<a class="postlink" href="http://www.lifesapitch.co.uk/opinions/why-toures-versatility-creates-problems-for-citys-midfield/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.lifesapitch.co.uk/opinions/w ... -midfield/</a>?
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Interesting piece...
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Why Touré’s versatility creates problems for City’s midfield
It’s been a big couple of weeks for Yaya Touré. He signed a new four-year contract with Manchester City – theoretically tying him to the club until he’s 34 – before celebrating by producing a man-of-the-match performance in the 2-1 FA Cup semi-final victory over Chelsea.
The common refrain about Touré is that he is irreplaceable in Man City’s midfield. There’s a large degree of truth to this – which other midfielder in Europe is versatile enough to play such a variety of roles? Touré can be a cautious holding player, an energetic box-to-box man or a powerful attacking midfielder, driving mercilessly at the opposition. No other midfielder in Europe is capable of such versatility.
There are two ways to look at this. One is that Touré is unique, and retaining him is vital to Man City’s development over the next few years. The other is more complex – if no one else in Europe has a midfielder like him, is a player in that mould necessary?
Touré’s only problem is that he’s too much of an all-rounder. Great midfields are based around harmonious partnerships (or trios), which are often easier to build when one player has obvious strengths and limitations. Take Andrea Pirlo – a wonderful creator, but not the most mobile of deep midfielders. Logically, he’s always thrived when used alongside energetic, powerful runners, such as Gennaro Gattuso at Milan, or Arturo Vidal at Juventus.
With Touré in his current role, it’s difficult to know who his ideal partner is. If you field him alongside a pure defensive midfielder, the side can lack guile – a long-standing problem is City’s lack of a genuine deep-lying playmaker: David Pizarro was a temporary replacement that proved Roberto Mancini recognised the problem, while Javi García was something of a consolation prize when City’s primary targets, Sergio Busquets and Javi Martínez, were unavailable.
If you field Touré with another box-to-box midfielder, the midfield would lack structure and the pairing might constrain both midfielders simultaneously. If he’s next to a pure creator, Touré’s attacking instincts would be nullified.
Therefore, Touré’s best possible partner is, essentially, someone like Gareth Barry – a decent passer, quite energetic, a reliable defensive presence. Barry can occasionally be extremely useful for City – his role in last week’s 2-1 win at Manchester United was crucial, facilitating passing triangles on the left of the pitch. Nevertheless, you can’t help feeling that any midfield containing Barry isn’t quite good enough to cope with Europe’s best – which is where City are aiming to be.
For the next couple of seasons Touré will continue to be a crucial asset for City, but while his technical characteristics shouldn’t be underestimated, midfielders who rely on physique tend to decline quicker than skilled passers. Pirlo, Xavi Hernández, Xabi Alonso and even Michael Carrick have been most appreciated after around a decade at the top level – whereas players broadly in the Touré mould, such as Patrick Vieira, tend to hit a brick wall rather suddenly.
In the long-term, Touré could revert to the holding midfield role he played excellently at Barcelona, but in his current guise the Ivorian prevents City from building a truly world-class midfield.
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Interesting piece...
----------------
Why Touré’s versatility creates problems for City’s midfield
It’s been a big couple of weeks for Yaya Touré. He signed a new four-year contract with Manchester City – theoretically tying him to the club until he’s 34 – before celebrating by producing a man-of-the-match performance in the 2-1 FA Cup semi-final victory over Chelsea.
The common refrain about Touré is that he is irreplaceable in Man City’s midfield. There’s a large degree of truth to this – which other midfielder in Europe is versatile enough to play such a variety of roles? Touré can be a cautious holding player, an energetic box-to-box man or a powerful attacking midfielder, driving mercilessly at the opposition. No other midfielder in Europe is capable of such versatility.
There are two ways to look at this. One is that Touré is unique, and retaining him is vital to Man City’s development over the next few years. The other is more complex – if no one else in Europe has a midfielder like him, is a player in that mould necessary?
Touré’s only problem is that he’s too much of an all-rounder. Great midfields are based around harmonious partnerships (or trios), which are often easier to build when one player has obvious strengths and limitations. Take Andrea Pirlo – a wonderful creator, but not the most mobile of deep midfielders. Logically, he’s always thrived when used alongside energetic, powerful runners, such as Gennaro Gattuso at Milan, or Arturo Vidal at Juventus.
With Touré in his current role, it’s difficult to know who his ideal partner is. If you field him alongside a pure defensive midfielder, the side can lack guile – a long-standing problem is City’s lack of a genuine deep-lying playmaker: David Pizarro was a temporary replacement that proved Roberto Mancini recognised the problem, while Javi García was something of a consolation prize when City’s primary targets, Sergio Busquets and Javi Martínez, were unavailable.
If you field Touré with another box-to-box midfielder, the midfield would lack structure and the pairing might constrain both midfielders simultaneously. If he’s next to a pure creator, Touré’s attacking instincts would be nullified.
Therefore, Touré’s best possible partner is, essentially, someone like Gareth Barry – a decent passer, quite energetic, a reliable defensive presence. Barry can occasionally be extremely useful for City – his role in last week’s 2-1 win at Manchester United was crucial, facilitating passing triangles on the left of the pitch. Nevertheless, you can’t help feeling that any midfield containing Barry isn’t quite good enough to cope with Europe’s best – which is where City are aiming to be.
For the next couple of seasons Touré will continue to be a crucial asset for City, but while his technical characteristics shouldn’t be underestimated, midfielders who rely on physique tend to decline quicker than skilled passers. Pirlo, Xavi Hernández, Xabi Alonso and even Michael Carrick have been most appreciated after around a decade at the top level – whereas players broadly in the Touré mould, such as Patrick Vieira, tend to hit a brick wall rather suddenly.
In the long-term, Touré could revert to the holding midfield role he played excellently at Barcelona, but in his current guise the Ivorian prevents City from building a truly world-class midfield.