Sport

3 REASONS VILLA & SHERWOOD SHOULD AVOID ADEBAYOR

Aston Villa need to hit the ground running at the start of the 2015/16 season if they want to avoid the kind of fate that befell them during the last campaign.

Despite a magical run to the FA Cup final which ultimately ended in a crushing defeat, Villa’s league form was about as poor as it gets and Tim Sherwood deserves the plaudits for stopping the Villains from plunging into the Championship abyss. Just.

The summer transfer window gives everyone a chance to dream of what the forthcoming few months will bring and to that end, inspired signings can give a real lift to a team.

Although Fabian Delph’s decision to stay at the club rather than be lured by the money on offer at Manchester City is a real filip, Sherwood’s business in the transfer market is a little underwhelming to this point.

Idrissa Gueye has joined from Lille for £9m and Micah Richards has been secured. Keeper Mark Bunn has also joined from Norwich but none of the three have got the locals excited.

Rumours that Emmanuel Adebayor is next on the shopping list, surely suggesting that Christian Benteke is on his way out of Villa Park, won’t be greeted with unanimous approval either.

Here’s three reasons why Sherwood should steer well clear…

Disruptive influence

If there is one thing that has authored every stage of Adebayor’s career, it is a disruptive influence in the dressing room.

Sherwood has been big on the “all for one, one for all” mentality but that’s not something that the Togolese can subscribe to.

There’s not too much doubt that on his day Adebayor offers a significant presence, but his best days are few and far between.

He garners more column inches for his egotistical behaviour than his goals which tells us much.

Goalscoring record

When he wants to, Adebayor can look like a world beater.

For a big man, he possesses a decent array of skills and a record throughout his career of a goal in every three games is a reasonable return.

However the stats are ever so slightly misleading.

With each new team Adebayor sets the pulses racing with a glut of goals in the initial stages, but we can be assured that within a few weeks the goals will dry up.

Just two goals at Spurs during the 2014/15 season is a perfect example. 11 the season before is far more productive.

62 goals in the last five years is a far more accurate guide as to the prowess that Villa fans can expect.

Age

When you buy a main striker, you want proven quality of course, but also a player in their prime wouldn’t go amiss.

Christian Benteke is just 24 years old and arguably has some growing to do to reach his peak, however if his will is to move on because the club don’t meet his aspirations, there is little Sherwood can do about it.

With a reported £32m in the kitty should the Belgian decant to Liverpool or elsewhere, that money could be spent a lot more wisely than on a 31-year-old whose best days are clearly behind him.

With respect, the player isn’t going to get any better is he?