During the 2007/08 season, Arsenal were in the midst of a Premier League title race and were five points clear at the top of the table.

But they then travelled to Birmingham City, on a day that would prove extremely costly.

Former Arsenal striker Eduardo suffered a horrific broken leg, after a challenge by Birmingham defender Martin Taylor, in which Gunners boss Arsene Wenger said that the player 'should never play again'.

Wenger later retracted those comments, but some say that the fateful afternoon that saw Arsenal draw 2-2, was pivotal in the North-London side's failure to win the league that season.

The Brazilian-born former forward has spoken to Betway about that unfortunate incident, as well as what his ex-teammate, Emmanuel Adebayor, should have done after his infamous celebration for Manchester City against the Gunners.

 

On Martin Taylor and his recovery from that injury

Eduardo has suggested that he hasn't liked talking about previously, but he now feels that he is ready to open up about the career-threatening moment. 

"That tackle from Martin Taylor is a delicate subject, and in the past I haven't really liked talking about it but it has been 15 years now so now I'm more comfortable talking about it.

"It was a serious injury, and after it happened I was taken to hospital for surgery. I received messages that he came to visit me but I don't remember as I was in the process of post-surgery, I was in and out. 

"I remember a year later when I returned to the pitch, the club told me that he sent an email to the club wishing me the best of luck and that he was happy to see me play again."

The now 40-year-old has revealed that he doesn't have any anger towards the former Birmingham defender, despite the injury that kept him out of action for almost a year.

"Towards Taylor, I have no regrets or anything bad to say about him. These things can happen to any athlete, to any football player and sometimes you get these injuries.

"I have no ill-feeling towards him, he's a human being like everyone else and these things happen. I can't say it was his fault and I have nothing bad to say against him."

Interestingly, Eduardo believes that he actually played better after his comeback, but that any mistake he'd make on a football pitch was heightened due to fact he'd suffered a leg-break.

He also admits that people would always look for the negatives and that his injury became an excuse for some.

"It's difficult to describe my career after that injury. It was like I was a damaged car, where I was taken to the mechanic, fixed and the car was driving well but people had doubts.

"Thankfully I played for a decade after the injury for different clubs in Europe and Brazil. For the Croatian national team, I had a better scoring record considering I was playing less minutes, but anything after the injury became an excuse.

"If I missed a pass, everyone pointed back to the injury. I thought I was playing better than before my injury but some people always look at the negatives and I thought some of the goals after my injury didn't have as much impact as before."

 

On Emmanuel Adebayor - and what he should have done after City celebration

The ex-Croatian international was on the pitch when Adebayor scored to make it 3-1 to Manchester City against his previous side Arsenal in September 2009.

City would go on to win 4-2 but the game was mainly remembered for the Togolese striker's provocative celebration, where he ran the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the Gunners supporters. Eduardo said:

"It was disrespectful to us Arsenal players and the backroom staff. Adebayor knew us all personally and the problems with the club should have been separated, and perhaps he should have shown a little bit more respect to the players and staff.

"If he had apologised, everything would have been fine. I have nothing against him though, he was a great player and a great person."

Eduardo doesn't know the reasons behind Adebayor's departure from Arsenal but he has suggested, that he was a positive influence on the dressing room, when he was with the North London club.

"Adebayor always seemed to be happy and positive. He always joked around and relaxed the dressing room. I think he had internal problems with the club, which I know nothing about. I think he did that celebration out of adrenaline but I think it was a mistake."

Who Mikel Arteta should sign?

Vitor Roque is a Brazilian forward that has reportedly captured the eye of some of Europe's elite sides, with his performances for Athletico Paranaense.

The former Dinamo Zagreb striker is backing the Gunners to sign the promising 18-year-old.

"Vitor Roque is a great player. He has been a starting 11 player for Athletico Paranaense since he was 17-years-old. It is a great club who I had the pleasure playing for. They develop great players. Top clubs in Europe also want him as well as Arsenal.

"Roque has also been selected to be a part of the Brazilian national team, so I hope Arsenal sign him as I have no doubt that he will help Arsenal achieve their objectives."

On Tottenham forward Richarlison

Another member of Brazil's national team is the Tottenham striker Richarlison.

Eduardo has called on the 25-year-old to be patient and to keep his head down, in order to be a success.

"Sometimes it is hard to hit the ground running at a new club but Richarlison has good qualities and has also been in the Premier League for such a long time. Maybe the World Cup affected him as well as his injury and he hasn't been able to mentally prepare himself to deal with it.

"But if I was him, I would wait until next season because I believe he will get his chance. He should be patient and be private with his own frustrations. 

"If you express your frustrations to people, it could have a negative impact on your team whether it is to the media or the dressing room. He should keep his head down, work hard and I believe he will get his chance."

The 40-year-old does sympathise with Richarlison, though, and believes that the lack of playing time is a problem that a lot of Brazilian's struggle with.

"As a Brazilian, I understand that the Brazilian mentality means it is hard to adapt. Players tend to get frustrated when they don't get enough minutes on the pitch, and a lot of Brazilian players behave that way."

 

The best player Eduardo ever played with...

During 2007-2010, the period in which Eduardo played at Arsenal, Cesc Fabregas was largely considered to be the Gunners main main.

It's a sentiment that the former Croatia international agrees with and he would even go as far as saying that the Spaniard, was the best player he played with throughout his career.

"In training he wouldn't miss a pass. He could read the game 5 seconds ahead of everyone else. All you had to do was make the move and he will find you. It's no wonder he had a great career at Arsenal."

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