Neville Kneville
Well-Known Member
I think a lot of people are saying this now. It's not just Yaya, it's the whole front 4 (if it's Aguero, Silva & De Bruyne with Yaya). Navas & Sterling at least work hard, although Sterling is another one who isn't keen on winning the ball back when he's lost it. Silva is particularly lazy and will stand and watch an opposition player little more than a yard or two away from him without any attempt to put serious pressure on him.
It will be intersting to see if Pep's style of getting more numbers into the relevant areas, means that Serge, Silva, DeBrune etc (Yaya if he's still here) become more effective at recovering the ball. I think they will do, as Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Henry, etc etc are not supermen (nor was Yaya) yet were able to recover the ball against all kinds of teams. I doubt any would do anything like the same job in this current City team.
I saw Sterling in an early game, press the ball, turn & see a gap of 30 yatds behind him & wave his arm to the team to close up. I've seen Aguero do the same. If there is not a team plan to press, I don't think it works. I don't think there is such a plan, nor was there under Mancini, so they don't see the point of knackering themselves out, only for an easy escape ball to be played through anway.
I recon it will change drastically when we get a real top class manager. Then these players will be much more efficient.
If they don't do it, Pep will just start building a team for the season after, & fire the lot of them.