Adebayor

[ralvy]

So, with one month of competitive football already gone, I think its becoming clear with each passing game how our main offensive players should start begin rated by virtue of how they fit on a Lamela-built-around attacking game, as its becoming evident Pochetino sees him as our main creative asset (either that, or Lamela himself is the one taking on the responsibility to ask for every ball each time our more defensive players have got possession as we're transitioning into attack).

So far, Adebayor is simply not making the cut. I don't know if he just isn't fit enough or maybe his body structure is getting in the way but he just isn't reacting quickly enough to make the most of all the potentially great plays Lamela keeps trying to start with him, not even when all he has to do is just give him the ball back instantly or to someone else. Im getting worried Adebayor may not be the right forward to play in front of Adebayor. Will Soldado be better suited to play alongside Lamela than Ade?

 

[mkkid]

Really, well our transfer window sorted out Ade replacement.Soldado is the new Alan Brazil hasn't got the physical presence to play in this system and Kane is too raw.

 

[double0]

I really noticed the problems Ade caused in his positioning against Liverpool. No doubt Ade on his day is a class striker but when you have players with the technical abilities of Eriksen Chadli Lamela you need a striker playing up against the opposite defence on the last man one touch finisher. Ade far to often gets in the way pulling out wide slows down attacks. I just wish he'd stay up front a bit more in games. ...I think he gets bored starts demanding the ball (good thing per say) but we lose focal point.

 

[stemark44]

Adebayor hasn't a clue what he is doing or where he should be from the first minute to the last.
Not sure how you can create consistency in any team when you have players like him leading the line.
I am now convinced that the only time he is in the right position in the box is when he recognises someone he knows behind the goal and moves into a better position to give them a little wave.
Our players see the arm go up and are so shocked that for once Adebayor is clear in the box that they get the ball in to him straight away before he gets himself offside.

 

[CrazyHeart]

How about we actually see Soldado in action, alongside Lamela, Chadli and Eriksen before making any kind of negative determination in favor of Ade?

 

[sam1972]

How about we actually see Soldado in action, alongside Lamela, Chadli and Eriksen before making any kind of negative determination in favor of Ade?

That makes sense but would never happen here.

 

[Jamturk]

It's all about timing.

 

[Gassin's finest]

And I suppose Rickie Lambert was too slow to play alongside Lallana and Rodriguez last season. Because that never worked did it?

What nonsense. Adebayor drops because he's a creative player himself, and is looking for the ball because he's not getting it. You would see Soldado do exactly the same thing.

 

[moomin]

i honestly feel like defoe would be better in this team, the way we are playing, than ade is now

 

[Sp3akerboxxx]

Must admit I thought that at times our movement in front of Lamela was pretty poor. A lot of the times he would be running with the ball and would be the furthest player forward with no one making runs in front of him. Something to work on though and one of the few criticisms I have of our attacking performance.

 

[yido_number1]

I think the weekend isn't really fair to judge Ade on. He's just flown back from Africa and was clearly not fit. I think if Soldado had been fit he would of played.

 

[ShayLaB]

Lambert said Poch taught him how to be a lone striker. I would image there more to come from how he will be asked to play.

 

[Stoof]

Lambert said Poch taught him how to be a long striker. I would image there more to come from how he will be asked to play.

Giggity.

 

[Shea]

Ade isn't too slow physically

He does lack that yard of pace that the truly intelligent strikers like Teddy and Jurgen though - not pace that yard advantage through reading the game and anticipating the play, making the runs that dictate the play etc

He's clearly not yet on the wavelength of players like Lamela or Erkisen

Its possibly he could develop that with them the more they play together and the more they're cohesively coached by Poch

It's also possible that Soldado may be better suited - he did show the type of movement and intelligence that you'd think is perfect for players like Erkisen and Lamela, but the draw back was he lacked the physical attributes and was often caught short for strength or speed

If only we could make a Hybrid of the two.....

For now though I think we should wait and see how either or both improve under the new manager and give them both the clean slate and time to show their worth in a new set up before we make drastic conclusions and write them both off (we can't make any upgrades at least until Jan and more likely the summer now anyway)

 

[worcestersauce]

i honestly feel like defoe would be better in this team, the way we are playing, than ade is now

He'd be offside though.
I'm not sure Ade can't do it but he does seem to be a toe or two short of the ball in those situations, he has however made the run and got in to take the pass, I just think he looks a little slow, almost rusty so I don't think it's permanent.
I do believe that we are doing the right things and as we get it together players will know whats coming without having to think about it which will give them an extra second and then the right things will start to pay off.
The short pass into the box for the striker's run is not something we've seen much of in the last few years is it.

 

[stevenurse]

Can't help but think someone who does fuck all outside the area but plays between the 18 yard box lines and makes runs inbehind would be more useful.

No point having a striker accopying the space of Lamela/chadli etc and having nobody in the box.

Even Soldado does it now when realistically he's been brought in to put the thing in the net.

Whilst running the channels/holding the ball up etc is an integral part of a lone striker role, I'd rather have my strikers in the box and let the 3 behind do the running

Plus someone who could finish would help.

 

[Darth Vega]

My big worry with Ade is his general positioning (drifts out wide too much) and even sometimes his competence on the ball. He slows down the play too much and I never feel confident when he has the ball, like he's going to lose it at any moment. Soldado on the other hand is technically brilliant but is so woeful at being the target man.

I wouldn't mind Ade drifting out wide as long as we work on always having someone in there to compensate, most probably Chadli. There was a point in the Liverpool game where Chadli was running onto a ball and Adebayor ran to take it off of him, leaving nobody in the middle. Stuff like that stifles our counter attacks so badly.

 

[Shea]

Can't help but think someone who does fuck all outside the area but plays between the 18 yard box lines and makes runs inbehind would be more useful.

No point having a striker accopying the space of Lamela/chadli etc and having nobody in the box.

Even Soldado does it now when realistically he's been brought in to put the thing in the net.

Whilst running the channels/holding the ball up etc is an integral part of a lone striker role, I'd rather have my strikers in the box and let the 3 behind do the running

Plus someone who could finish would help.

Soldado came in to a team that was set up by AVB to leave the strikers horribly exposed in the box while shooting from range

He was making the type of runs he needed to make for players to provide him the service you speak of but the service was not there

As a result he had to start coming deeper to simply get involved in the game

Even under Sherwood - the ball was in the box a lot more, but it was normally just hit in there with little direction or accuracy and while Ade profited by having the physical tools to make the most of a poor cross Soldado was still largely isolated and only having half chances (when he did get good chances he was under so much self imposed pressure to sure he was blasting the ball and missing horribly when he's always been such a calm and composed finisher)

I think it this current set up there's more chance that Soldado could be productive with a group of creative players who could develop the level of understandings required to make us a cohesive unit with the three creative players anticipating his runs and putting the ball where he is going to be as a result

This whole team really needs time to gel again, everything is new to each other from the players to the managers and the system of play

 

[Japhet]

For me, Ade is a poor decision maker. He'll bust a gut chasing a lost cause in an unimportant area, but when he needs to bust a gut to get in the box he dithers about out on the wings.

 

[Shea]

For me, Ade is a poor decision maker. He'll bust a gut chasing a lost cause in an unimportant area, but when he needs to bust a gut to get in the box he dithers about out on the wings.

That's the type of thing Lambert suggested Poch helped him learn and turned him into a better striker - so as with Soldado there is potential for Ade to improve and thrive in this system under this manager also

I think our options could well become good options by the end of the season, its too soon to panic and we need to give them all a clean slate