'We can never be champions this way,' says Adebayor

(GETTY IMAGES)

Emmanuel Adebayor was as much at a loss as anyone yesterday to explain how Arsenal had managed to draw Wednesday night's match with Tottenham having led by two goals with a minute left – but he was sure it was not the behaviour of title winners.

"To be champions in this way? You can never be a champion," the striker said. "There is a lot of disappointment because we did everything to get the three points and we ended with one. It was one of the most difficult games in my life because I cannot understand that after 90 minutes we were leading 4-2 – I don't know how we finished with a draw. It's very easy to give up because we were 4-2 up and maybe thinking the game was finished. With five, six or seven minutes to go, maybe in our head the game was over."

The players were angry after the match but wanted to wait before starting the inquest. "It's better to wait," Adebayor said. "There would be a lot of words that we don't have to use and aren't supposed to use to each other. Then we will tell the truth. The nerves will calm down and everyone will have to accept their critics."

Arsenal are six points behind Liverpool, with a trip to Stoke City next tomorrow. "We don't have the right to drop points any more," Adebayor said. "At the end of the game we always drop points and not against the top four – against Spurs who are bottom."

Wenger has a problem in defence after suggesting Kolo Touré and William Gallas are struggling to maintain a partnership. Gallas and Mikael Silvestre started against Spurs and both scored. "You know how much I rate Kolo Touré but at the back it is about partnerships, it's about positioning and it's about form as well," Wenger said. But Touré is expected to play against Stoke as Gallas has a hamstring strain. Emmanuel Eboué is also struggling with a knee injury.