Gunners ease through to group stages

Arsenal 2-0 Fenerbache

 

Arsenal secured safe passage into the group stage of the Champions League for a sixteenth straight season against Fenerbache last night.

The Gunners put in a composed performance to seal a 2-0 win on the night and a 5-0 victory on aggregate. As in the first leg away in Turkey, Aaron Ramsey was the star man once again, not only pulling the strings in the centre of the park but also scoring a goal in each half. So far this season, the Welshman has really kicked on, taking advantage of Mikel Arteta’s injury to establish himself as a fundamental member of the Arsenal midfield.

With his improved performances earning him rave reviews, Ramsey’s confidence has also soared. He now appears to be more comfortable in possession and assured in his decision making. Where he would previously always seem intent on attempting a difficult pass in an apparent attempt to prove his ability, Ramsey is now confident enough to play a simple ball, enabling his side to retain possession, waiting for the opportune moment to play an intricate pass; as was displayed with his through ball to Walcott in the first leg in Turkey which resulted in Arsenal’s first goal.

In previous seasons, Ramsey would often make forward runs into the opposition penalty area and find himself in excellent goal scoring positions. Unfortunately however, he would more often than not panic in front of goal and rush the shot, resulting in him missing the target to the dismay of the Arsenal faithful. Yet, with 3 goals in 4 appearances so far this campaign, it would appear that Ramsey has finally found his goal scoring touch. Although his goal in Turkey owed much to a goalkeeping error, it did highlight a change in Ramsey’s mentality, as only a player brimming with confidence would carry the ball forward in the manner he did before unleashing a shot on goal from distance.

The Welshman’s two goals last night showcased a renewed composure and poise in front of goal. His first in the 25^th minute emanated from the powerful forward run of Lukas Podolski, who drove towards the Fenerbache defence before playing the ball into the path of Theo Walcott in the box. Caner Erkin’s slide tackle took the ball away from the young Englishman and across the box, straight to Ramsey, who calmly steered a low shot into the net to put the tie beyond any doubt.

Ramsey’s second goal of the night, owed much to the contribution of substitutes Yaya Sanogo and Kieran Gibbs, but also showcased excellent skill and finishing ability from Ramsey. Brilliant interplay between Sanogo and Gibbs released the Englishman on the left wing and he duly unleashed a perfect cross for the fast approaching Ramsey, who deftly guided a superb volley into the far corner of the net.

Unfortunately the Welshman picked up a groin injury towards the end of the game which all Arsenal fans will hope is only a minor injury that will not keep him out of the North London derby on Sunday.  Fellow midfielder Jack Wilshere also suffered a knock to his troublesome ankle following three robust tackles towards the end of the game, while Lukas Podolski pulled up early in the second half with a hamstring injury which Wenger declared after the match would rule him out for a period of 21 days.

The injuries once again highlight the fragile nature of this Arsenal squad and the fact the club continually appears to be just one long-term injury away from disaster. Having now guaranteed their place in the Champions League, the Gunners should be in a far stronger position when trying to attract players to the club. With the transfer window due to close on 2^nd September, Wenger has plenty of work to do to address the shortcomings in his squad. Although the manager has been perennially linked with a host of strikers and attacking players this summer, it would be foolish of him not to sign another defender. Even against a Fenerbache side that was comfortably beaten over the two legs, Arsenal’s defence still appeared far from resolute and conceded a host of chances which a better team may well have taken. Jenkinson and Monreal, were far too often caught out of position, enabling the away side to get in behind the Arsenal defence and threaten the home goal and while Sagna has performed admirably in the centre of defence, during Koscielny’s absence, he is clearly more comfortable at right back. Should the worst case scenario happen and either first choice central defender suffers a long term injury, can Wenger really rely on either deploying Sagna at centre half for a sustained period of time or on the form and fitness of Thomas Vermaelen?

The next few days will therefore be crucial in determining whether or not Arsenal can truly challenge for honours this season. The board and manager have declared on numerous occasions that the Gunners should be seeking to win every competition they enter and not be content with just finishing inside the top four each year. However, sustaining a challenge for four trophies will require a far greater squad than Wenger currently has at his disposal. A glance towards the substitute’s bench last night which included Emmanuel Frimpong, Ryo Miyachi and Yaya Sanogo told its own story with regards to squad depth. The final day of the transfer window is fast approaching, but can Wenger succeed in these last few days where he has so far failed and sign four or five top quality players to transform Arsenal’s chances of securing their first trophy for eight long years?