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Emmanuel Adebayor
Right priorities: Emmanuel Adebayor says winning trophies is more important than scoring goals

Adebayor puts team before tally

18 Feb 2009


Emmanuel Adebayor insists he does not care if scores another goal this season as long as Arsenal win something.

The Gunners have not lifted a trophy since the 2005 FA Cup final win over Manchester United and with the Barclays Premier League title apparently out of sight, they have designs on both the FA Cup and the Champions League this year.

Adebayor was absent with a hamstring strain when the Gunners booked their place in the fifth round of the cup with a 4-0 win over Cardiff on Monday, but should come back into contention in around two weeks.

With Nicklas Bendtner, Robin van Persie and the fit-again Eduardo all vying for places in the Arsenal attack, Adebayor realises he may struggle to match last season's 30-goal haul.

But he is happy to leave personal milestones to one side as long as he can lift a trophy before the end of the campaign.

"I know having scored 30 goals in a season that people will always be waiting for more this season but the most important thing is to keep on going and to progress," he told Arsenal TV.

"I have 12 already but to score another 18 now would not be easy.

"But I don't care if I stop on 12 goals if we win something with the club.

"To win trophies is more important than scoring goals but if we are to win trophies will need to score some goals.

"This club needs trophies and that's what we are fighting for."

Adebayor, whose form this season has been criticised in some quarters after a summer in which he appeared to be on his way out of the Emirates, insists he is happy with his game.

"I am getting assists now too and getting closer to being a complete footballer," said the Togo forward.

"I can score with my left, score with my right and score with my head too, which is good for a striker.

"But at the end of the season people don't see how we are enjoying ourselves they see what (trophies) we have in our hands."

Gunners centre-half Kolo Toure, meanwhile, expects January signing Andrei Arshavin to become a fine addition once he settles in to English football.

The Russian was on the bench for the north London derby and was ineligible for the Cardiff clash, but Toure believes the club's fans will soon see a special talent at work.

"He's only just started training with us, really, and I think that when he feels comfortable in the team we'll see a great, great player," he said.

"I think he's just the right type of player for Arsenal.

"We can see that he's really quick, intelligent, a good passer and can score goals. I think he's definitely going to help us - from his first training session you could see what quality he has."

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Adebayor doesn't care if he scores another goal all season?!!!

Hasn't that been his attitude for a while already this season?!!!

His application and attitude over the last couple of months as we've struggled to score goals has been nothing short of disgraceful, whilst younger players in the team who are working harder are feeling the brunt of the criticism for the team's failures.

Senior players like van Persie, Clichy, even Gallas have done their best to step up to the plate in the crisis times. But where's our supposed 30-goal a season striker, who forced the club to hand him a new contract doubling his wages? Nowhere to be seen. A shadow of the player he was last season.

He's probably spent more time counting his money this season than he has spent trying to earn it. If we win anything this season it will be in spite of him, not because of him, that's for sure.

- Steven, London, 18/02/2009 16:29
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