Wenger - Adebayor must improve

Gunners striker must continue to work hard

By Chris Burton   Last updated: 6th May 2008

Emmanuel Adebayor Arsenal Premier League Football Reading

Adebayor: Still learning

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Arsene Wenger has warned Emmanuel Adebayor that he will end up a 'nobody' if he gets complacent.

The Arsenal striker has enjoyed a prolific season in front of goal this year, and took his goal tally to 30 with a hat-trick against hapless Derby at the end of April.

He has gone some way to filling the considerable void left by former Gunners legend Thierry Henry, but his manager feels that there is still room for improvement.

Wenger has no doubts that his African hit-man is capable of building on his impressive 2007/08 campaign, but only if he continues to work hard.

Attitude

"Emmanuel took his tally to 30 for the season with a hat-trick at Derby, but there is some room for him to improve - and that makes me very positive," said the Arsenal manager.

"I believe he has to keep a good working attitude.

"We have seen players before, when they start getting the recognition, they ease off in their team work, and very quickly they die.

"I believe if Ade keeps his work ethic, there is still 20 per cent more to come from him. Does he want it enough - to get this extra 20 per cent out? Well that is where his future lies. If you lose that desire, you quickly become a nobody."

Wenger continued: "He was never prolific at Monaco, but he has worked hard for it at Arsenal and it highlights that our offensive game favours the strikers.

"You will never starve as a striker at Arsenal - you get the quality balls to work with. Ade will be the first to agree with that."

Consistency

Despite Adebayor's efforts to fire the Gunners to glory the club are set to end a promising season empty-handed.

However, with a young squad which is still realising its potential, Wenger maintains that the club will be in a strong position to challenge for silverware next year.

"I believe our quality of the season overall has been absolutely outstanding, but because we have ended up without any trophies, people are naturally very negative," he said.

"We have to take a distance from that, and say that we have produced quality and we have produced consistency.

"We know we need to improve our killer instinct, but keep believing in this team because it is very special."