Thank God, Drogba has gone - Wenger

ARSENE Wenger is relieved to finally be facing a Chelsea side without Didier Drogba.The Ivorian target-man ripped many teams apart but seemed to raise his game further still whenever his side came up against the Gunners.He smashed in 13 goals against Arsenal in 14 games - and only once in that time did Chelsea lose to their London rivals.In the last 33 Premier League games between the sides Chelsea's record with Drogba is far better than their one without him.Drogba left on a free for Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua after winning the Champions League last season.''I don't know if Chelsea miss him, but we don't miss him. He did a lot of damage against us,'' a grateful Wenger told Sky Sports ahead of their clash at the Emirates tomorrow.Now Chelsea has just Fernando Torres and Daniel Sturridge up front but it boosted its squad in other positions.Wenger paid tribute to 32million new boy Eden Hazard, who has had a great impact at Stamford Bridge.''I am not surprised that he has gone to Chelsea and is straight away one of their stars,'' he said.Wenger confirmed that attacking midfielder Andrei Arshavin has played his way into contention for a starting spot.The Russian was excellent in the Gunners' 6-1 demolition of Coventry.'At the moment the competition is very high [for a first-team place],' said Wenger. 'But he will get his chance, and he showed here that he deserves it.'I have selection solutions, not selection problems. You want two players in every position.'He accepts the game will reveal more about his side's chance of the title but says you cannot draw a verdict whatever the result.'We will know more about us on Saturday afternoon, but much more about us after 10 or 15 games,' he commented.'If we do well at home against the strong teams it will have a big impact on our chances.
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