DISMAL GUNS A BLANK CANVAS; ARSENAL 0 FENERBAHCE 0 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP G Arsenal flop again as they are held in Euro bore draw.

Byline: BY MIKE WALTERS

APART from one forearm smash which laid out Mikael Silvestre, Arsenal managed to steer clear of cowards last night.

But they still lacked the bravehearts to overcome Fenerbahce's yellow peril as Arsene Wenger's men were thwarted in a tale of cock and Istanbul.

Silvestre was forced off eight minutes from time by a challenge from visiting skipper Semih Senturk, but the Gunners can have no complaints about their failure to pick this deadlock at the Emirates.

Accused of rewriting history by Stoke boss Tony Pulis over his "cowards" blast, Wenger's programme notes were at odds with his pre-match strop. "I would not say they were dirty," Le Professeur conceded of Stoke's approach. "But they kicked the ball away a lot." Funny, that - no mention of cynical tackles or setting out deliberately to hurt opponents.

Nor was cowardice or courage on the agenda last night: for Arsenal a return to winning ways 72 hours before Manchester United visit was the only issue. After responding to shock Premier League defeats against Fulham and Hull with thumping 4-0 wins in the Champions League, Wenger found himself looking to Europe for redemption again following the Battle of Britannia.

A banner behind one goal urged the Gunners to "show some passion", but their problem has been more about basic errors in defence than a lack of bravado.

And it took just eight minutes for Arsenal to unveil their Christmas menu - roast Turkey with all the trimmings. Cesc Fabregas picked out Robin van Persie's run into the box with an exquisite sand wedge, only for the Dutchman to prod it wide from 12 yards.

Van Persie was then denied a certain goal by Lugano's last-ditch intervention and then, turning smartly on to Kolo Toure's pass, smacked the bar.

For all their possession, however, there remained a faint air of desperation about Arsenal in their quest for atonement after last week's late collapse against Tottenham.

Johan Djourou was lucky to escape with only a yellow card for a needless lunge on Sahin. And for all Aaron Ramsey's prompting from the right flank, the Gunners looked more edgy than a crass Russell Brand prank on the radio.

Exposed by Rory Delap at the weekend, the home side's nerves were jangling like a gangster's bling when Robert Carlos wound himself up like a grandfather clock for a long throw.

North London hearts skipped another beat when Kazim Kazim, so good they renamed him twice, delivered a low cross at pace and Mikael Silvestre had to bail out Lukasz Fabianski, deputising for flu victim Manuel Almunia.

Kazim, known as Colin Kazim-Richards in his previous incarnation at Brighton, Bury and Sheffield United, was a largely peripheral figure as Fenerbahce kept eight men behind the ball and reached the interval with only Volkan Demirel's flying save from Samir Nasri by way of further scares.

Denilson and Fenerbahce's Claudio Maldonado swapped shirts at half-time, an act of pacifism light years from the dreadful challenge with which Lugano scythed down van Persie within seconds of the restart.

But if Arsenal were expecting a resumption of one-way traffic, they were soon shaken out of their daydream.

Ugur Boral scampered on to Lugano's long clearance and Fabianski, inexplicably retreating into his six-yard box instead of sweeping up, was relieved to tip his shot to safety. Fabianski, making his Champions League debut, could be forgiven his nerves to an extent, but Arsenal's collective anxiety was less easy to unravel after their 5-2 win in Istanbul a fortnight ago.

The introduction of Carlos Vela and Abou Diaby did not provide the Gunners with an instant cure for their profligacy. Desperation was sinking in by the time serial offender van Persie sent a header sailing over the top.

ARSENAL: Fabianski 7, Toure 7, Djourou 6, Silvestre 6 (Song 83), Clichy 7, Ramsey 7 (Diaby 60, 7), Fabregas 7, Denilson 6, Nasri 7, Van Persie 7, Bendtner 4 (Vela, 60, 7).

FENERBAHCE: Demirel 8; Gonul 6, Lugano 5, Edu 6, Roberto Carlos 3 (Vederson 67, 5), Kazim 5 (Bilgin 59, 5), Senturk 6, Sahin 7, Maldonado 6 (Josico 67, 4), Boral 6, Guiza 6. Att: 60.003. Ref: Roberto Rosetti.

COMPUTER

ARSENAL

FENERBAHCE

GUNNERS LACK FIREPOWER

BALL POSSESSION

68% ARSENAL 32% FENERBAHCE

FACE TO FACE

ARSENAL FENERBAHCE

6 Corners 2

0 Offside 2

88% Pass completion 77%

24 Tackles 24

17 Fouls 17

2 Cards 3

SHOTS

ARSENAL FENERBAHCE

7 off target 4

4 on target 2

MAN OF THE MATCH

Volkan Demirel (FENERBACHE) 8

The Fenerbahce goalkeeper was theatrical but too effective for Arsenal

VILLAIN OF THE MATCH

Roberto Carlos (FENERB'HE) 3

The veteran full-back was a lumbering shadow of a once great player for Brazil and Real

ARSENAL'S NEXT 3 GAMES

Saturday: Man Utd (h) Prem

Tue, Nov 11: Wigan (h) Carling Cup

Sat, Nov 15: Aston Villa (h) Prem

CAPTION(S):

NO WAY PAST Fenerbahce's flying keeper Volkan Demirel defies the Gunners at The Emirates last night