Wenger praises Spurs, reveals youngsters will play return leg

Results

Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
24 Jan	8:00 PM	LC	Tottenham Hotspur (A)	2	2	Draw

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger said that his team were slow to get going against Tottenham, and paid the penalty for the sluggish start in the first half.

Wenger praised Tottenham's spirit at the start of the game and admitted that they were the better side when they pinned Arsenal back.

Wenger said: "We were surprised by their start - they started well.

"We looked at that stage like we were lacking experience.

"We showed in the second half that we have talent and made a great comeback.

"It is great for the confidence of the young players to know that, away from home, they can come back after a little bit of a shaky start.

"Many teams so young would have crumbled at 2-0, but we still kept going and came back.

"We could have got a third goal.

"When you are a young player, you are very down and I tried to give them the mood to come back and not be too down.

"I compared the game to Anfield because in that match everything went for us, but in the first half here everything went against us, so it was a good test of the heart and mental strength of the team.

"I'm very proud of that because it is an important quality at the top level."

The Arsenal manager also confirmed that he would be fielding the most of the same players in the return leg at the Emirates, but wasn't sure of his side's chances of progressing to the final.

Wenger added: "It is difficult to say - at the half I would have settled for 2-2. We will focus well and prepare well and most of them will play again."

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