Adebayor's message to friends about Arsenal suggests nothing has changed at club

15 October 2023 , 13:44

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Adebayor's message to friends about Arsenal suggests nothing has changed at club

Emmanuel Adebayor has claimed he felt it would be difficult for Arsenal to win the Premier League last season even when they were several points ahead of Manchester City.

The Gunners shocked fans and pundits alike last season when they came close to securing a first league title since 2004, but poor form during the second half of the campaign saw Pep Guardiola's City side gain the upper hand and eventually run out as champions.

Adebayor has hardly had an ideal relationship with the Emirates faithful since he called time on his Arsenal career in 2009 to upsticks and join City at the start of the Sheikh Mansour revolution. However, rather surprisingly, he has admitted he was rooting for the Gunners during last season's title race.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the Togo international shed light on what often dented title dreams back when he was an Arsenal player as he explained: "Last season we were all rooting for them to win the league and they came very close.

"We’d be first or second and then around February a player would get injured or suspended and that’s it. The league is gone. We had a great team but a young team, we needed a leader.

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"So when I saw them starting to drop points, even when Man City were several points behind, I said listen to me, I don’t know whether there is a curse on the club but it’s going to be difficult for them to win the league."

Adebayor did go on to discuss how regardless of the Gunners falling short when it mattered most last term, the progress made by Arsenal under Mikel Arteta has been impressive and singled out one summer signing in particular.

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"But let’s put it into perspective. Where they were coming from and what they did last year was incredible. They finished second and came so close to winning the league. With Declan Rice, they have bought some good players. They have actually invested to win the league and go far in the Champions League. It’s my old club and I wish them the best of luck."

Adebayor will be heartened by the start his old club have made this time around, with Arsenal still unbeaten in the league after eight games played. That run includes victories of both City and Manchester United, as well as a draw against local rivals Tottenham at the Emirates.

As a result, the Gunners currently sit second in the table. Level on points with neighbours Spurs and boasting a near-identical record, they find themselves below Ange Postecoglou's side due to inferior goals-scored tally.

Josh O'Brien