Spurs are better off without the cursed target man.
Emmanuel Adebayor missed Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-1 over Everton on Sunday.
The reason behind his absence is uncertain – some say he suffered a muscular strain in training, others are adamant that he is feeling the effects of a Juju curse, which was allegedly put on him by his mother.
Whatever the truth, one thing is clear – Spurs are better off without him.
Adebayor is impossible to manage. The former Arsenal striker does what he wants.
With Adebayor out of the equation, head coach Mauricio Pochettino selected Harry Kane and Roberto Soldado to face the Toffees. Both players had clear roles and both did exactly as instructed.
Kane operated in the number 10 position. He was incredibly disciplined, working tirelessly behind the ball when Everton were in possession, as well as crusading forward at every opportunity.
The England Under-21 star helped to create both of Tottenham’s goals. His powerful run and shot resulted in the rebound which Christian Eriksen stuck away, and his perfectly-timed slide tackle began the attack which ended in Soldado’s first goal in nine games.
Soldado also followed his instructions to the letter. The Spaniard spearheaded Tottenham’s attack, bringing the midfielders into play with some neat link-up, as well as offering a direct out ball whenever options were short.
There is no doubt that, in terms of ability and potential, Adebayor is streets ahead of his striking rivals at White Hart Lane.
If you are picking a team for FIFA 15, the African is your man, because you can control him. However, if left to his own devices for motivation, he is nowhere near good enough to be at a club like Spurs.
Adebayor’s lack of commitment to the cause is all the more concerning right now given that Tottenham’s squad is weaker in terms of quality than it has been for about 10 years.
Pochettino cannot rely on individual brilliance, like Spurs have done with Dimitar Berbatov, Rafael van Vaart and Gareth Bale in recent times.
The former Southampton boss needs his players to be signing from the same hymn sheet, just as they were against Everton.
Adebayor, in his own mind at least, is above team tactics.
Whether or not an immediate replacement is available in January, he should be re-homed to anyone foolish enough to take a chance on him. QPR perhaps?