Arsenal: The Adebayor saga - Looking in from the outside
Posted by Martin in Adebayor, Arsenal, Thierry Henry, West Brom | 17 August 2008
Guest Blogger: Joe Pacutho
I believe all Arsenal fans were relieved when it became clear that Adebayor was not going anywhere. However my relief was not because he remained at Arsenal. Mine was rather the destabilizing uncertainty it created.
This uncertainty was affecting the whole squad and the manager. The longer it took the more the dilemma the manager had in deciding what areas of the team to strengthen. He could not decide whether to buy another striker or not. The uncertainty was unsettling the cohesion of the team especially after the departure of Flamini and Hleb. The wage structure too was being called into question. Other members of the squad like Van Persie started making little noises about wage increment. In general it was not good for the morale of the team.
After scoring thirty goals in all competitions, Adebayor was voted the BBC African Player of the Year. Then BBC went further and made a documentary about him. This must have given him the illusion that he was a very good player to the stature of players like Thierry Henry. He infact demanded to be paid an equivalent of Henry’s wages. A demand which I think was ludicrous given the fact that there was no basis for that comparison.
For starters.Henry had been with Arsenal for six solid years and deserved such a wage considering his exceptional performance on the field and his captaincy. He had won the golden boot for three consecutive years. Adebayor on the other hand was not the Premiership’s top scorer. He has been with Arsenal for only one and a half seasons. Henry was top scorer for 4 seasons, seasons ending May 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006. He was also PFA Player of the year 2002-03 and 2003-04. Henry had both talent and skill but Adebayor has not developed those skills yet. Henry could use both legs while Adebayor is dependant on the right leg only. Henry could take on a whole defence, mesmerize them with his skills and score. Adebayor, faced with a similar situation, when challenged, normally looks for somebody else to pass to.
Adebayor is lucky that, Arsenal is one team which can create enumerable scoring chances. However for Adebayor to score one goal, he will have fluffed 10 chances. And yet if you gave Henry ten scoring chances, he would score seven of them. Somebody needs to tell Adebayor that he is still row. He needs several years of hard work to even come close to Henry’s prowess. He needs to learn skills of turning on the ball for example and shoot, instead of always knocking it back to the midfield. His first touches are so poor that he often loses the ball. He needs to also polish his passes.
Last season he chested a ball and volleyed it for a wonderful goal. It was a great technique, but alas, he has not been able to repeat it even once. I certainly agree he has made a lot of improvement but that improvement is only a comparison of today’s Adebayor to the Adebayor of January 2006. He is nowhere near Henry.
I understand he did get a pay rise to seventy thousand pounds a week. He must know that he has now piled pressure on himself to perform. With a fit Van Persie and Vela in the same striking line. I wonder if he can repeat last season’s feat.
Update: In the 1:0 win over West Bromwich, Adebayor missed 6 scoring opportunities. The man cannot bend the ball. Must always shoot to the right. Neither can he chip the ball over the goalie.
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Comments
wonderful piece of analysis. keep it up and keep checking on ade's progress.
you re so right...the arrogant lil mu%#@@ker.i am an arsenal fan and a nigerian... adebayors real native country.but he has to learn.i was so angry with his missed chances(pay me like henry and ill score like henry) and wondered whether the young vela wouldnt have gotten a hat trick with his obviously better standard of finishing.He had better work harder.Nasri was Great,i wish him every success.
On yesterdays performance he couldn't repeat last years feat!
He also needs to learn the offside rule. Both him and Eboue need to get to specsavers...at least Wiliam Gallas went close.
Adebayo is not a striker.
Adebayor will regret for a long time the mess he put himself into this summer. if he does not equal or surpass last season's success he will become a player no one will want. He has to have lost all sanity to compare himself with Henry.
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