I must say I was surprised to hear the boos from the Arsenal faithful aimed at Emmanuel Adebayor against West Brom last Saturday. Most football supporters are pretty fickle, and therefore I expected his midweek strike against FC Twente to eradicate any ill-feeling for more than a little while.

Many supporters feel that booing one of your own is completely unacceptable, but as Arsenal fans so rarely jeer a player, I believe it's justified in some circumstances. In Adebayor's case there is obviously still some rancour following the player's want-away summer, combined with what appeared to be a rather selfish attitude in the second half against West Brom. I honestly believe that Adebayor was simply trying too hard, and I'm surprised the supporters did not perceive that despite his generally poor performance.

Sometimes the only way supporters feel they can express their displeasure of a player or manager is by giving them a good barracking. In-between games the gates to most top-flight football clubs are pretty much barracaded, and there really isn't a lot of communication anymore between the hierarchy and the fans. Booing players has proved to be a particularly effective weapon when used reservedly - it can change a manager's team selection and it can change a player's attitude - although not always for the better.

Adebayor got a hint of Arsenal fans' displeasure pre-season, and kissing the badge after his goal against Ajax evidently didn't wash - Adebayor must have obviously thought the supporters are completely stupid after that excruciating display of fake loyalty. Maybe he'll think differently now that it's pretty clear he has some way to go to fully appease a large section of fans.

However, the supporters have made their point now and to continue jeering Adebayor would be counter-productive. The manager doesn't want it and his teammates probably don't, so it's best to give it a rest. Adebayor is a confidence player and you can be sure that he's probably worried about what reaction he might get if he fails to perform at Arsenal's next game away to Fulham. He's signed a new contract, which means pretty much nothing, but if we want Arsenal to be successful this season we can do without our top goalscorer fluffing his lines week-in week-out because of pressure from the terraces.

In other news, Justin Hoyte has joined Middlesbrough for £3m - a good piece of business and I wish Hoyte well. In all honesty, the lad has never impressed me, but aged 23 there's certainly scope for considerable improvement if he plays regularly. I think it's the best thing for Arsenal and for Hoyte.

Meanwhile, young Arsenal attacking midfielder Nacer Barazite has joined Championship club Derby County on a season-long loan, it will be interesting to see how the highly-rated 18-year-old fares there. He joins other bright-prospect loanees Havard Nordtveit and Fran Merida, who have also been farmed out abroad.

With effectively 12 days to go until the transfer window closes there's no sign of a purchase in the offing. Judging by the media circus, it seems probable that Liverpool's Xabi Alonso is Wenger's prime target - albeit unrealistic, with Udinese's Gokhan Inler as back-up.

Breaking News: The Daily Mail has tonight reported that Arsenal have attempted to hijack Sunderland's move for Manchester United's Mikael Silvestre. Would Ferguson really let the Frenchman join Arsenal ahead of his old pal Keane? Seems unlikely, but then Chelsea did sell Gallas to Arsenal.

Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas proudly paraded a Euro 2008 winners medal tonight in the Ernst Happel Stadion, Vienna! The final score, as if you didn't know, was Spain 1 Germany 0. Personally, I'm delighted for the young Spaniard. Not only does Fabregas posess maturity beyond his years on the football pitch, but also off it. Since joining Arsenal in 2003 at the tender ago of 16, Cesc has been a classy player and a very classy young man - and it appears likely to be in his character to stay that way.

You would have to think that Spain will also be strong favourites to win the 2010 World Cup - and Fabregas a key component of that team. Like France circa 1998, it's a young, super-talented squad that's certainly yet to reach its peak.

Fabregas has much to thank his manager Arsene Wenger for. Not many are brave enough to give such a young player such an important role at such a big club. Playing for any other top European team it seems inconceivable that Fabregas would have been thrust into the limelight so soon and therefore as advanced a player as he is now. It would be ridiculous to assert it's all down to the manager's influence of course, but nevertheless Wenger is a key reason that Fabregas is a European Championship winner tonight, and a player who also played a major role in that success.

