The fact that we know Adebayor can be a handful. He can hustle opponents, outmanoeuvre them, make life hell for even Vidic and Ferdinand. He did it at Old Trafford two seasons ago. But on Wednesday night, he was toothless

Final whistle just gone at Old Trafford. On the balance of play, a decent result for us. Throughout the game I have been venting my fury at the problematic pair that is Diaby and Adebayor. My thoughts immediately turn to next week’s second leg, and I pick the following lineup:

Almunia, Gibbs, Djourou, Toure, Sagna, Nasri, Song, Fabregas, Walcott, Eduardo, v.Persie/Bendtner.

Three changes from the first leg. After an above average performance, Silvestre could consider himself unlucky to be dropped. However, he is prone to the odd ricket – something we must avoid on a night where we have to be flawless defensively. Furthermore, Djourou’s recovery pace could be crucial if/when we are committing men forward and leaving ourselves exposed at the back.

The other two changes – Eduardo and v.Persie/Bendtner for Adebayor and Diaby – needed no consideration in my mind. As I wrote down my team, they were nowhere near the list. A sign of my raw frustration at their performances in the first leg? Probably. They are two of the strongest players we have at the Club, yet they were muscled off the ball far too easily for my liking. Two trivial instances stick in my mind: the first when Fletcher outjumped Diaby for a header, and the second when a long-ball was played to substitute Eduardo at the death and the ball stuck like glue. The Crozillian may not possess Adebayor’s brute strength, but his touch is sure and he makes the most of what he has.

And that is what really irks. The fact that we know Adebayor can be a handful. He can hustle opponents, outmanoeuvre them, make life hell for even Vidic and Ferdinand. He did it at Old Trafford two seasons ago. But on Wednesday night, he was toothless. Diaby has some of the silkiest skills in the squad and a fearsome shot, but ball retention is not one of his strong points.

Now I have calmed down slightly, I ask myself: can we afford to leave them out?

Can we afford to leave out two potential matchwinners, two players that can turn a game on its head in an instant?

Can we afford to leave out the hustling bustling midfielder who scored goals like these:

Can we afford to drop the Togonator, the man who scores game-changing goals like these:

Seeing those videos makes it a difficult decision. But with the likes of Eduardo, Bendtner and maybe even Vela and a fit-again RvP waiting in the wings, can we afford to carry two passengers on the off-chance they may send us to Rome? Or would they be better coming off the bench when desperation strikes?