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Adebayor is top of his class, insists Wenger
Evening Standard 4 Feb 2008
Arsene Wenger is not known for understatements but he might have broken new ground when he insisted Emmanuel Adebayor could become as a good as Didier Drogba, after watching the Arsenal striker continue his remarkable scoring run to lift his side back to the top of the Premier League.
Few doubt the qualities of Drogba, just as those who witnessed Adebayor's personal destruction of Manchester City and their unbeaten home record doubt the Togo international has already surpassed his Chelsea neighbour as the most potent striker on the domestic stage.
Adebayor scored two more goals to take his season's tally to 21 in all competitions. He has now scored 11 goals in his last eight outings and how relieved Wenger must be that Togo failed to qualify for the African Cup of Nations.
Adebayor's progress this season has been so startling that he is entering the realms of achieving the near impossible and filling the massive void left by Thierry Henry's departure to Barcelona last summer.
Wenger paid Monaco £7million for Adebayor, 23, two seasons ago but, on this evidence, his transfer value has now risen to something not far off the £16m Barcelona paid to lure Henry to the Nou Camp. Some of Europe's leading clubs have taken notice of Adebayor's flourishing gifts, most notably Real Madrid, and AC Milan, and Wenger could have a fight on his hands to keep his new 'jewel' at the Emirates.
While Adebayor's value soars, Micah Richards saw his own stock fall in front of watching England coach Fabio Capello as both he and Richard Dunne struggled to contain the pace, skill and guile of Arsenal's lanky forward.
Wenger heaped praise on Adebayor and knows his pupil is heading straight to the top of the class. He said: "I feel like there was a question mark about him when he signed for Arsenal.
"There were questions about his attitude, his spirit. Did we manage to change him? Or did he realise himself that he'd wasted enough time? It's down to him, I would say. He's found a club where he can express himself and he will be as good as Drogba."
Wenger believes Arsenal might need in excess of 90 points to win the title and insisted it would come down to a battle of nerve between themselves, United and Chelsea.
He added: "It comes down to nerve and maybe the direct matches. Our total is already phenomenal, but it looks like we might need around 90 points.
"I don't rule out Chelsea because they are at home to Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool. It will be very, very tight between the three of us."
Sven-Goran Eriksson's side were dead and buried within 30 minutes. Adebayor broke the deadlock in the ninth minute with a close range finish before creating his side's second for Eduardo, who beat Joe Hart with an overhead kick to enhance his own growing reputation.
Gelson Fernandes pulled a goal back before half-time after Vedran Corluka had capitalised on a rare defensive mistake from Gael Clichy, but the visitors cruised through the second period before Adebayor caught Eriksson's men on the break in the dying minutes.
Eriksson's hopes of European qualification are fading, along with his chances of signing Benjani from Portsmouth. The striker failed a hastily arranged medical before the transfer deadline and returned to the south coast, even though Portsmouth claim there is no reason why a deal cannot be done.
The matter is now in the hands of legal experts from both clubs and Eriksson said: "He is a good player, he has scored 12 goals so far and is one of the top scorers in the country.
"I will push hard but I don't think it's on my table. I think we'll have a decision soon. What's important at the moment is that he's not our player."
