A Cesc-less team may be doubt-inducing for some but it’s what we have to work with, and every important win chips away at that doubt like a tiny grinning woodpecker. So if you ever feel the doubt coming back just picture the woodpecker chipping away and picture the doubt as John Terry’s eyes and you’ll find yourself smiling and humming a fabulous little ditty in no time at

G’day Arsenalissimos. I trust you are all well.

Tonight, as mistress fate would have it, we have a much unwanted Champions League qualifier. As desirable as Europe’s premier knock-out competition may be, the early rounds become increasingly less so the further back from the actual event they are. They are to my mind a bit like a series of obnoxious and insufferable aristocrats that one must schmooze in order to gain access to the royal court – you feel it’s below you and you may not enjoy much of it but the end result is more than worth the effort.

Our opposition tonight are, on paper, very beatable. Yes we’ve lost Fabregas and will face them (today at least) without Jackie, Robin or Samir ‘Mr Arsenal’ Nasri but Udinese have lost key players too, including Sanchez to our mutual bezzie mates in España. Yay.

And just to add a lil’ context to proceedings: we finished 6 points above a team (Spurs) that knocked out the Italian champions (AC Milan) who in turn finished 16 points above Udinese last year.

Unfortunately for us the contest of choice this evening is not a duel to the death with marker pens so our paper advantage rather gets tossed in the recycling, I’m afraid. And as well being a traditionally unpredictable cup tie we have the added bonus of having only, literally, just right now lost our captain to a rag-tag bunch of conniving bastards only, literally, a couple of literal days ago. 

I mentioned a couple paragraphs back (check if you don’t believe me) that Udinese have had departures as well but luckily for them the reigning champions were kind enough to conduct their business swiftly and effectively. Which in Barca terms meant a couple of tediously drawn out months rather than several eye-scratchingly infuriating years.

With the Nasri situation seemingly destined to come to a head at some point in the near future and the general mood amongst the fans at pretty much the lowest point it’s been some might say this was actually a great time to play Arsenal FC, and in many ways you could be right. Our mental fragility in the wake of summer events is yet to be truly tested and a couple of away goals from Udinese could spell disaster for the boys in red and white.

Wondering how we would react to such a situation is as worrying as it is intriguing, and while I am content to play out that scenario theoretically I must admit I hope that reality takes a slightly more sleep-beneficial route tonight.

But before the doomers, gloomers and…er…baby boomers (?) think I’ve tumbled head-first off The Positive Wagon and landed face-down in Negative Swamp I’d like to present a different perspective entirely. 

I see this tie as a massively positive opportunity for Arsenal – not just in the present but in the past and the future as well. Let me explain.

In the first instance (the present) the benefit of winning this tie, and especially tonight’s game, is essentially twofold. On a basic level winning would allow us to progress to the Champions League ‘proper’ – which is clearly an end in itself – but on another level it gives us a chance to get right back on our feet after the Newcastle debacle at the weekend. 

Luckily for us this game has come so hot on the heels of the previous game that there will have been little time for those involved to sit around contemplating the negatives from St. James Park. For those facing domestic bans tonight will provide a welcome distraction and some much needed game time and for the team as whole there is the possibility of a massive confidence boost and immediate, if temporary, redemption. These positives should not be taken lightly and as unwelcome as this game appeared to be three months ago it could yet turn out to be just the fillip that we need before facing Liverpool this weekend.

In the second instance (the past) this game becomes an opportunity to heal some of the mental scars left by last season’s decline. This Champions League qualifier is basically a huge reminder of how far we fell and, while we should be grateful to even have a chance to participate in the world’s most prestigious club competition, it hurts like hell knowing we have to fight for this right while the Man City squad frolic about licking whipped cream off Aguero’s navel. 

But this is in many ways the end of that chapter. Win here today and win the tie and we revert back to equal status with those whose group place is guaranteed; more than equal, even. We go from needing to qualify to being seeded and that’s a massive leap forward mentally from where we are now. 

So far forward in fact that it may be hard to picture for some, but if I were neither an Arsenal fan nor adverse to gambling I would definitely place my hard-earned Euros on the team from North London progressing. Advance and we can start to draw a much-needed line under last season so that we can better focus our attention on this. With all that’s going on at the club right now to be able to drop even the tiniest portion of our unwanted baggage would greatly aid our attempts to view the coming season as some sort of fresh start. A very good thing indeed.

In the third instance (the future) it’s a good chance to show that Arsenal can and will go on without Cesc Fabregas. It may only be an unnecessary qualifier against a team we should be beating but what better opportunity is there in the short term to show that we can still be considered part of the elite without our former captain? 

We can’t win any of the four available trophies until at least the new year but since participation in the Champions League is of such incredible importance to the stature of the club these games are the closest we can come to that feeling in the immediate future. Doing it without Cesc will give those most hurt by his departure – RvP for example – a level of renewed belief in the team he left behind and a good performance coupled with decent results against Liverpool and Man U might even get the media off our backs for the foreseeable.

A Cesc-less team may be doubt-inducing for some but it’s what we have to work with, and every important win chips away at that doubt like a tiny grinning woodpecker. So if you ever feel the doubt coming back just picture the woodpecker chipping away and picture the doubt as John Terry’s eyes and you’ll find yourself smiling and humming a fabulous little ditty in no time at all. I promise.

There is one final opportunity I forgot to mention with regards tonight, and that’s an opportunity for the fans. We all know that the mood in Arsenaltown isn’t great right not and I’m sure the players can feel the fans dissatisfaction with I’d guess that some are being affected by it as well. 

But that mood will only affect them if it’s actually there and that’s why tonight is a great opportunity to get behind the team 100% and cheer them every step in the way. If we don’t boo and we celebrate and we sing their names and we help them along the way the affect on the team will be profound I assure you. 

If you want your team to progress to the Champions League proper then please, please, please understand that you really can make a difference to the outcome of this match. I’m not the first to say it and I won’t be the last but a unified crowd really is like a 12th player and since 12 players can clearly beat the shit out of 11 players there is no excuse for not uniting together in what is a difficult time to support the team that you love and cherish and hold dear in your heart.

I won’t be at the stadium tonight but I can guarantee you’ll hear me shouting inside the ground so if you notice just shout back. I’ll hear you.

Nothing left to say really except good luck to the lads. Tonight is an opportunity so let’s embrace it together. 

3-0 to the Arsenal. You know we can do it.

WB

@WengerBoy1