Adebayor- Arsenal wanajimaliza wenyewe

EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR takes no joy from saying it and even less from seeing it.

For the Tottenham striker still has fond memories of former club Arsenal and his old team-mates.

A lasting sentiment which makes his dramatic analysis of what's gone wrong with the Gunners all the more powerful as he prepares for tomorrow's crunch North London derby at the Emirates.

The 6ft 4in forward sighed and shook his head in dismay as he said: "I swear to you there's no joy for me in seeing Arsenal like this.

"Just because I play for Spurs now doesn't mean I want to see them struggle.

"I don't. I have a lot of good memories and good friends still at the club but I'm sorry to say the problems are there for all to see and in my opinion there's a simple explanation for it.

"Every year they are losing great players like an Ashley Cole, Thierry Henry, Cesc Fabregas or a Samir Nasri. So every year they desperately try to replace these guys.

"But it is not easy to find another Thierry Henry or Cesc Fabregas as even Arsene Wenger has found out. So that's the problem.

HAND IT TO HIM ... Emmanuel Adebayor says Arsenal must try to keep Robin van Persie"In an ideal world you keep those great players and every year add even more quality to the squad.

"That way you improve, that way you move forward, that way you stay competitive. But you can never improve if all you do is try and replace the players that you lose every year and never strengthen.

"It just means there's even less chance of winning trophies, so it all becomes a vicious circle and you lose even more players.

"Because all top players are the same — they want to win things and when they know that's impossible they will look to leave. That's football... "

Adebayor, 27, scored 46 goals in three successful years with the Gunners before departing for Manchester City in a mega £25million deal.

He added: "When I left Arsenal to join City it was because I believed they were better equipped to win trophies. They spent money and showed genuine ambition.

"What's happened? Last year they won the FA Cup and qualified for the Champions League. Now this year they are in with a great chance of winning the Premier League.

"It is amazing — they have invested in players, in the team and it is working."

But the Togo international found himself sidelined at City and jumped at the chance to join Spurs on loan last summer.

He has made a brilliant impact banging in 10 goals and claiming 11 assists already this season. Adebayor said: "Tottenham, too, have invested in top players in recent years — Gareth Bale, Scott Parker, Rafael van der Vaart, Luka Modric.

"And we are doing very well and playing some amazing football.

"More importantly, though, we have managed to keep great players like Bale and Modric and then built on the existing team by buying players like Parker, Brad Friedel, Louis Saha and myself.

"Arsenal have unfortunately lost their best players and have needed to merely replace rather than kick on.

"But if they would just give themselves a chance to keep their best players, players like Robin van Persie and then strengthen, they would be a real threat again.

"We can all see that Van Persie is one of the best strikers in the league, in the world, and to lose him would be a massive blow.

"But to lose him, not to replace properly and to not build up the squad afterwards would be a disaster.

"That would be an Arsenal team without any capacity to even challenge for trophies, let alone win one. That would make me sad. I'm very proud that I played for Arsenal Football Club."

Adebayor's relationship with Gunners fans deteriorated after he ran the full length of the field to celebrate in front of them having scored for City in 2009.

He later apologised. But he added: "Yes, I know the fans will give me a lot of stick for leaving and for my behaviour against them at Man City.

"But the truth is I had a great time there and am still fond of the players and staff who I will be delighted to see there.

"I have matured a lot and I have no hard feelings against anyone at the club.

"Arsenal is part of my life, so it's strange because I think it must be the first time Tottenham have gone there so far ahead in the table.

"The gap is 10 points. That used to be the sort of gap Arsenal would have over Tottenham. It is amazing. Even if we lose — which obviously I hope we don't — we would still be seven points ahead of them.

"If we win, the lead becomes 13 points and that's incredible.

"So all the pressure is on Arsenal, there's no pressure on us at all. We can go for it without any fear.

"It puts us in a great position for the match. And a great position to keep the pressure on Manchester United and Manchester City above us. Our ambition this season was to make the Champions League and we are in a good situation to achieve that.

"Who knows how much further we can go? We will try and win every game and see what happens in May.

"After Arsenal, we have Manchester United at White Hart Lane, so that could be a key game. It is all very exciting.

"We must just keep trying to do the right thing. Keep focused on our football, keep playing our football and keep trying to win every game.

"Then at the end of the season we will see where that leaves us."

The summer will also determine where Adebayor's future lies — a return to Manchester City, a new club or his preferred option — turning his loan spell at Spurs into a permanent deal.

He added: "I would love to stay at Tottenham and help them become champions.

"And I really enjoy working with this manager. Harry Redknapp has done so much to give me my confidence back. He told me, 'Whether you score or you don't score, you are a great player.

You make goals, you work hard, you run for the team, you defend for the team. Your presence alone gives more space to others like Bale and Van der Vaart'.

"That's great to hear because when your manager makes those sort of compliments you do your very best for him.

"That's why I'm not surprised he is the main man now for the England job."
Adebayor also remains a committed fan of his former boss Wenger, despite the Gunners' current problems.

He said: "He is one of the best managers I have ever worked with and it's sad to see him going through a tough time.

"You could see in the match in Milan how frustrated he was, I have never seen him look like that before.

"He is under so much pressure to finish in the top four, yet the team looks totally out of confidence, so it's proving a very tough season.

"But I'm sure he knows how it is in football for a manager. When the team is doing well, it is all because of the players. When the team is doing badly, it is because of the manager. That will never change."

But the balance of power has shifted in North London and probably for the long-term.