It might not be a long bow to suggest that Arsenal’s first leg Champions League qualifier tonight against Udinese represents one of the biggest games for the club in recent years.
Though not something you’d expect from a fixture in mid-August, Arsenal have a lot to prove to both themselves and the greater football world against the Italians.
With the Cesc Fabregas saga finally culminating and with Manchester City ever closer to stealing away Samir Nasri, Arsenal is effectively having the heart ripped out of their organisation, day by day.
It’s a combination of factors which is resulting in the Arsenal exodus.
However, it’s a phenomenon which isn’t entirely new to the Londoners, with a litany of stars having left in the last decade to pursue better deals elsewhere.
However, Fabregas’ and Nasri’s probable departures are unquestionably the most significant, based on the club simply not being in a position to replace either of the dynamic midfielders.
It’s also most painful as both are at an age where their very best football is well and truly in front of them, which wasn’t the case when the likes of Viera or Henry left Highbury.
What is, however, most concerning is that the defections have left them with a perception that they’re now nothing more than a feeder club for larger European powers, in spite of the highly attractive football they’ve displayed under Arsene Wegner.
It’s a similar agony the A-League is facing, where for all the improvements on the field, there’s an undeniable reality that it will never be big enough to maintain the enormous talent they’ve so prudently sourced.
In Arsenal’s case, it’s particularly tragic as just five years ago they were playing off in a Champions League final against Barcelona, in addition to having only two years earlier blitzed the English Premier League in undefeated fashion.
These days, Arsenal are considered little chance to win the Premier League with European qualification and domestic cups glory being their most achievable goals – goals not dissimilar to much smaller English clubs such as Tottenham, Everton or even Fulham.
It’s ironic that tonight Arsenal will be facing Udinese, themselves painfully fully aware of their contemporary status having recently lost their brightest star Alexis Sanchez – also to Barcelona.
It’s an extremely difficult situation Arsenal have found themselves in, but one which perhaps would have been prevented by winning trophies, an issue Fabregas and recent defector Gael Clichy sighted in justifying their departures.
Thankfully, Wegner can perhaps start things off tonight and rectify precisely what they were unable to do on the weekend against Newcastle.
A victory over Udinese certainly won’t make up for the pain of Fabregas’ departure, however it will go a long way in allaying fans’ fears that where Europe is concerned, Arsenal’s still a club that’s highly relevant.
I’d hate, however, to think what reaction a failure will produce.
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