Gallas: Adebayor praise

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Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor has praised captain William Gallas as the right man for the job.

The striker believes Arsenal's young side, who are facing tough challenges at both home and abroad, listen to the experienced skipper.

He is also leading from the front by scoring his fair share of goals, the latest an equaliser to rescue a point for the Gunners in their opening UEFA Champions League Group G game against Dynamo Kiev in Ukraine.

The late goal was the third in Europe this season for Gallas, who succeeded Thierry Henry as Arsenal's permanent captain.

When Arsene Wenger appointed Gallas, some questioned his choice, especially after the French defender sulked in the centre circle at Birmingham last season.

But Wenger has continued to back the 31-year-old, and Adebayor also believes he is the right man for the role.

Playing well

He said: "William is playing well at the moment, scoring some goals, and we are all happy for him.

"He brings a lot of experience to the team, with his age, because we are a young squad and have to listen to what he has to say.

"William has a lot of tales from the things he has done in his career and he has been sharing them with some of the young players in the squad.

"These are the moments which every team needs, to come through difficult times in a match.

"We knew in William we had someone with experience, who knows how to deal with these things."

Arsenal could have been out of sight in the Ukraine had they managed to convert a whole host of first-half chances.

Positive

But Adebayor is thankful for the point in the end, saying: "It was difficult for us, having missed so many chances earlier in the game, but in the end we have taken a point so that is all positive.

"We know that we will have some difficult times in the season, but that is football. At least we are creating chances, now we just have to keep on playing our own football and at the end, we will see.

"This has been a tough schedule for us, but we have to keep on going."

Things do not get any easier as Arsenal next face the stiff trip to the Reebok Stadium to face Bolton on Saturday, a place they have slipped up at in the past.

Adebayor added: "As players, we always knew before the season started that we would have periods like this - sometimes you have to play on Saturday, then go away again on Monday to Europe.

"But we will be ready for it. Going up to Bolton is always a difficult game, but as a player you just have to be ready and see what you can do."

Neither Sami Nasri (ankle) nor Mikael Silvestre (thigh) - who has yet to make his debut since signing from Manchester United - travelled to Kiev, but both could come into contention against Bolton.