Arsenal Draw Udinese in Champions League
by Aidan Gibson on Aug 5, 2011 6:32 AM EDT
in UEFA Champions League
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Arsenal will play Udinese, who finished 4th in Serie A, in the 2-legged playoff round of the Champions League, for a spot in group stages. The first leg, on Tuesday, August 16, will be at the Emirates before Arsenal travel to Udine on Wednesday, August 24, for the second leg.
Udinese were impressive last season, but since then have lost Cristian Zapata to Villarreal, Alexis Sanchez to Barcelona and Gokhan Inler to Napoli. They still have the potential to frustrate Arsenal, though, by playing 3/5 at the back, and playing on the counter. Despite his aging years, Antonio Di Natale has been the top scorer in Serie A the last two seasons, and was also the Italian Footballer of the Year in 2010. Udinese finished joint second top scorers in Italy last season, and the two legs with Arsenal promise to be exciting. Arsenal, who have never lost a 2 legged tie with an Italian side, are favourites but this tie is no formality, especially as Samir Nasri and Robin van Persie are suspended for the first leg (Cheers, Massimo Busacca).
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In two ways
1. It means Sanchez is gone
2. It lessened their chances of getting Cesc
Squeezed to Song and Bendtner and Song and Nasri oh lovely lovely lovely!
-Peter Drury, the one time his commentating has ever been acceptable.
Of course.
Why wouldn’t we draw against the best team in the pool? If Barcelona was in this round we would have drawn them. It’s a conspiracy, I tell ya!
Captain, there are doubt's...
"It’s a good opportunity to show we have the strength to respond" - Arsene Wenger, 2011
Kazan would've been worse
1,000 mile trip against a team that’s really good defensively.
Squeezed to Song and Bendtner and Song and Nasri oh lovely lovely lovely!
-Peter Drury, the one time his commentating has ever been acceptable.
Agreed, Kazan would have been a really tough tie.
Especially since Russia is currently mid-season so all the players are clicking with each other.
Agreed
Captain, there are doubt's...
"It’s a good opportunity to show we have the strength to respond" - Arsene Wenger, 2011
Can’t be in for a good season if you think these chumps are good.
by danago on Aug 5, 2011 10:53 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Udinese worries me a bit
Yes, they lost 3 good players, but that also means it’ll be hard to scout them as effectively as if they had the same team as last year. We just can’t underestimate them. We need to mark Di Natale and force them to score with someone else, giving Di Natale chances is just asking for trouble. They also have one hell of a goalkeeper in Samir Handanovic, who I’m surprised isn’t playing for a bigger team. I have seen a number of matches he’s played and has been about as good as anyone between the posts.
Yeah they worry me
But we should go through; if we don’t, we have a lot of problems on our hands
Squeezed to Song and Bendtner and Song and Nasri oh lovely lovely lovely!
-Peter Drury, the one time his commentating has ever been acceptable.
by Aidan Gibson on Aug 5, 2011 11:41 AM EDT up reply actions
I think there was an appeal
And he only got 1
Squeezed to Song and Bendtner and Song and Nasri oh lovely lovely lovely!
-Peter Drury, the one time his commentating has ever been acceptable.
by Aidan Gibson on Aug 5, 2011 11:41 AM EDT up reply actions
It's one for both
Squeezed to Song and Bendtner and Song and Nasri oh lovely lovely lovely!
-Peter Drury, the one time his commentating has ever been acceptable.
by Aidan Gibson on Aug 5, 2011 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions
Every time I see Massimo Busacca's name
I think of that How I Met Your Mother episode with the Minnesota sports bar where they all curse the 1999 NFC Championship. A plague on his house.
"Everything's gonna be awesome." -Ken Oberkfell
"ARSHAVIN IS MAGIC" -Brooks Peck
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