Mission one accomplished. The brief for mission two is simple: spend, spend, spend.
Arsenal booked their place in the Champions League group stages last night, easily overcoming Fenerbahce.
Arsene Wenger — who last night confirmed his interest in unsettled Chelsea forward Juan Mata — now has five days to overcome his problems in the transfer window.
Match facts
Arsenal: Szczesny, Jenkinson, Sagna, Mertesacker, Monreal, Wilshere, Ramsey, Cazorla, Walcott (Miyaichi, 73), Giroud (Sanogo, 59), Podolski (Gibbs, 48).
Subs not used: Fabianski, Koscielny, Rosicky, Frimpong.
Goals: Ramsey (24, 72)
Booked: Ramsey
Fenerbahce: Demirel, Gonul, Bruno Alves, Korkmaz, Erkin, Sahin, Baroni (Potuk, 65), Meireles, Kuyt (Webo, 65), Emenike, Sow (Topuz, 82).
Subs not used: Gunok, Ali Kaldirim, Irtegun, Ucan.
Booked: Korkmaz, Eminike, Meireles
Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain)
Qualifying for the knock stages will further boost Arsenal’s transfer kitty — but money isn’t the problem.
Moves for Luis Suarez, Gonzalo Higuain and Wayne Rooney have all ended in disappointment.
Bids for Karim Benzema, Angel Di Maria, Mesut Ozil, Yohan Cabaye, Vicente Guaita and Mata are all in the offing; only time will tell if they fall the same way.
MailOnline exclusively revealed in July that Arsenal were monitoring Mata’s position at Chelsea and the fact his father was a guest at the Emirates last night has only heightened talk of a shock switch for the Spain international.
Wenger said: ‘I watched the Chelsea game last night and Juan Mata could be on the market. I don’t know, there is a reluctance in England to sell to each other. Does that frustrate me? Yes, I like him.
‘Everybody knows we are in the market. The whole world knows that now. I cannot be more creative than that because all has been said and nothing has been concluded.’
At least Arsenal’s deal brokers can now offer prospective signings Champions League football this season.
Opening salvo: Ramsey fires home his first goal as Arsenal ease through the Champions League group stages
Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey
Despite back-to-back wins, talk of a crisis at the Emirates Stadium has never been too far away — their fruitless attempts to improve the squad has seen to that, never mind the club’s injury worries.
Speaking ahead of Tuesday clash, Wenger insisted the tie wasn’t over despite leaving the Turks with a mountain to climb after a 3-0 first-leg win at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium.
And the Frenchman was right to warn his side about the dangers of complacency as the visitors threatened early on.
Former Chelsea and Liverpool midfielder Raul Meireles was denied three times by Wojciech Szczesny inside the opening 12 minutes as the visitors threw caution to the wind after last week’s disastrous display in their homeland.
Eyes on the prize: Oliver Giroud races through on goal but is unable to find the net for Arsenal
Slowly but surely, however, Wenger’s men stemmed the early Turkish tide to take control of proceedings.
Theo Walcott forced visiting keeper Volkan Demirel into a good save the 15th minute before Olivier Giroud’s curled effort sailed just wide.
But the home side did not have to wait too long before booking their place in the Champions League draw in Nyon after a brilliant move involving Lukas Podolski, Aaron Ramsey and Walcott.
Podolski found Walcott with an inch-perfect pass. He in turn found Ramsey and the Welshman did the rest, tapping in from close range in the 25th minute.
Ramsey has arguably been Arsenal’s best performer during the opening weeks of the season and he was at the forefront again in the 33rd minute, releasing Giroud with a delicious pass. But the France striker could only shoot straight at Demirel with only the keeper to beat.
Blow: Lukas Podolski added to Arsenal's injury woes as the striker was taken off on a stretcher
Szczesny denied Moussa Sow with a brilliant save in the 41st minute before Giroud somehow fired over the bar from close range after Nacho Monreal’s low cross.
Wenger was hit by yet another injury concern just four minutes into the second period as Podolski was stretchered off with a hamstring injury, to be replaced by Kieran Gibbs.
But if Wenger was at all edgy about a second-half onslaught from the visitors, he needn’t have worried. Santi Cazorla saw a low, angled drive from Gibbs’ headed flick superbly saved by Demirel before Walcott rattled the crossbar with fierce free kick.
It was left to Ramsey to cap off a measured display, slotting home Gibbs’ low cross in the 72nd minute to seal victory.
Once again, Arsenal have got it right in Europe. The big question now is whether they can solve their transfer conundrum?
Double trouble: Ramsey celebrates firing home his second goal to cap off a fine performance
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