Arsenal's struggles this term have fostered a growing sense of dissatisfaction among the support towards some of the team’s perceived underperformers. Nicklas Bendtner, Emmanuel Eboue and Emmanuel Adebayor have been the three biggest victims of the boo-boys this season.
In a recent incident, Adebayor was apparently subjected to a verbal attack at Lagos airport. The disgruntled fan is reported to have yelled: “You get paid £80,000 a week to put the ball in the back of the net and you’re still fucking rubbish. I pay good money for a season ticket to pay your wages.”
The full story can be read here:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article2259312.ece
The extent to which each player has earned this abuse differs. Eboue has been pretty poor, and his childish behaviour does nothing to help his cause; but in his defence he is clearly being played out of position.
Bendtner is another one whose attitude lets him down. At his best he is a great player, the problem is we rarely see his best. This is expected of a young player and does not in itself make him deserving of derision. What rankles with the fans is his apparent arrogance, which appears acutely unwarranted.
However, for all their flaws, it can at least be said of Eboue and Bendtner that they try hard, Bendtner especially. Adebayor, by contrast, seems to be living on passed glories.
Last season was a fruitful one for the towering Togolese. He stepped out of the shadows after the departure of T14 to plunder 30 goals in all competitions – a wonderful return.
It was off the back of this that he became a man in demand. Milan and Barcelona were among the clubs trying to prise him from Arsenal, with bids around the £25m mark being touted.
Arsenal, however, held firm. They demonstrated their intention to keep hold of their best players by offering the striker a sizeable salary increase to extend his contract. Despite the lure of two of Europe’s glamour clubs, Adebayor was persuaded to sign on.
This should have been springboard for another explosive season, yet it appears to onlookers that Adebayor has gone backwards. It’s not just that the goals have dried up, but the tireless running and harrying that was the basis of his success last term appears to have evaporated also.
It seems to many fans that Adebayor has fallen for his own hype. He is satisfied with his new contract and has simply stopped trying as hard. This has left some ruing the missed opportunity to cash-in on the striker during the summer, with media reports suggesting he may be shipped out this time round for significantly less money.
Of course hindsight is a wonderful thing. Although fans were upset by Adebayor’s apparent soliciting of new suitors to secure a bigger contract, there is no doubt that many were unhappy with the prospect of the club’s star striker being sold for the second successive year.
Arsenal were in serious danger of being labelled a selling club – the kiss of death for a team with ambitions to attract top players and challenge for honours. It was therefore imperative that Arsenal flex their muscle and resist the advances from Italy and Spain.
That the decision perhaps appears wrong in retrospect is irrelevant. The fact is that the Arsenal board had a very difficult decision to make.
In the end they decided to avoid the inevitable backlash that would have followed Adebayor’s departure. It is one thing to offload the aging legs of Vieira, Henry and Pires; quite another to be forced into the sale of player in his prime.
The only remedy for this situation is for Adebayor to pull his proverbial socks up. He needs to stop taking his place in the side for granted and show again why he has drawn the gaze of the likes of Milan. If he does this he will silence the critics and go some way to helping Arsenal return to the top four.
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