Source: Team_Talk
Mancini: Adebayor to keep his cool
Roberto Mancini is confident Emmanuel Adebayor will learn the lessons of past mistakes and keep his focus purely on the football at Arsenal.[LNB] The now-retired Togo striker returns to the Emirates Stadium for the first time on Saturday since his controversial £25million exit from Arsenal last summer, and the first time since his stormy appearance against the Gunners earlier this season.[LNB]Adebayor was handed a four-match ban for raking his studs down the face of former team-mate Robin van Persie, an action which drew an angry verbal response from the Dutchman.[LNB]That incident would have been bad enough had it not come straight after an ill-advised goal celebration from the forward, when he raced the full length of the field to slide right in front of the Gunners' supporters after scoring against his old club.[LNB]As someone who was not even at Manchester City at the time, Mancini can look back at the incident from a detached perspective.[LNB]However, with points now vital in the battle for fourth spot, the Italian accepts Adebayor cannot afford to let himself get sidetracked again.[LNB]"I remember the game against Arsenal. I watched it on TV," recalled Mancini.[LNB]"I don't know why it happened but in that first game Emmanuel made a mistake.[LNB]"On Saturday it is important he only concentrates on Manchester City because Emmanuel is important to us when he is doing that.[LNB]"If he scores another goal I will be happy but it is important we don't have another situation like the first one."[LNB]Even though Arsenal's title challenge came to a grinding halt thanks to Wigan's astonishing comeback at the DW Stadium on Sunday, Mancini is equally certain the Gunners players will not have their minds set on revenge either.[LNB]There is a suspicion that Adebayor could be targeted, but Mancini insists that will not happen.[LNB]"The Arsenal players will not try to target Emmanuel," he said.[LNB]"He was banned for four games and that match is finished now.[LNB]"The Arsenal players are very professional. It is important everyone thinks about the game."[LNB]Adebayor has a personal need to impress that goes beyond inflicting more misery on Arsene Wenger.[LNB]Yet again this week City have been at the centre of rumours about a big-money summer bid for Fernando Torres.[LNB]The Blues have been heavily linked with Torres for a number of months now and it is anticipated they will make a bid for the currently injured Spain striker once the season is over.[LNB]Mancini insists he has not even thought about the matter. However, the Blues chief does accept he will face competition if he does make a move.[LNB]"Fernando Torres is a fantastic striker," said Mancini. "But all the teams in Europe are interested in him.[LNB]"We must get the rest of the matches out of the way first, then we will decide about other players."[LNB]Having failed to land a couple of other high-profile targets in Kaka and John Terry, City are aware they need to offer high-class competition as well as huge salaries if they are to lure the best players to Eastlands.[LNB]"All the top players want to play in the Champions League," added Mancini.[LNB]"Next year we want to be a team who wins the Premier League. To do that we need top players."[LNB]Whether that number includes Craig Bellamy remains to be seen.[LNB]The Welsh firebrand is said to have a stormy relationship with Mancini and Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is supposedly monitoring the situation.[LNB]Yet Mancini is adamant there are no ongoing problems with Bellamy, claiming if a rift did exist, it would be obvious to everyone.[LNB]"I continue to read that I have a problem with Craig Bellamy," he said.[LNB]"This is false. I do not have any problems with him. If I did he wouldn't play.[LNB]I respect him. He works very well and always gives 100%."[LNB]
