- May 26, 2004
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The fact Defoe's hold up play was miles better than Adebayor is a clear indication that Adebayor is not playing well.
My problem with him isn't so much that he is out of form, but that for a large percentage of the games he is not interested in winning his personal duels with the defenders. He gets easily out-muscled, easily out jumped, easily out fought, it's not that he doesn't win every ball or hold up the play every time or whatever, its the fact he doesn't even put in a decent effort. There was an ironic cheer when he actually won a flick on during the match on sunday because he actually went into a contest for the ball, rather than doing a half arsed jump.
There are moments, flashes, when you think 'okay, he's finally get his mind focused, its taken twenty minutes but he's now ready to make an impression on the game' and in the next move he gets muscled out by a 3'11 dwarf.
I don't think he would have gone off injured if Defoe wasn't on the bench.
A big decision needs to be made in the summer. AVB has improved pretty much everyone's game this season except Adebayor. We need another striker regardless, but I think if we do not see an improvement in basic effort from Ade then we should sell him in the summer and get in two strikers, one who can go straight into the starting eleven, and someone who will work hard regardless.
My problem with him isn't so much that he is out of form, but that for a large percentage of the games he is not interested in winning his personal duels with the defenders. He gets easily out-muscled, easily out jumped, easily out fought, it's not that he doesn't win every ball or hold up the play every time or whatever, its the fact he doesn't even put in a decent effort. There was an ironic cheer when he actually won a flick on during the match on sunday because he actually went into a contest for the ball, rather than doing a half arsed jump.
There are moments, flashes, when you think 'okay, he's finally get his mind focused, its taken twenty minutes but he's now ready to make an impression on the game' and in the next move he gets muscled out by a 3'11 dwarf.
I don't think he would have gone off injured if Defoe wasn't on the bench.
A big decision needs to be made in the summer. AVB has improved pretty much everyone's game this season except Adebayor. We need another striker regardless, but I think if we do not see an improvement in basic effort from Ade then we should sell him in the summer and get in two strikers, one who can go straight into the starting eleven, and someone who will work hard regardless.