Well, well, well. Three holes in the ground.
The Arshavin panto rolls on and on and loads of rumours were stoking the fire (Dubaibury included with our c 'n p of the windows activity).
But in order to try and take a different view on the wide and wacky world of WengerTown, some sources (and I use that word in the loosest possible terms) are "running" some story that Adebayor couldn't (didn't) walk for the first 4 years of his life. :
"Arsenal's Togolese striker Emmanuel Adebayor has revealed he was unable to walk for the first four years of his life. His mother Alica carried him all over Africa in search of a cure before being told to spend a week praying in church. On the seventh day, Adebayor heard children playing outside, somebody kicked a ball into the church and he was the first to get up, run and collect the ball."
Now in part, I can believe this. The guy is on around £75 grand a week and I've seen him on the park this season wondering if he has had a relapse of this terrible affliction. It seems the miraculous cure his mother was searching the scorched African landscape for, was an Arsenal contract and the misguided belief that after one season he could tell the world that he is the best thing since the thing that slices bread and get his slippery agent to work a way into a move a "bigger club". I reckon Wengers scouting network should sign the kid who kicked the ball into the church - because a majority of the balls whipped into him on the pitch he doesn't seem to want to touch unless its landed 1.24 inches from boot (shades of Henry in his Autumn Arsenal Years standing infront of goal shrugging his shoulders and asking the wingers - "what ? You want ME to run for the ball ? Do you know who I am ???")
Make no mistake, I'm not diminishing Adebayors' ability. I'm diminishing the players' commitment, application and drive.
For me, he currently has all the hallmarks of a man who has nothing to aim for - a man who has it all on a plate. The guy is loaded, nearly always top of the list for 1st team action for Arsenal (squad depth and fitness accounting for that), he showed amazing disrespect to the Club, Manager and Fans during the Summer; and because the booing has stopped at Ashburton - he actually might believe he's won the fans back over. Talent is one thing - but using it is quite a different prospect.
As you might guess, the jury is still out for me on Adebayor. His lacklusture performances and his languid strides across the pitch don't convince me that he has the passion fight 110% for victory in every match. That said - he's not alone there. I guess I'm just disappointed in not seeing our forwards strainging for every cross, hunting down every back pass or at least shooting at goal at least twice a match. Intent, that’s the word I'm looking for. What a striker (natural or created in Wengers secret "Re-Animator" style dungeon deep in the medival cobweb lined cellars of Castle Colney [just off J21a M25]) needs about him is the intent to do damage and look in their eye that makes defenders poop their panties; but I just don't see that in Adebayor. There were flashes of that last season and a dominance about him. This season however, I see a man who is dining out on last years achievements.
Anyway, now we have Arshavin hopefully dishing up some quality balls into the final third, we'll see if it was just a service issue with him and if we can kick start his play. If not, he might be getting his move away from the club next year after all.