My sympathy extends to Jens Lehmann. To be honest, he didn't have a great tournament and was perhaps lucky to make the final with such a poor German team - but in Oliver Kahn's shadow for so long, this was a great opportunity to bow out on a career high. Apart from his obvious character flaws, Lehmann is probably my favourite Arsenal keeper and I would certainly not have begrudged him a winners medal. Lehmann is a goalkeeper with incredible mental strength and absurd self-confidence. He was always entertaining to watch, and certainly at his peak just as good, if not better, than former Arsenal greats such as Seaman, Jennings, Wilson or Lukic.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum we have Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor, who is swiftly turning into the new Ashley Anelka. Press reports claim via some fairly hefty quotes that Adebayor wants a massive pay rise otherwise he fully intends to leave Arsenal Football Club. Again, speculation is rife and supposition spreading like wildfire, but it seems pretty obvious that this is turning into a highly flammable state of affairs and one that Adebayor, and no doubt his agent, have been instrumental in sparking.

Personally, assuming it's true that Adebayor will only stay at the club if offered a double-wage-busting deal, I certainly don't believe Arsenal should cave in to such demands. This is a player who has won precisely zero in his career and is certainly NOT the finished article - it's still highly questionable as to whether the player is even capable of reproducing his form of last season let alone being paid the sort of mammoth wages commanded by proven club legends such as Adams, Overmars, Bergkamp, Vieira or Henry etc.

One has to wonder what sort of reception Adebayor can expect from Arsenal fans next season presuming he suceeds in his quest for a double-my-wages deal. For example, it's unlikely they will react graciously if he has a stinker in the first few months of the season. You therefore have to conclude that the player has already has put himself in a delicate, if not foolhardy situation - heaping pressure on himself whatever the circumstances.

The reports of Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor joining numerous clubs this summer continues to grow credence. Most transfer stories are a spark in the either, sometimes they're a fire easily dowsed by a bucket of water from the manager, but in Adebayor's case, the speculation has turned into a great big raging bonfire that nobody can extinguish - and more importantly, few are attempting to.

Since joining Arsenal on January 13th 2006, Adebayor's attempt at winning the affection of the Arsenal fans has been a successful one - but most supporters would be lying if they did not admit to a nagging doubt. Generally, his mountainous work ethic is appreciated if nothing else and everybody would have to agree that the striker gives Arsenal a more physical dimension than your usual Wenger team. Then there's the goals, 4 in his first half-season, 12 the season after, and 30 last year, progress is being made - although one might argue that any striker worth his salt would score 30 goals a season playing up front for such a goal-creating machine as Arsenal - last season Bendtner scored nine coming off the bench and Eduardo 12 in less than half of his first full season.

But back to that nagging doubt. Let's be honest, Adebayor does not fit the Wenger mold of pass and move football. His ball control is more often than not a miscontroland I don't believe I've ever seen a player so frequently blown offside - it has become infuriating to watch at times. Wengerball does not usually find accommodation for a player of Adebayor's technique; too many attacking moves break down when the ball lands at the big man's feet, and he is also a player who scores in flourishes, he'll bag 10 in 7, then won't score for 6 weeks. With Adebayor comes a manager's worst fear of a stiker, unpredictability

It is possible that Wenger feels Adebayor's last season at Arsenal was a one-off, a season of good fortune unable to be repeated. And if he gets it right, bagging a massive £22m transfer fee for another future failure would be his best piece of business since Nicolas Anelka's move to Real Madrid for a similar amount. One thing's for sure, there are some legs on this transfer story and Wenger could well feel that Arsenal would be a more effective team without Emmanuel Adebayor.

How would I feel if the player left? Well, like most fans - I have mixed opinions of the front man. Of his 30 goals last season - 16 were scored away from home; this is not a striker who only scores in the comfort zone of his own stadium. Adebayor scored at the old foe Tottenham (3 times during 07/08), AC Milan, Liverpool and Man Utd - so coming up trumps against the big clubs does not appear to be a problem for him. What else do I admire about Adebayor? He never gives up does he? He'll miss 2, 3, 4 chances in a game, but crucially it never seems to affect him - a good attribute to have.

To be honest, I would be happy for the player to stay - his touch and technique can certainly be improved on the pitch and on the training ground, Adebayor is only 24 after all - not many strikers peak at that age. However, if Wenger is prepared to sell, I can certainly understand the reasoning behind it. My biggest reservation is that with the prospect of Adebayor and Alexandr Hleb both leaving the club along with the already departed Matthieu Flamini and Jens Lehmann - there will be a requirement for plenty of new arrivals - and new arrivals take time to adapt.

One thing's for sure, when all is said and done it will be very interesting to see who has come and gone by 31st August, and the level of control Arsene Wenger will have had.