Tottenham trying to get the best out of Adebayor, says Villas-Boas
Thursday 21 February 2013
Andre Villas-Boas has admitted he has yet to find a way to get the best out of Tottenham Hotspur striker Emmanuel Adebayor, revealing that he has changed the shape of the team in an attempt to get the Togo striker scoring again, the Daily Mirror has reported.
Adebayor has scored only three goals this season, having netted 18 in the last campaign when he was on loan at Tottenham from Manchester City. He eventually moved to White Hart Lane on a permanent basis last summer, leaving the Premier League champions for around £5m.
The Mirror claims that it is a frequent criticism of Adebayor - that once he becomes too settled at a club, and is on a lucrative contract, the goals dry up. Villas-Boas rejected the suggestion, but did concede Spurs have not seen the best of the former Arsenal striker.
“We’re trying to unlock the best of Adebayor. Last year shows as an example of what we’re trying to get out of him. The team has adapted its style of play, which can relate to the dynamic of how he adapts to the other players,” Villas-Boas said.
“We have been speaking to him about how he can get into that goal-scoring position. Strikers live off goals and we’re doing everything we can to try and unlock his full potential, the Portuguese added, continuing: “I’m not sure if it bothers him [what people think of him]. Players build their own motivations.
“Perceptions and media opinions can influence the public in general but I think the player strives on his own motivation in the end.It doesn’t affect us in the way we deal with him. We just want to unlock his potential because we recognise we want him at the same level as last year and we’re doing everything we can to try and help him reach that level.”
Villas-Boas pointed out that there were other factors at play, including the form of Jermain Defoe, now injured, Adebayor’s own injury problems and his participation in the Africa Nations Cup, which took him away from Tottenham for around a month. Villas-Boas also brought up the sale of both Luka Modric and Rafael van der Vaart, illustrating that the team in which Adebayor thrived last season is no longer together.
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