Yaya Toure

[Steve68]

These debates don't half get repetitive and your comment is just as misleading IMO.

We all know Yaya's contribution visibly dropped last season but, along with Silva, he was the guy who made most passes per game; previously he was out front and making way more passes.

He's always tended to job about but a lot of his movement is actually very intelligent. He is masterful at both making himself available for the pass and at picking up second balls.

Yaya has been on the decline since we last won the title and it was a fairly steep drop last season. The question, if he stays beyond 31 August, is whether that decline can be reversed by him and Pep and the coaches? It would be a temporary reverse but we only need that because he will certainly have gone by next July, at the latest.

Yaya has been a shot bolt the last two seasons. The games and players just passed him by and he did seem to spend way too much of each game slowly jogging back up field. Statistics don't prove anything much when it comes to passing with us. We've spent two years pissing about with ineffectual possession for its own sake, no doubt racking up awesome passing stats. I rely on my own eyes and apart from the odd cameo Yaya hasn't looked like half the player he was. Or even wanted to be when it comes to fitness levels. He has been awesome and integral but he is now entering his third season too long phase for me.

I would absolutely love to be wrong but I don't believe any amount of training can take four years off his legs. And for Pep's pressing game that is what is needed.

Selfishly I just don't want to remember Yaya as a forlorn figure shambling slowly around after the game and being brushed aside by players not fit to tie his boots. I want to see him having a glorious Indian Summer in a slower, less physical league and in a team that plays to his remaining strengths.

 

[cibaman]

These debates don't half get repetitive and your comment is just as misleading IMO.

We all know Yaya's contribution visibly dropped last season but, along with Silva, he was the guy who made most passes per game; previously he was out front and making way more passes.

He's always tended to job about but a lot of his movement is actually very intelligent. He is masterful at both making himself available for the pass and at picking up second balls.

Yaya has been on the decline since we last won the title and it was a fairly steep drop last season. The question, if he stays beyond 31 August, is whether that decline can be reversed by him and Pep and the coaches? It would be a temporary reverse but we only need that because he will certainly have gone by next July, at the latest.

The key thing is whether Pep can find a role for him that suits the team and pushes him to the max, but without making unrealistic demands on him. He clearly cant make 50m runs and then race back to into position if we lose the ball (he couldn't even in his prime). He annoys fans because he doesn't even try and just ambles back, but realistically its usually a lost cause. But I don't see why he cant have a role as an impact sub against defensive teams, provided his attitude is right.

 

[domalino]

Seems like Yaya will play tonight, will be interesting to see where. I assume it will be in the fernandinho role.

 

[southstandblue27]

Yeah, seems like he will be involved tonight.

Perhaps in front of Delph and Fernando

 

[OB1]

The key thing is whether Pep can find a role for him that suits the team and pushes him to the max, but without making unrealistic demands on him. He clearly cant make 50m runs and then race back to into position if we lose the ball (he couldn't even in his prime). He annoys fans because he doesn't even try and just ambles back, but realistically its usually a lost cause. But I don't see why he cant have a role as an impact sub against defensive teams, provided his attitude is right.

Pep doesn't want anyone making 50m runs. One of the points about how he organises his teams is to avoid long runs; it still requires an intensity that may well be beyond Yaya now but it might not; especially on a regular cameo basis. I just prefer to wait and see if LB can work some magic.

 

[OB1]

Yaya has been a shot bolt the last two seasons. The games and players just passed him by and he did seem to spend way too much of each game slowly jogging back up field. Statistics don't prove anything much when it comes to passing with us. We've spent two years pissing about with ineffectual possession for its own sake, no doubt racking up awesome passing stats. I rely on my own eyes and apart from the odd cameo Yaya hasn't looked like half the player he was. Or even wanted to be when it comes to fitness levels. He has been awesome and integral but he is now entering his third season too long phase for me.

I would absolutely love to be wrong but I don't believe any amount of training can take four years off his legs. And for Pep's pressing game that is what is needed.

Selfishly I just don't want to remember Yaya as a forlorn figure shambling slowly around after the game and being brushed aside by players not fit to tie his boots. I want to see him having a glorious Indian Summer in a slower, less physical league and in a team that plays to his remaining strengths.

It's great playing the old I'll rely on my own eyes card but according to City's own analytics guys top coaches only see something like 60% of what happens with their own eyes so feel free to keep those blinkers on: you won't be alone.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Pep doesn't want anyone making 50m runs. One of the points about how he organises his teams is to avoid long runs; it still requires an intensity that may well be beyond Yaya now but it might not; especially on a regular cameo basis. I just prefer to wait and see if LB can work some magic.

And again the comment was made about Yaya 'getting stick' for not running back 50 yards, when the likes of Silva were guilty of exactly the same thing. I've done it myself, moaned at him for it, but why should a big lump like him be expected to do it, but not younger more mobile players ?

Yaya should not have been put in the position where he has to run back 50 yards, unless it's to save an absolutely desperate situation. Unfortunately, the setup of the team from the kickoff, in he last few years, meant it was absolutely desperate he had to do that v a Bournemouth or a Swansea, never mind Liverpool or Spurs.

If he can't do what is required in a Pep team, he won't play. Neither will Silva. So they have to do it. That's the difference.

 

[cibaman]

And again the comment was made about Yaya 'getting stick' for not running back 50 yards, when the likes of Silva were guilty of exactly the same thing. I've done it myself, moaned at him for it, but why should a big lump like him be expected to do it, but not younger more mobile players ?

Yaya should not have been put in the position where he has to run back 50 yards, unless it's to save an absolutely desperate situation. Unfortunately, the setup of the team from the kickoff, in he last few years, meant it was absolutely desperate he had to do that v a Bournemouth or a Swansea, never mind Liverpool or Spurs.

If he can't do what is required in a Pep team, he won't play. Neither will Silva. So they have to do it. That's the difference.

It also seemed that when Silva was playing that floaty left side role his defensive duties required him to get back to help the left back when we lost possession. His failure to do so contrasted badly with the likes of Navas or Milner who made a much better fist of it. But Navas and Milner tended to stay wide and usually were not as advanced when we lost ball. It was a realistic demand for them. Whereas Silva was usually 20m further in field and 10m further forward making the task of helping the left back a lost cause. It seems now that Pep is expecting Silva to work harder on the defensive side, but mainly in the opposition half, a more realistic expectation. Something which could also be expected of Yaya

 

[Steve68]

It's great playing the old I'll rely on my own eyes card but according to City's own analytics guys top coaches only see something like 60% of what happens with their own eyes so feel free to keep those blinkers on: you won't be alone.

Lies, damn lies and statistics.

 

[Neville Kneville]

It also seemed that when Silva was playing that floaty left side role his defensive duties required him to get back to help the left back when we lost possession. His failure to do so contrasted badly with the likes of Navas or Milner who made a much better fist of it. But Navas and Milner tended to stay wide and usually were not as advanced when we lost ball. It was a realistic demand for them. Whereas Silva was usually 20m further in field and 10m further forward making the task of helping the left back a lost cause. It seems now that Pep is expecting Silva to work harder on the defensive side, but mainly in the opposition half, a more realistic expectation. Something which could also be expected of Yaya

And not impossible that if Silva can put an extra 1k plus a few sprints on his stats compared to last season, so can Yaya.