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Wenger: Players showed no fear

22/10/2008

Arsene Wenger has acclaimed the "no fear" approach of his young Arsenal team after their impressive 5-2 victory away to Fenerbahce in the Champions League.

Goals from Emmanuel Adebayor, Theo Walcott, Abou Diaby, Alexandre Song and Aaron Ramsey ensured the Gunners took maximum points from the cauldron-like Istanbul atmosphere – where the Turkish side had not lost in their last 15 European games.

And afterwards Wenger hailed his young team, whose average age was just 23, after they coped well with the pressure of playing in the Saracoglu Stadium.

"I am very proud of the team because we came in and tried to dictate the game in a very heated atmosphere," he said.

"It is very pleasing that they seemed to play with no fear. I am pleased to see it works.

"We came here and had a go. We started strong, we remained quite strong and we finished strong."

The match itself was characterised by open, attacking play from both sides and Wenger said he thought the style of quick, passing football from his team had given them the edge.

"Because the two teams were going forward it was a very open game," he continued.

"The fact we scored an early goal forced Fenerbahce to come out and come forward and we caught them many times on the counter-attack.

"Our pace, movement and technique made the difference and allowed us to take advantage of it but it was not an easy game."