Although we couldn’t find the breakthrough or even create enough top quality chances, I really enjoyed the first half. We were tigerish in the tackle, took the game to the home team and played some wonderful interchanging football at a nice quick tempo. Rosicky, Wilshere, Ramsey and Cazorla gave our attack a nice spark. We were missing the final bit of quality with the end pass or shot though. There was a point during that half that I thought that having a player like Wayne Rooney would take this team up another level. He would be the type to assist Walcott or hit a first time shot to put us 1-0 up. Oliver Giroud had a hard working game. His little flicks outside the penalty area to team mates are impressive as is his ability to win long balls but there are times when our team could do with a piece of individual brilliance. We have that in midfield but not in attack. Walcott, Giroud and Podolski all need supply.

There is nothing better in this sport than watching your side win and win playing good football. I enjoy writing about an Arsenal victory far more than anything else. It is quite amazing how a single victory can change the atmosphere of a fanbase. Reading through comments sections and tweets last night was like being in a parallel universe compared to Saturday evening.

After the opening day disaster, the pressure was ramped up on the team and manager before the first leg of our Champions League qualifier. Our record at this stage has been remarkable but the prospect of losing is always there. If we were to do well at the Sukru Saracoglu stadium then the team would have to show a lot of character. Character to play without fear in such an intimating venue and also character to turn around a very disappointing start to the campaign against Aston Villa.

I thought we may start conservatively, playing deep and looking to use Walcott on the break but we didn’t set up that way at all. We defended a different way. We were very aggressive in our pressing and did so high in their midfield. It made me realise that we did not press Aston Villa with the same intensity.

Although we couldn’t find the breakthrough or even create enough top quality chances, I really enjoyed the first half. We were tigerish in the tackle, took the game to the home team and played some wonderful interchanging football at a nice quick tempo. Rosicky, Wilshere, Ramsey and Cazorla gave our attack a nice spark. We were missing the final bit of quality with the end pass or shot though.

There was a point during that half that I thought that having a player like Wayne Rooney would take this team up another level. He would be the type to assist Walcott or hit a first time shot to put us 1-0 up. Oliver Giroud had a hard working game. His little flicks outside the penalty area to team mates are impressive as is his ability to win long balls but there are times when our team could do with a piece of individual brilliance. We have that in midfield but not in attack. Walcott, Giroud and Podolski all need supply.

Our goal early in the second half was timed to perfection. Our opponents had come out with more determination and aggression to their play.

For me the first goal was all about Aaron Ramsey, twisting and turning outside the box, waiting for the right opportunity to present itself rather than tossing in a cross where the percentage of scoring is so low. Ramsey once again showing why he was given that role behind the striker a few years back with yet another defence splitting pass to Walcott. Theo did well to lift his head and slide across to Gibbs who found himself in the goal poaching number 9 position. It was almost like a Bergkamp > Ljungberg > Henry goal of old.

Our midfield yesterday was the main difference between the two sides. Rosicky excellent while Wilshere improved as the game went on but once again our stand out player was Aaron Ramsey. Is there a better ball winner in our squad than Aaron Ramsey?

It reminds me of that scene from Moneyball when Jonah Hill who plays Peter Brand speaks about how baseball scouting was flawed, how they looked for the wrong things.

When people think of a ball winner they think of someone physically imposing, who slides around and snarls a lot. That is not Aaron Ramsey but when you watch him closely and watch the incredible amount of times he goes into tackles and comes away with the ball just by standing his ground and closing down.

He opened up the Fenerbache defence for the first and scored the second with a driving run and low fizzing shot for 2-0. It will be interesting to see how much that side of his game improves. He has always found himself in good positions but hasn’t taken them. I wonder if the new confident Ramsey will have more composure in those positions.

Santi Cazorla was not his usual self when he came on against Aston Villa but he was back last night. Technically our best player by a country mile. Wonderful feet in tight positions and he helped control the game.

Santi’s long pass found Walcott in the box and his marker cut him down. Giroud’s penalty was taken with confidence. With Arteta injured and Podolski spending more and more time on the bench, you have to think that Giroud is the regular taker for the time being.

As mention above, Jack Wilshere improved in the second half and interestingly it looked as if Wilshere and Ramsey had switched positions. Jack spending more time deeper with Ramsey pushing on a little more even though our trio mainly rotated for the most part.

Szczesny would have done himself no harm with some good late stops as the home side pushed to try and get something from the game.

While we played very well it would be unfair of me not to comment of the poor quality of the home team. We made them look poor by not giving them any time and space on the ball but even so, they offered very little.

We usually complain that Arsenal do not do things the easy way so I going to enjoy this until we face Fulham on Saturday.