Walcott gives Arsenal slender lead

SOCCER Uefa Champions League Play-off, first leg Arsenal 1 Udinese 0:IN A time of injuries and the loss of Cesc Fabregas, Arsenal's prospects of advancing from this qualifier to the Champions League look quite good. Arsene Wenger had to reshuffle his line-up during the game, but they defended capably and only a finger-tip save by Samir Handanovic denied Theo Walcott a second goal in the dying minutes.

It always helps a match when each side believes the other to be vulnerable. Arsenal had the confidence to score near the start and Udinese replied with enterprise of their own. The game had a freshness that belied the fact so much was at stake.

Walcott might have peeved Fabio Capello with his account of life in the England camp, but he can be in no danger of exclusion at his club when he volleys a goal as he did here. The attacker struck in the fourth minute following build-up play from Bacary Sagna and a cross by Aaron Ramsey from the right to the near post.

After that there was a great deal of enterprise from Udinese. The Serie A club must have appreciated that circumstances are far from perfect at the Emirates in the wake of the Fabregas transfer. They had cause to be confident that they could do harm. Arsenal, for their part, wasted an invitation to demoralise Francesco Guidolin’s side when Gervinho made no contact with the header glanced his way by Laurent Koscielny after a corner in the ninth minute.

The opposition were also tantalising themselves, particularly when their impressive captain and renowned centre-forward Antonio Di Natale struck the bar with a free-kick from 30 yards. In the period immediately before half-time Udinese dominated in midfield and had Wenger’s side pinned back. It is an uncommon sight at this ground, but for the time being little is as the Premier League club would wish it. Arsenal could be glad that Udinese were not sharp enough in front of goal.

Even so it was almost rude of Udinese to come knocking on their door considering the various issues to be resolved at Arsenal. Wenger must feel he has quite enough on his schedule, with the possible sale of Samir Nasri to follow Fabregas’s departure. Nasri was missing here, with a suspension ensuring that he could not have been picked even if his commitment to the club was beyond dispute. The new captain, Robin van Persie, was also suspended.

There had already been a glimpse of Arsenal’s problem in the turgid match at St James’ Park at the weekend. A goalless draw was not a bad result in itself, but the low-grade action and lack of chances still made people wonder how high Arsenal can expect to finish unless the squad is enhanced markedly.

If there was encouragement here, it ought, in theory, to have lain in the fact that Udinese were in action before Serie A has even begun. Their preparedness and fitness were theoretically open to doubt.

The onus, however, lay with Wenger’s men to expose weaknesses. In the circumstances it was therefore galling that Jack Wilshere continues to be an absentee because of an ankle injury. Arsenal would have drawn a misleading comfort beforehand from the realisation that Udinese also appear to have been weakened by the sale of players since last season. Alexis Sanchez has Fabregas as a team-mate now at the Camp Nou.

But the visitors acted as if they are not diminished in the slightest and settled down to alarm Arsenal again, almost as soon as the second half had started. Wenger’s line-up seemed not so much to miss Fabregas as to lack someone who could staunch the flowing play of Udinese.

The scope for Guidolin’s side was expanded when the substitute Johan Djourou, who had taken over from the left-back Kieran Gibbs at the interval, himself had to be replaced by the former Charlton player Carl Jenkinson. The newcomer thus made his competitive debut for Arsenal and despite being a right-back, slotted in on the left.

Arsenal declined to relieve the pressure and when Tomas Rosicky released Walcott the latter knocked the ball aimlessly into the middle of the area.

Their main ambition was the mere protection of the lead, with Wojciech Szczesny doing well to turn behind a free-kick from Di Natale. It was an evening of endurance.

As the match entered stoppage time, Gervinho gained a yard on his marker to play in Walcott but he was denied by a top-class save from Handanovic before Armero flashed a 25-yard shot inches wide of the Arsenal goal moments later.

Guardian Service

ARSENAL: Szczesny, Sagna, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Gibbs (Djourou 47), Song, Rosicky (Frimpong 72), Walcott, Ramsey, Gervinho,Chamakh, Djourou (Jenkinson 55). Subs not used: Fabianski, Oxlade-Chamberlain,Arshavin, Bendtner. Booked: Walcott, Gibbs.

UDINESE: Handanovic, Ekstrand, Benatia, Larangeira, Neuton (Pasquale 59), Agyemang-Badu,Isla, Asamoah, Pinzi (Abdi 88), Armero, Di Natale. Subs not used: Belardi, Denis, Vydra, Doubai, Fabbrini. Booked: Benatia, Neuton, Pinzi, Armero.

Referee: K Blom(Netherlands).