Adebayor benefits as crazy Reds lose heads

KENNY DALGLISH can have no more excuses over poor match officials after his Liverpool team lacked any kind of discipline at White Hart Lane when they were reduced to nine men and were made to pay as Tottenham cruised to victory yesterday.

Dalglish was fuming following his side’s defeat against Stoke last weekend and was so incensed over some of the decisions that he met up with referee’s chief Mike Riley last Tuesday to discuss how managers can have better communication with match officials.

But he should stay far away from Riley’s office this week and concentrate more on installing some much needed control into his players after they lost their composure and threw away any chance of taking something from the game.

Charlie Adam was already on a booking midway through the first half when he made a reckless challenge on Scott Parker to receive his second yellow card of the game, while Martin Skrtel was also living on the edge having been booked but still chopped down Gareth Bale from behind and also received his marching orders.

Tottenham made them look second best as strikes from Luka Modric, Jermain Defoe and two from Emmanuel Adebayor made it two league defeats in a row for the Merseyside club. Dalglish has been renowned for deflecting issues away from his team performance over the years but not even the Liverpool legend could find any more excuses after this dire display.

Dalglish said: “We will look at the video and if we have done something wrong we can correct it. It is probably best unsaid because it takes away from the performance of Tottenham.

“The football club expects more than a 4-0 defeat and the boys are upset and so they should be. We started the game short of the level we have been recently.”

In stark contrast it was a day for Tottenham to remember and in particular a home debut for Adebayor to cherish after he quickly won over the supporters at White Hart Lane.

Adebayor used to be a hate figure in this part of north London and must have feared for his reception following his loan move from Manchester City during the summer.

But the former Arsenal striker has got off to the best possible start scoring three goals in his opening two league games and could amazingly become the new cult hero in N17.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp had no doubts that Adebayor would become a big success and feels he can play a crucial role for the club this season.

Redknapp joked: “The fans move on. They love Adebayor and have always liked him! I think he can play with anyone. He has been flying in training, he’s always got a smile on his face and let’s hope it continues.”

Tottenham got off to the best possible start when Modric opened the scoring with a superb strike on seven minutes.

Bale’s cross was cut out by Jose Enrique but the ball fell nicely to Modric and he showed his quality when he fired an unstoppable shot which sailed past Pepe Reina into the top right-hand corner.

Liverpool’s start went from bad to worse when Adam saw red on 27 minutes for a reckless challenge on Parker.

Dalglish must have sensed it was not going to be his day in north London and his misery was compounded when Liverpool were reduced to nine men on 63 minutes.

Skrtel was shown his second yellow card of the game after he brought down Bale and despite Jamie Carragher trying to keep him on the pitch, he had no option but to make his way down the tunnel.

Tottenham made the extra men count and secured all three points when Defoe doubled their lead on 66 minutes after turning Enrique and driving low past Reina.

Tottenham were not finished just yet and Adebayor made it 3-0 on 68 minutes. Reina failed to hold onto a shot from Defoe and the Togo striker was on hand to chip the ball over the sprawling Liverpool keeper and tap the ball into an empty net.

Adebayor capped a superb home debut when he got his second of the game in injury-time to help Spurs record their second league win of the season and leave Dalglish counting the days until he has influential Steven Gerrard back in his starting line-up.

TOTTENHAM: Friedel 8; Walker 8, King 8 (Bassong 83, 7), Kaboul 8, Assou-Ekotto 8; Kranjcar 7 (Van der Vaart 45, 7), Parker 8, Modric 8, Bale 8; Adebayor 9, Defoe 8 (Dos Santos 83, 7).

LIVERPOOL: Reina 6; Skrtel 5, Carragher 6, Agger 6 (Coates 25, 6), Enrique 6; Downing 6 (Spearing 69, 6),Lucas 6, Henderson 6, Adam 5; Carroll 6, Suarez 7 (Bellamy 69, 6).

Referee: M Jones .