Just as the vultures were hovering and the obituary writers were sharpening their quills, Arsenal produced a polished performance to keep their much maligned manager in business for a least another two weeks. A 3-0 victory with three precious away goals almost certainly puts them into the next stage. Fenerbache, although backed by their usual vociferous crowd, never looked like troubling the Gunners and the return leg at the Emirates on Tuesday will rubber stamp Arsenal's sixteenth consecutive visit to the group stages of the Champions League. A fairly insipid first half, dominated by Arsenal possession, was only really note worthy for the high boot of Fenerbache striker Pierre Webo into Lauren Koscielny's face which resulted in the defender being stretchered off and taken to hospital for x-rays. Although Koscielny was already suspended for Saturday's visit to Fulham this still highlights the folly of Wenger's hesitancy in the transfer market as Bacary Sanga has to be drafted in as emergency centre back due to the lack of depth in Arsenal's squad. The second half saw a much more positive Arsenal take the match by the scruff of the neck and inspired by a man of the match performance by Aaron Ramsey score three goals without reply. First a clever, disguised pass from Ramsey released Theo Walcott on the right wing and the England Winger showing often lacking composure picked out left back Kieran Gibbs on the far post who slid in to open the scoring. Jack Wilshere, with some clever sleight of foot, then released Ramsey in the centre of the park. The Welshman took the ball to the edge of the area and produced a shot that Fenerbache keeper Demiral could only parry into the right hand corner of his net. While Demiral should really have kept it out it would be churlish to deny Ramsey the goal his man of the match performance deserved. To add the cherry to an already satisfying cake Santi Carzola released Walcott with a sumptuous crossfield pass which the Arsenal wide man controlled brilliantly inducing a rash challenge from the already bamboozled Fenerbache left back Kadlec resulting in a penalty. Oliver Giroud dispatched it with aplomb for his second goal of the season and, discounting a result of Lazarus proportions, sent his side into the group stages. It would be churlish not to give Arsenal a lot of credit for the character shown to get this result and should give the squad a much needed confidence booster with tougher tests against Fulham and Spurs on the horizon. Now if they can only prize open Arsene's wallet...
