No Yaya in the team...

[PragueBlue]

It's not so much that Yaya wasn't playing, but the fact that we used the Sevilla away system again. I love it when we set up like that. Two strong defensive midfielders releasing Fernandinho to get forward, and offering more protection to our defence. Pace and penetration out wide giving us an excellent counter attacking option. Yaya can definitely play in that system as he did in Sevilla but it also gives us the opportunity to rest and rotate which could be key if we keep doing well in the cup competitions.

Exactly. I think if Toure had played instead of Fernando (for example), the result wouldn't have been any different.

 

[Barry Conlons wig]

I hope that this is Toure's last season, he has served us well and won us many games, but he is a luxury that we can't afford to carry in most games now and we look by far more balanced when he doesn't play. I'm not Toure bashing just stating that I would rather remember him as the player he was, not the player he is becoming, we have better players in his position and in all honesty if he thought that much about City he would have fucked his agent off long ago with a candle up his arse.

 

[coleridge]

Your view on him is as valid as those defending him, me included but no reason why this opinion couldn't be put in the post match thread.

Starting a thread just looks like player bashing for the sake of it when we have just won 4-0.

Exactly what I thought.

 

[worsleyweb]

I really hope we buy pogpa - only man who can come close to filling the big mans shoes. Would love to see yaya stay as an impact sub.

 

[Trolleyhead]

Dear me. We win with him, its despite him, we lose with him, it's because of him, we win without him, its because he wasn't playing, we lose without him, we would have lost by more had he been playing. Just enjoy the game and the result ?

 

[big gaz]

The big man is one of the best players I've had the pleasure to see wear the sky blue of our club. Lets give him a brake let our manager decide when he plays. This man can still play a big part in our glory.

 

[hateutd]

Dont take it personally OP but it gets boring. The man has been incredible for us. A real match winner on his own so many times and before the season is out, will no doubt contribute yet again to success we have.

Agreed....

 

[OB1]

Pointless thread and btw City's failure to retain more posession today was a direct result of not having Yaya in the team.

 

[Dribble]

Can we not just enjoy the day and a great performance without having a Yaya is finished thread?

Dont take it personally OP but it gets boring. The man has been incredible for us. A real match winner on his own so many times and before the season is out, will no doubt contribute yet again to success we have.

I agree his game time needs managing and he is no 90 mins player any more but finished he is not either.

Agreed!

And I would go further and say today Manuel played every player (Sagna aside) in their preferred positions and hey presto, we walk past Villa who we struggled against a few weeks ago in the league. Yaya doesn't suit playing in a midfield 2 where his defensive responsibilities are so crucial to how solid we are.

If you want to know how to get the best out of Yaya, see Sevilla away. Today for the first time in a long time Manuel played the best team for the job ahead instead of just picking his best players available and we saw the result, and long may it continue.

 

[evianglass]

Dear me. We win with him, its despite him, we lose with him, it's because of him, we win without him, its because he wasn't playing, we lose without him, we would have lost by more had he been playing. Just enjoy the game and the result ?

+1

 

[Jimbob]

Pointless thread and btw City's failure to retain more posession today was a direct result of not having Yaya in the team.

It's not a pointless thread, I was simply putting across my opinion that we look more balanced without him in the side and a more solid midfield base.

 

[kunaguero10]

I'm still a big fan and have defended him a lot, but since probably the start of the Xmas period I've also decided we would be best to reluctantly move him on in the summer, as he seems to cause nearly as many problems as he solves trying to accommodate him into the team and into a proper system.

While he is still a great player, it seems to me he requires the team to be built around him to a certain degree to get the best out of him, which isn't feasible given it seems the club want to fit so many attacking players into the team. He will only continue to decline further by next season as well.

 

[BringBackSwales]

N

I'm not Yaya bashing or anything of the sort, all I said was that I enjoyed seeing us set up differently along with a bit more legs in midfield where I think we've been easy to slice through previously.

No you didn't, you said his legs were gone, I think that's Yaya bashing

 

[Jimbob]

N


No you didn't, you said his legs were gone, I think that's Yaya bashing

Well we have different opinions on bashing then, players legs going happens to the best of them, there's nothing anyone can do to avoid it.

 

[prestonibbo_mcfc]

The big man is one of the best players I've had the pleasure to see wear the sky blue of our club. Lets give him a brake let our manager decide when he plays. This man can still play a big part in our glory.

Give him a BRAKE, you say. We've been trying to get him to release them ;-)

 

[Thenumber1blue]

Can we not just enjoy the day and a great performance without having a Yaya is finished thread?

Dont take it personally OP but it gets boring. The man has been incredible for us. A real match winner on his own so many times and before the season is out, will no doubt contribute yet again to success we have.

I agree his game time needs managing and he is no 90 mins player any more but finished he is not either.

No you're spot on,it is fuckin boring.The guy is a true legend for us !

 

[Stumpey]

Pointless thread and btw City's failure to retain more posession today was a direct result of not having Yaya in the team.

As the result shows, possession isn't everything.

 

[BringBackSwales]

No you're spot on,it is fuckin boring.The guy is a true legend for us !

He is a legend you are right, but some of our "fans" have become so fucking scathing and entitled. Players like Gio Kinkladze used to be idolised, I appreciate our club has moved on but Christ so have some of the fans, in the wrong way, in my opinion. Not particularly referring to the OP as his criticism was understated, but some in here malign Yaya beyond reason

 

[Hesh]

Yaya gets some absurdly over the top criticism but in the last few weeks I've sadly began to agree with folk who say that maybe he's not an automatic starter anymore.

Certainly in away games we could play Dinho, Delph and maybe Fernando who could largely sit in front of the back 4 and just use the electric pace of Sterling Navas and Sergio to pick teams off on the break. Swap Fernando for Silva according to the game.

That said if we had to win a game to secure the title Yaya would be probably the 2nd name I'd pick behind Sergio

 

[Cambo]

As the result shows, possession isn't everything.

+1 - we might have more possession when Yaya is in the team, but it's not quick. The tempo is too slow when Yays plays allowing opposition teams to get numbers back.