I am writing this fresh from watching last night’s game at a bar at uni surrounded by United fans from Bristol, Birmingham and of course North London. But, that’s an age old point, and not one for me to dwell on now. Instead, I intend to focus on the ineptitude of Emmanuel Adebayor.

Sure, his 30 goals for us last season was an outstanding contribution, and he is capable of moments like that volley against S**** and Villarreal. He could have gone for £30 million last summer, and ultimately, clearly against his will he stayed. I can’t think of a time this season where Ade has had a good game. He grabbed a hat-trick at Blackburn but that was primarily due to great assists and one of them was a penalty. I know he has had an injury-disrupted season but when fit, he is a shadow of last season’s top scorer. He plays a peripheral role in the majority of games he features in and last night was no different.

You only have to compare the magnificent shift Drogba put in at the Nou Camp with Adebayor’s lazy and indifferent attitude at Old Trafford. He couldn’t hold the ball up, he didn’t track back, and when he did get the ball in attacking areas, he wasted it almost every time. I realise the service was not the greatest, particularly from a woeful Cesc, and playing upfront alone in an away European leg is a thankless task, but Drogba had the same. Even when he has Van Persie alongside him, his performances are no better. I called Cesc ‘woeful’ above and though this was the case tonight, his attitude and dedication to the team is never in doubt, and I’m sure he covered a ridiculous amount of ground tonight, fighting for the cause, unlike the one once loved as the Togonator.

I recently praised the attitude of Samir Nasri, one which contrasts completely with that of the Togonator. He does not care about the club, and clearly thinks he deserves to be part of a supposed ‘bigger’ team. On what evidence? I can’t see him getting as many goals as he does without the creativity in our side. He is certainly no better than any other striker in the top four, or even Villa with Carew. Goals like the one in Spain give neutral fans the impression that he is a world class striker, and that should keep his transfer tag up a bit, but in reality he is a lazy, selfish and clumsy excuse for a ‘world class’ centre forward.

Wow, that is a load off my mind. Rant over. All in all, in the context of the game 1-0 isn’t a bad result. I want to play special credit to Almunia, Toure and Gibbs. Almunia, is in my opinion the most underrated goalkeeper in the Premiership, Kolo looked like the old ‘Invincible’, and Gibbs showed once again that Clichy needs to be looking over his shoulder in training. Here’s hoping that we get some more fluidity in the attacking third on Tuesday, and seeing as the only other option instead of my beloved Togonator is Bendtner, hope that he can conjure a little more magic in those passionless, uncaring boots of his.

(Ed’s note – we were also sent this after Wednesday evening’s game. Frankly, as it’s already appeared elsewhere, it’s easier to link to it rather than run it on this website. Read it in its original place of posting, should you wish)