Adebayor calls for strong finish from Gunners

Emmanuel Adebayor claims Arsenal owe it to their fans to finish the season on a high rather than looking back to reflect on what might have been. Any lingering hopes of silverware were extinguished following defeat at leaders Manchester United, which left the Gunners nine points off the pace with only four games to play.

Togo striker Adebayor, who opened the scoring at Old Trafford before United hit back, maintains now is not the time for soul-searching or inquests, but instead to stand up and be counted by finishing with four successive wins. "You can talk about decisions, but it is much better to have a good concentration on what we have to do now, not what referees have done good or wrong," Adebayor told ArsenalTV Online. "Those things are gone already, so now it is much better to talk about ourselves, how we are going to progress, what we have to do to achieve things. That is the most important now.

"You have to show whether you are a man or not. In the difficult moments, that is when you have to come out and show character, personality and play your football. It is difficult, but I know my mum will be somewhere watching the TV, so I have to play for her, all my family and all the people who love Arsenal. We have to win all those games now, to play for our honour and for our fans.

"The fans have been great to me this season, always singing my name and taking me into their hearts."

Following a third season bereft of trophies, the focus is now on what must be done to ensure success come May next year. Wenger has already stated his main priority is to keep the current group together, but maintained he would not be afraid of entering into the transfer market - if the price was right.

The Arsenal manager said: "If we have the money and I am convinced it is worth it, we will do it." However, more pressing is likely to be resolving the future of current players. Jens Lehmann and Gilberto seem set to move on during the summer, while out-of-contract midfielder Mathieu Flamini has yet to agree a new deal and several top European clubs are also said to be tracking Belarus winger Alexander Hleb.

Wenger will also be hoping next season is kinder on the injury front, with striker Eduardo da Silva suffering a broken leg just when he was coming into form while both Robin van Persie and Tomas Rosicky have spent too much time in the treatment room.