "Prosciutto di San Daniele", the best raw ham in the world
  
  Hello from Italy

• 24-Aug-2011 22:32 | | mohammed ali  - be philosophical
  

  Phew. I am sure many of us are happy after tonight.
  
  Regardless, everyone remember, if any other manager had taken arsenal from Highbury to the Emirates, the club would have imploded withspiralling debt. Anyone - Ferguson Mourinho etc... Therefore no future for the club.
  With Arsene, he has bought us another 125 years. Think very hard about it.
  Gooners forever.

• 24-Aug-2011 22:34 | | mohammed ali
  

  V good idea I think

• 24-Aug-2011 22:58 | | Paolo-Udinese fan  - Gervinho not bad
  

  At last you done it.
  I'm sad, my club vanished after the wrong penalty...
  Arsenal, more experienced team, gone through.
  We descend to Europa League.
  It's the sport, you win...or you lose.
  
  However, I seen a growing Arsenal,
  Gervinho plays good, I think you can bet your hopes on him for the future.
  
  Arsenal and Udinese are similar at a certain point, permist young players to experience and grow.
  Well.. ok... good luck in C.L. to you....
  
  See you from Italy!

• 24-Aug-2011 23:22 | | MeanLean
  

  Thank you Paolo, best of luck with the season ahead for Udinese. You play good football and should do well.

• 24-Aug-2011 23:25 | | MeanLean
  

  Massively proud of the boys tonight. With all the pressure on them , they turned in a mature and spirited performance. You can see that Wenger has shaped the squad now to have hungry players who all fight for each other. Perhaps we lacked a bit of that towards the end of Cesc's leadership.
  
  Carl Jenkinson, stand up and take a bow son. Wonderfully committed and determined second half from him. Alex Song was my man of the match. An Ox in the middle of the park. Gervinho was dangerous throughout and will become a fantastic weapon for us.
  
  Emmanuel Frimpong is going to be a star at Arsenal. We are now where we belong and now Arsene will add quality to our squad.
  
  Fantastic from my beloved Arsenal.

• 24-Aug-2011 23:26 | | MeanLean
  

  I forgot to mention Tomas Rosicky who came on in the second half and ran the midfield. What a display.
  
  Coyg!

• 25-Aug-2011 06:24 | | Waterboy
  

  Get that up you all you fake f*#0ing Arsenal fans and 'expert critics'! Hats off to Arsene Wenger and the boys who played!

• 25-Aug-2011 08:06 | | Feeno
  

  anyone seen what TV done to give the penalty away? still havent heard what it was given for.
  
  I hope UEFA will pull up that fellie for elbowing walcott seeing as the ref didnt bother at the time

• 25-Aug-2011 10:21 | | John
  

  Was a great collective display with fight and spirit ml and im happy we qualified. Do you think Arsene will add to the squad, as he hinted in post match interview that the current spuad is good enough. That is my worry, and if he thinks we are good enough then his delusions have progressed to a dangerous level. It was Udinese we beat, so enjoy the win, but dont get carried away as we might get a big reality check on sunday. If he doesnt buy , its dèfinitely bye bye.

• 25-Aug-2011 10:41 | | MeanLean
  

  John, I am loving the fighting spirit with this group of players. I am hoping Wenger is saying what he is saying as 1) a message to his players that he has faith and b) not to be held to ransom. If other clubs think we are desperate then prices go up.
  
  I really hope we add to the squad and find it almost inconceivable that he wouldn't.
  
  Like I have been saying for ages, our foundation is fantastic. The future of this squad looks massively impressive (Jack, Frimpong, Jenks, Ryo, Chamberlain, Gibbs, Verm, Kos, Theo etc etc) but we need to bridge that with some quality experience who can come in and impact the team now like Gervinho is doing. Another fine purchase from Wenger.
  
  He will frustrate at times with no end product but will also make goals and score goals out of nothing. He has plenty of improving ahead of him as well.
  
  I just pray Wenger can find what he needs and soon.

• 25-Aug-2011 11:11 | | Feeno
  

  he also if your going to go that route John "hinted" that he will make singnings.

• 25-Aug-2011 12:27 | | John
  

  Well Feeno, its wait and see time, isnt it.

• 25-Aug-2011 18:41 | | Anonymous
  

  The negatives even post after a win! Udinese had the top striker in the calcio for the past 2 years in their side. They like us finished 4th in their league. If they had played anyone apart from us I think they would had progressed to the next stage. So take pride in our performance Gooners! Try not to let the negative bods influence you! Stand up for your team, manager, board, and club.

• 25-Aug-2011 21:25 | | john  - dont get carried away
  

  I wasnt being negative deliberately. i was just stating the obvious that we are not the finished article yet and i hope our present happiness with last night is not brought down to earth with bad result at Manure. I hope you are not thinking that we dont need anyone now after a good display against Udinese and that we will win everything again. Remember Arsene and the fans admitted we needed good quality signings even when we had Cesc and Nasri. so lets not get carried away.

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