Champions
League - Arsenal offer little incentive say Totesport
Bookmakers
Arsenal
should have the edge when they host Udinese in the first
game of a two-legged Champions League qualifier on
Tuesday but at a match price of 1/2 it is advised to keep
your powder dry.
The Italians
could prove slippery customers after raising eyebrows
when finishing fourth in Serie A last season but only
speculative punters would surely be tempted by the 6/1
about Zebrette given that they are not yet involved in
domestic action.
The clue
here is that nothing is likely to be decided in north
London and the 3/1 about the draw comes into play for two
teams stepping into the unknown.
The Gunners
imploded late last season in the Premier League so now
have the unwanted distraction of facing Italian
opposition – a surprise when you consider they have
featured in every group stage of Europe’s elite club
competition since 1998/99 and can boast an unbeaten run
of 10 European home games since a 3-1 loss to Manchester
United in the 2009 semi-finals.
They lacked
teeth going forward in a tempestuous Premier League
opener at Newcastle on Saturday and have also been hit by
Cesc Fabregas’ transfer to Barcelona and more
conjecture over the future of Samir Nasri.
The
fans’ reaction to another relatively quiet window of
transfer activity would also suggest manager Arsene
Wenger’s previously untouchable status is in the
balance.
Udinese’s
only previous group stage campaign came in 2005/06 and
they too are difficult to pin down because they are in
pre-season mode.
A 12-1
friendly win over Serie D whipping-boys SP Tamai is
hardly ideal preparation for a European qualifier but an
indication they can at least find the net without Chilean
superstar Alexis Sanchez, a summer capture for Spanish
champions Barca.
Midfielder
Gokhan Inler has also swapped Udinese for domestic rivals
Napoli so it is unclear how the rest of the squad will
react in a competitive fixture.
With this in
mind, a low goals projection is a logical recommendation
– or, better yet, a watching brief ahead of the
second leg at Stadio Communale Friuli.
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