Arsene Wenger has admitted that Arsenal failed to cope with the considerable talents of Didier Drogba on Saturday.
The Gunners came up short in their quest to reach the FA Cup final this weekend when they slipped to a 2-1 defeat against Chelsea.
Drogba was the architect of their downfall as he snatched an 84th minute winner to dash their dreams for another year.
It had been going so well for Arsenal when Theo Walcott fired them into an early lead, but Florent Malouda levelled matters before the break.
Wenger concedes that Drogba always looked like the man most likely to hurt his side after that point and had no complaints with the manner in which the Blues secured their success.
"Drogba is a killer," said the Frenchman.
"We made it a little bit easier for him but he never stops and is always focused. Look at the number of goals he has scored in big games.
"He dives a little bit too much sometimes but he is a great player."
Confidence
While Wenger was quick to pile praise on Drogba, he also accepts that part of the responsibility for the Wembley setback must lie with rookie keeper Lukasz Fabianski.
The Polish shot-stopper endured an afternoon to forget against Chelsea, but Wenger backed Fabianski to put the disappointment behind him and emerge a stronger player.
"Maybe this was not the best of days for Fabianski but I still believe he will be a great goalkeeper," said Wenger.
"We have to lift his confidence because he will feel guilty.
"But I don't want to blame any individual. We need to respond very quickly against Liverpool on Tuesday."
The Gunners came up short in their quest to reach the FA Cup final this weekend when they slipped to a 2-1 defeat against Chelsea.
Drogba was the architect of their downfall as he snatched an 84th minute winner to dash their dreams for another year.
It had been going so well for Arsenal when Theo Walcott fired them into an early lead, but Florent Malouda levelled matters before the break.
Wenger concedes that Drogba always looked like the man most likely to hurt his side after that point and had no complaints with the manner in which the Blues secured their success.
"Drogba is a killer," said the Frenchman.
"We made it a little bit easier for him but he never stops and is always focused. Look at the number of goals he has scored in big games.
"He dives a little bit too much sometimes but he is a great player."
Confidence
While Wenger was quick to pile praise on Drogba, he also accepts that part of the responsibility for the Wembley setback must lie with rookie keeper Lukasz Fabianski.
The Polish shot-stopper endured an afternoon to forget against Chelsea, but Wenger backed Fabianski to put the disappointment behind him and emerge a stronger player.
"Maybe this was not the best of days for Fabianski but I still believe he will be a great goalkeeper," said Wenger.
"We have to lift his confidence because he will feel guilty.
"But I don't want to blame any individual. We need to respond very quickly against Liverpool on Tuesday."
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