AVB discusses striking options for West Ham, Liverpool & Fulham clashes

Adebayor scored the opening goal in yesterday’s north London derby at Arsenal but he then triggered a spectacular Tottenham collapse with a moment of adrenaline-fuelled madness.

The former Arsenal player, who was booed every time he touched the ball, launched in to a studs-up challenge on Cazorla. Howard Webb sent the striker off, and Tottenham went on to lose 5-2.

Adebayor’s three-match suspension has put a big dent in Villas-Boas’ plans. Adebayor looked sharp in the 17 minutes he was on the pitch and his effective partnership with Jermain Defoe seemed to cure the lack of penetration that has dogged Spurs for large parts of this season.

With Harry Kane on loan at Norwich, Defoe is the only recognised striker Villas-Boas has at his disposal for the next three Barclays Premier League games, but he is not worried about the situation.

“Do we have enough firepower? Yes. We have one of the league’s top scorers in Jermain Defoe,” Villas-Boas said.

“Obviously recently we have been playing with Ade and he’s been excellent, so we understand that he’s one less option; one very important player but we have to adapt without him.

“Ade and Defoe have flourished well in the past and they know each other very well so to not have that will be hard to take, but the good thing is that the games against West Ham, Liverpool and Fulham are in one week so the player can be back quickly.”