Almost a decade on there hasn't been a midfielder in the world who can do what Yaya did at his peak.
One of the most technically gifted players in the world, vision, creativity, free kick ability, long range goals, pace and power to beat players, impossible to get the ball off, played CB in a Champions League final at the drop of a hat and had the stamina and fitness to play 90 minutes 50 times a season without ever picking up a major injury.
Quite simply irreplaceable, and it'll be a long time before anyone comes close.
He couldn't head the ball for shit though.
Kev can do things better, but he doesn't have the Barcelona-style close control, 1 touch ability, and he's susceptible to losing the ball when pressed, whereas Yaya would just put his body between the defender and the ball and frustrate them anytime someone got close. Yaya just had such a well rounded game.
I really think if Yaya's brother hadn't died in 2014 we would have had another couple of seasons of that performance and another few trophies. He was just never the same after Ibrahim died.
I also wonder where he'd be in the pantheon of world football if his agent hadn't stuck him out in Ukraine for 4 years.
