Spurs striker’s absence likely to help Pochettino, not hinder him
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It is approaching a year to the day that a newly appointed Tim Sherwood turned to an exiled Emmanuel Adebayor to rescue Spurs’ season. But, with the Lilywhites’ current campaign stalling once again, it won’t be the striker wearing the superheroes cape this time around.
The former Arsenal frontman has been granted a leave of absence by Mauricio Pochettino, allowing Adebayor to return home to Togo and deal with a family matter and the first-year Spurs boss admits he is unsure when his rangy striker will return.
“We hope when he comes back he will be ready to start training and to help the team,” the Argentine said ahead of Spurs’ Europa League clash at Besiktas, a game they are 23/10 to win.
Whether the number 10 is out over the busy Christmas period or not remains to be seen, but his absence could just allow his manager to finally hatch a winning formula at White Hart Lane.
Roberto Soldado and Harry Kane are now the only two senior strikers available for selection, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Spurs are unbeaten in the six games the former Southampton tactician has started both Soldado and Kane together, winning four of those and scoring at least two goals in the same number of outings.
The pairing also helped produce the Lilywhites’ best performance of the campaign by some distance, with the Spaniard and Spurs’ revelation of the season combining upfront together in a 4-4-2 formation against Everton.
That match at White Hart Lane saw Kane lead the Pochettino Press to great effect as Tottenham harangued and harassed their visitors high up the field in a rare impressive display.
It was also the game that saw Soldado break his long scoring drought in a white shirt and clearly brought the best out of his ability to link play and his younger partner’s effusive energy.
Continuing to play the two together could finally see Pochettino crack Spurs’ inconsistency this term, ensuring Adebayor’s absence for a while longer as a result.
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