Player topic : Yaya Toure (2015/16)

[BigOscar]

Tell us the player you want for replacement

There are plenty of ball playing midfield players who can actually move as well as pass the ball. They aren't that rare, and given that it's arguably the most important position on the pitch, it's very surprising that we don't have any apparently. Off the top of my head, Modric, Kroos, Kovacic, Rakitic, Andre Gomes, Verratti, Moutinho, Thiago, Gundogan, Cazorla, Pogba and probably a ton of others if I thought about it or went beyond the big teams and established players. The argument that Yaya is irreplaceable was a lot more valid when he was making lots of powerful runs and scoring goals, but now he's pretty much stationary for the vast majority of the game, there are a lot of players who could replace him.

 

[ojeme]

this was more like it:

http://www.typicalcity.org/2015/12/13/player-ratings-manchester-city-2-1-swansea-city-2/

 

[BigOscar]

Have a look at these stats from the Swansea game:

...............................fern...yaya
tackles......................3/5....3/5
blocks.......................0.......0
headed clearances.......1/1.....1/1
blocked crosses...........1.......0
interceptions..............3......1
clearances..................1/1...1/1
aerial duels.................0/0...1/1
ball recoveries.............6.....9
take ons....................1/2...5/8
passes......................46/51...68/73
passes in attack. third..8/11...18/19
passes in mid. third.....34/36...44/47
passes in defensive 3rd..4/4....6/7

then the BMG game:

............................yaya....fern....delph
passes...................66/72....43/52..27/34
attacking 3rd passes..17/22....20/24..14/20
midfield 3rd passes....41/42....21/26..11/12
defensive 3rd passes..8/8.......2/2.....2/2
ball recoveries..........9..........4........6
take-ons.................7/7.......1/2......1/1
tackles...................2/3.......3/7......1/2
headed clearances....0/0........0/0.....0/0
blocked crosses........0...........0........0
interceptions...........2...........2.......0
clearances...............0/1........0/0....0/0
aerial duels..............0/2........5/6....1/1

going by the above figures, yaya is not far worse than his peers and thats if he's worse than them anyway. i guess people are content with observing his seeming languid movement and passing judgement instantly without bothering to dig deep enough.
these stats are mostly defensive in nature and i culled them out from http://www.fourfourtwo.com/statszone.
you'll do well to have a look.

Defensive statistics really aren't worth a whole lot. There are no stats for "number of times he just ignores his man an lets him run in behind him", or "number of times he never even attempted to get back". All defensive stats are based on winning the ball back, they don't say anything about how well you actually covered your men or helped keep the team in shape and the defence protected. Anyone with eyes can see that Yaya obviously doesn't do as much defensive work as Fernandinho, any stats that say otherwise just show the folly of using stats for defending.

 

[PragueBlue]

Defensive statistics really aren't worth a whole lot. There are no stats for "number of times he just ignores his man an lets him run in behind him", or "number of times he never even attempted to get back".

That could be levelled at our whole midfield (and some of our defenders too).

 

[ojeme]

Defensive statistics really aren't worth a whole lot. There are no stats for "number of times he just ignores his man an lets him run in behind him", or "number of times he never even attempted to get back". All defensive stats are based on winning the ball back, they don't say anything about how well you actually covered your men or helped keep the team in shape
and the defence protected.
Anyone with eyes can see that Yaya obviously doesn't do as much defensive work as Fernandinho, any stats that say otherwise just show the folly of using stats for defending.

no stat tells the whole story but they tell you part of the story. Even a blind man would easily know that Fern is the better defensively. But wouldn't it be a shame on fern if Yaya was better creatively and also defensively? There's a reason why one is supposed to be our defensive midi and the other, the more creative midi. But even then, the stats highlighted something that a lot of people ignored - that Fern has not been close to his best based on the lofty standards we've come to know him for and that there seemed to be some sort of change of attitude in Yaya especially against BMG even though he was the automatic scapegoat after that game.

 

[ojeme]

There are plenty of ball playing midfield players who can actually move as well as pass the ball. They aren't that rare, and given that it's arguably the most important position on the pitch, it's very surprising that we don't have any apparently. Off the top of my head, Modric, Kroos, Kovacic, Rakitic, Andre Gomes, Verratti, Moutinho, Thiago, Gundogan, Cazorla, Pogba and probably
a ton of others if I thought about it or
went beyond the big teams and established players. The argument that Yaya is irreplaceable was a lot more valid when he was making lots of powerful runs
and scoring goals, but now he's pretty
much stationary for the vast majority of the game, there are a lot of players who could replace him.

there was a reason why the club was really in for Pogba at the summer break but you know we cannot swoop for him today December
14, 2015 so as things stand, he's quite
irreplaceable now except Delph and/or Fern begin to demonstrate something we have not seen so far in them, which I believe is possible.

 

[fatbloke]

Silva doesn't drop back and you never blamed Silva for any goal. If you don't like Yaya go and hug transformer

I guess English isn't your first language, you fucking what son?

 

[fatbloke]

theres a huge difference between: 1) a player being able to play a role in my head and
2) a player actually having a succesful run in the same role
we often say Silva is beauty, silva is love, silva is.....(you can fill in the blank space), but unfortunately, he and yaya dont play the same role and even if we think he can, there's a reason why he's been hardly played in the hustle and bustle of the center of the pack both at international level and at club level

i still don not agree that the rest of the team carries him

Yeah but we've already established that you don't go to games and only see the MOTD highlights or maybe the odd game on TV so it's impossible for you to see how Yaya's or anyone else's performance affects others from a tactical point of view.

Why does it matter if Silva doesn't play Yaya's role? Is Yaya the only way of being successful? Because I think Barcelona, Bayern, Madrid and even Chelsea, all Champions League winners in the not so distant past - they didn't need him.

 

[ojeme]

Yeah but we've already established that you don't go to games and only see the MOTD highlights or maybe the odd game on TV so it's impossible for you to see how Yaya's or anyone else's performance affects others from a tactical point of view.

Why does it matter if Silva doesn't play Yaya's role? Is Yaya the only way of being
successful? Because I think Barcelona,
Bayern, Madrid and even Chelsea, all Champions League winners in the not so distant past - they didn't need him.

'we have already established
that....' to that I say bravo for your good sense of humour.
'why does it matter if Silva doesn't play
Yaya's role' I couldn't understand your point. So i'd appreciate if you could shed more light on that.
Final edit: were talking about MCFC mate, not RM or Barca. Our options are 2 of 3 outa Dinho, Nando, Delph, MDM. That's why Yaya would remain on my list at the moment.

 

[goatersnipple]

What ever anyone thinks about Yaya.
He is one of the best players to ever play for city.
People might realise just how good he's is when he's gone.
It'll be to late then.