Pochettino Facing Make-or-Break Decision over Emmanuel Adebayor at Tottenham

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Mauricio Pochettino was decidedly "happy" with his team after Sunday's 1-0 win over Southampton. It was, after all, their first Premier League victory since August.

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"We are still improving after three months in charge and a new philosophy," he told his post-match press conference. "But happy today with how we got the three points, happy with the performance and happy with what the team showed."

There should be some satisfaction among all that in an improved performance from striker Emmanuel Adebayor. After a mostly lacklustre recent run of Premier League outings, he certainly needed to show his manager something.

The highlight from the Togo international was his role in Christian Eriksen's winner.

As recreated in the graphic above, Adebayor did well to maintain possession after a pass forward from Danny Rose. His turn and drive forward into vacant space down the left flank quickly put Southampton on the back foot.

He then found Nacer Chadli on the edge of the box with a well-placed pass, allowing the Belgian to flick it first time into the path of Eriksen who proceeded to shoot past Saints goalie Fraser Forster.

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Adebayor had actually started the first half a little sloppily, the timing of his runs and passing off-kilter. The 40th-minute goal heralded him finding his feet, and he started to make better contributions to the Spurs attack as they settled into a nice rhythm—a just reward for the pressure they had applied to the visitors' defence up until then.

Spurs' next great chance stemmed again from Adebayor's positioning out left. He had moved out there as Chadli broke forward and was subsequently on hand when the ball was knocked sidewards.

The attacking midfielder continued his run, and Adebayor threaded a perfect through ball from which Chadli just missed, hitting the post.

Tottenham's lead attacker carried on occupying good positions across the breadth of the Southampton defence.

Shortly after the interval, he rose to make a flick-on header for Eriksen, the Dane promptly brought down for a free-kick.

On the 74th minute, Adebayor made a good run into the right-hand channel to collect an Erik Lamela pass following one of several good interchanges between the supporting attacking midfield trio. The striker went down under a challenge from Ryan Bertrand, but his penalty appeal was rightly denied (he was knocked off balance rather than fouled).

At one point, just prior to the hour mark, Adebayor and Pochettino exchanged words, the player offering a verbal and physical explanation in response to an instruction from his coach.

Such uncertain quibbles aside, the player had the right to be pleased with the work of the team's most advanced quartet.

The preceding semi-detailed look at Adebayor's main contributions to the Southampton win is important because it helps show why Pochettino has elected to persevere with him of late.

Harry Kane's comparative inexperience and Roberto Soldado missing games through injury made it so a change might not have been considered in Pochettino's mind anyway (both have shown agenda-advancing glimpses of quality in the cups, if not quite full-blown form).

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Despite not scoring since the 4-0 defeat of Queens Park Rangers—his only goal of the season—the 30-year-old still possesses other attributes that make him perhaps the most suitable forward conduit for the intended fluidity of his boss' attack.

Even if they were not seen so much in mixed September performances from the team against Sunderland, West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal.

Adebayor properly using his presence, skill and final-third nous opens up space for runs from Chadli, Eriksen and Lamela and can give defenders plenty to deal with in his own right. As was the case in his previous best performance, too, the aforementioned QPR win.

Doing this as the lone striker is not easy, even for a talented front man. As seen by Soldado's struggles doing that job this season and particularly last, as well as Adebayor himself often cutting a lonely figure at Arsenal last week.

On his day (and with the team providing sufficient support), he is better than most at it as he possesses both the ability and natural confidence to hold his own while often outnumbered.

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Goals would—of course—be nice from a striker, but a performance in the manner of his Saints showing at least offers some value to the team. Not quite his Sunday best but an improvement all the same.

For now the mercurial Adebayor should just about have done enough to retain his place for the away trip with Manchester City after the international break.

Pochettino and Tottenham will want and need more from the mercurial Adebayor moving forward, though. If that does not materialise, a decision could be forthcoming that he does not like.

Press conference quote obtained firsthand.