THE SOUND of silence between Arsenal's players on the pitch can sometimes be deafening, so it is perhaps just as well that Emmanuel Adebayor is aiming for a higher plane of communication with his strike partner, Robin van Persie.
Theirs is a burgeoning relationship. It was not allowed to flourish last season because of Van Persie's frustrations with a succession of injuries, but the early signs are that this time out, the pair are forming the basis of an intuitive understanding.
"That's what we're trying for," said Adebayor, in response to a comment that the best partnerships have an almost telepathic feel.
"At the moment, we are trying to create a relationship and against Porto we have shown quite well that we can do something together. Everyone is pleased."
The 4-0 Champions League win over Porto on Tuesday at the Emirates Stadium, in which Adebayor and Van Persie shared the goals with two apiece, was studded with positives, chief among them that the result represented a sure step forward after Saturday's shock 2-1 home defeat by Hull City in the Premier League.
But the Adebayor-Van Persie double act was a significant tonic for the club.
Their best moment was the opening goal when Adebayor, having sliced through the Portuguese champions' defence on to Cesc Fabregas' delightful ball, waited and waited before cutting back from the right for the arrival of Van Persie, who had strained every sinew to get there ahead of his markers. The Dutchman returned the compliment for the second goal, albeit from a right-wing corner that Adebayor headed down and in.
"I gave him a pass, he gave me a pass so this means it's a good relationship between Robin and me," said Adebayor.
"The most important thing is that we are working hard for the team. He has the same ambition as me. We are here to win the team something."
It is impossible to say whether Van Persie's presence for the whole of last season would have helped Arsenal to the extra five points that they needed to win the league title, unless you sit on an independent three-man arbitration panel, convened under Football Association law. But Adebayor is excited about the potential of Arsenal's strike force if it can go unchecked by injury.
"Robin is a good player and if he is fit for the whole season, we have a chance to do something special, that's for sure," he said.
"I don't know if his absence last season was a key factor. We know that if we had all our squad fit, Robin, Eduardo [da Silva], [Bacary] Sagna . . . we had the chance to win something. But now we have quite a lot of players ready and fit to play in every single game and that's good for the manager.
"I'm very happy that Robin is looking fit and scoring a lot of good goals. We're just enjoying playing together up front, I'm using him and he's using me. Of course, there's more to come from us, he's just back and we've only had five or six games together [this season] but hopefully, as we go game to game, we will learn better how each other plays."
The pair recently filmed an advertisement together for their boot sponsors and their friendship off the field can only help their understanding on it.
"He's not like my best friend ever, but we are good friends. He's a good guy and sometimes we go to restaurants together."
Caution must underpin the optimism. Van Persie made a flying start to last season, scoring seven goals in 11 matches for Arsenal before he damaged his knee for the first time on international duty with Holland last October. He scored only two more for the club all season.
This time he has five so far, Adebayor has six, and if both players can stay fit, there is sure to be healthy competition between them for who can finish as the top scorer.
Ultimately, though, silverware carries more allure than golden boots.
"I don't have a personal target," said Adebayor. "My target is to win the championship with this club.
"I love this club and they have given me a lot. I want to win a trophy to thank all the fans and everyone for getting me to where I am today."
Guardian Service
