Arsene Wenger admitted to being relieved at seeing the back of Didier Drogba, after the striker left Chelsea this summer for Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua.
Drogba had been a thorn in the side of Arsenal for a long time, with the Ivorian coming up with moments of brilliance against the Gunners frequently. However as Arsenal host Chelsea for Saturday's English Premier League game, Wenger said Drogba will certainly not be missed by his team.
"I don't know how much Chelsea miss him, but we don't miss him! He did a lot of damage against us in every game," Wenger told reporters.
"I feel that last year he had an average season in the Premier League but in the cups he was absolutely influential and decisive.
"He was a big part of Chelsea's success in the FA Cup and Champions League because he was massive.
"He has that quality and even when he was on a bad day for 80 minutes he didn't give up and kept his focus and his desire to be efficient. He was an exceptional player."
Wenger said Chelsea's experience in the European stage helped them lift the Champions League trophy last year. "They were efficient," he said. "Some years before, they were closer to winning it than last year, but accumulated experience, tenacity and a bit of luck as well, got them the trophy. You have to congratulate them for that.
"Last year they had that kind of luck and you must give them credit as well, for the consistency and attitude they showed in the games where they were dominated, and the mental strength to have shown in these games to finally win it."
Arsenal were one of the teams that tried to sign Eden Hazard this summer, and Wenger is not at all surprised that the talented youngster has settled in quickly to life in the English Premier League with Chelsea. "He has been voted best player of the French league two consecutive years," he said.
"You need some quality to do that at his age. I'm not surprised at all that he goes to Chelsea and straight away is one of their stars because everybody knew about him.
"Let's not forget that all the big budgets in England were after him."
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