ISTANBUL (AFP) – Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal's young guns have come of age after their stunning 5-2 Champions League victory at Fenerbahce.
Wenger sent out a team with an average age of just 23 but they made a mockery of the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium's intimidating reputation to hand Fenerbahce their first European home defeat for nearly three years.
It was 15 matches since Fenerbahce had last been beaten in front of their fiercely-passionate fans. That didn't frighten Arsenal and Emmanuel Adebayor and Theo Walcott put Wenger's side in control with two goals in a minute early in the first half.
Mikael Silvestre's own goal reduced the deficit, but Abou Diaby and Alexandre Song made 4-1. Daniel Guiza's late strike was no consolation for Fenerbahce as Aaron Ramsey completed the rout in stoppage time to secure Arsenal's biggest European away win for five years.
After a spluttering start to the season, Wenger see signs that his team of precocious talents are maturing into a formidable force.
"I am very proud of the team. The average age was 23 and I am proud 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."
Rarely have Fenerbahce been so embarrassed on home soil. The Turkish team were carved open time and again by Arsenal's rapid counter-attacks and could have conceded more.
With William Gallas, Kolo Toure and Bacary Sagna missing from Wenger's defence, it wasn't surprising that Arsenal looked vulnerable at the back at times. But the manner of their attacking play that gave Wenger hope of greater things to come this season.
"Because the two teams were going forward it was a very open game and Fenerbahce are an attacking side and are very dangerous going forward," he said.
"Both teams were going forward 100 percent but the fact we scored an early goal forced Fenerbahce to come out 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."
Wenger's decision to drop Robin van Persie and hand Abou Diaby his first appearance for three months paid dividends as the French midfielder combined with Cesc Fabregas to devastating effect.
"He can do it. He can play nearly everywhere. From midfield going forward, he can play everywhere," Wenger said.
"He has been out for nearly three months now. It was his first start and he had a very good game."
Arsenal took the lead in the 10th minute when Adebayor beat the offside trap and narrowly avoided running into Walcott before slipping his shot past Volkan Demirel.
The north Londoners rammed home the advantage a minute later. Fabregas's pass picked out Walcott and the England winger surged clear of the defence, rounded Demirel and finished from close range.
Not for the first time this season, Arsenal's weakness at set-pieces was exposed as Alex's free-kick reached Guiza and the Fenerbahce striker's volley was turned into his own net by Silvestre.
But Arsenal were picking apart Luis Aragones's side whenever they went forward and Diaby restored their two-goal lead with a superb strike in the 22nd minute.
Fenerbahce failed to deal with Fabregas's 49th minute free-kick and Song was on hand to lash home his first European goal for the Gunners.
The hosts got a goal back in the 78th minute when Guiza timed his run perfectly and deftly chipped over Almunia.
There was still time for Welsh teenager Ramsey to come off the bench and lash in the fifth from the edge of the penalty area.
Source- Yahoo.
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