What Does Yaya Toure Actually Do?

[Bluemoon16]

He's got some bad games at times, but he remains the heart of our midfield and God knows what will happen when he goes to the African Cup..

[stevefromdonny]

He's got some bad games at times, but he remains the heart of our midfield and God knows what will happen when he goes to the African Cup..

put milner in, fucking hell how many passes did he misplace today, and god he was slow

[guv111]

What Yaya does, has done, and will do for City is in a different universe to anything Dzeko, Nasri, Kolarov and De Jong will ever do.

If there should be a thread like this here at all it should be called "What do those four twats ever do for City?"

[Ted Hughes]

He was frustrating today but he has been a top player for us. Usually his legs go after games like this though. Perhaps he can get a 2nd wind v Liverpool but it worries me.

[Dameerto]

Yaya was the reason Nige got taken off at halftime. (too many wayward passes in the attacking third)

[carl_feedthegoat]

Yaya was definitely not good today...even a blind monkey could see that he wasn't on top of his usual game.....got the ball and hesitated time and time again..no urgency from him today.

[london blue 2]

Lol. Yaya was a beast today.

[paulmclaren]

He plays in fits n spurts, defiantly Mancinis key player i think.
He is overplayed, not missed a single game all season but i think well cope without him, soon find out.

[freshie]

Wins you games against the dippers

[freshie]

What Yaya does, has done, and will do for City is in a different universe to anything Dzeko, Nasri, Kolarov and De Jong will ever do.

If there should be a thread like this here at all it should be called "What do those four twats ever do for City?"

Bit harsh to call them twats (apart from Kolarov perhaps). Nige was immense last season and hasn't really had much playing time this season - shall I assume this was a knee-jerk reaction to the defeat against Sunderland?

[Flixton Blue]

Had a great game tonight,he will be sorely missed when the ANC begins.

[DoomMerchant]

Had a great game tonight,he will be sorely missed when the ANC begins.

he really really will be. I fear it actually. Our entire engine....this should be interesting. Chance for Milner to shine i suppose. He's been on the verge, but now we need to see him to some game-dominating shit, the caliber of which he's probably only done twice since joining City. I'm hopeful.

[dazby]

He's completed more passes than any other player in the league.

[DoomMerchant]

He's completed more passes than any other player in the league.

so that's what he does? Passes.

Finally, we know. Lock the thread please someone...Dazbeh's figured it out. Finally.

Thank you Darren...

[CityGer]

Always seems to turn it on and come to the fore when needed. Superb last night. His energy in the last 20 mins was fantastic.

[Im_Spartacus]

Being picky here, but even before Sunderland got in our half at the end, I was screaming at Yaya to move his arse as he was badly out of position after making a forward run and allowed the free run through our midfield.

So yet again a major factor in conceding a goal was Yaya just sauntering back in his own time

He MUST have been bollocked for this, because he was tearing back down the pitch from the first minute to the last on Tuesday. Was seriously one of the best performances I have seen from a midfielder in protecting the defence then turning defence into attack, perhaps since Roy Keane at his best.

Vinnie's brother must have awarded him man of the match, because Toure was head and shoulders above everyone last night

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Being picky here, but even before Sunderland got in our half at the end, I was screaming at Yaya to move his arse as he was badly out of position after making a forward run and allowed the free run through our midfield.

So yet again a major factor in conceding a goal was Yaya just sauntering back in his own time

He MUST have been bollocked for this, because he was tearing back down the pitch from the first minute to the last on Tuesday. Was seriously one of the best performances I have seen from a midfielder in protecting the defence then turning defence into attack, perhaps since Roy Keane at his best.

Vinnie's brother must have awarded him man of the match, because Toure was head and shoulders above everyone last night

I think you were wrong re the Sunderland match (Yaya was not a major factor in their goal) and I very much doubt he was bollocked for anything.

[Im_Spartacus]

Being picky here, but even before Sunderland got in our half at the end, I was screaming at Yaya to move his arse as he was badly out of position after making a forward run and allowed the free run through our midfield.

So yet again a major factor in conceding a goal was Yaya just sauntering back in his own time

He MUST have been bollocked for this, because he was tearing back down the pitch from the first minute to the last on Tuesday. Was seriously one of the best performances I have seen from a midfielder in protecting the defence then turning defence into attack, perhaps since Roy Keane at his best.

Vinnie's brother must have awarded him man of the match, because Toure was head and shoulders above everyone last night

I think you were wrong re the Sunderland match (Yaya was not a major factor in their goal) and I very much doubt he was bollocked for anything.

Sunderland ran right through the hole Yaya vacated - as has been done many times this season. I don't say he was at fault, because there were other people in play, but his unwillingness to chase the player who ghosted past him was definately a factor, because Sunderland would not have had a free run through the centre of midfield.

Any particular reason then why he would choose this game in particular to track back when a player has passed him?

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Being picky here, but even before Sunderland got in our half at the end, I was screaming at Yaya to move his arse as he was badly out of position after making a forward run and allowed the free run through our midfield.

So yet again a major factor in conceding a goal was Yaya just sauntering back in his own time

He MUST have been bollocked for this, because he was tearing back down the pitch from the first minute to the last on Tuesday. Was seriously one of the best performances I have seen from a midfielder in protecting the defence then turning defence into attack, perhaps since Roy Keane at his best.

Vinnie's brother must have awarded him man of the match, because Toure was head and shoulders above everyone last night

I think you were wrong re the Sunderland match (Yaya was not a major factor in their goal) and I very much doubt he was bollocked for anything.

Sunderland ran right through the hole Yaya vacated - as has been done many times this season. I don't say he was at fault, because there were other people in play, but his unwillingness to chase the player who ghosted past him was definately a factor, because Sunderland would not have had a free run through the centre of midfield.

Any particular reason then why he would choose this game in particular to track back when a player has passed him?

Hmm I thought Yaya was forward on City's left and the Sunderland attack came down City's right so it was hardly the hole Yaya vacated.

Maybe the goal actually came from Vinnie not tracking Ji who laid the ball off and ran around him to score,or Lescott who arguably missed a tackle or Barry who ( in the linesman's eys) played Ji on side or most importantly the lino who just got it 100% wrong.

But yes if you want to have a go at Yaya feel free. Yaya didn't just choose this game to track back, he does it most of the time and it's just ultra critical folk who decide to castigate him,seemingly every time, when he doesnt.Just before that Sunderland goal Yaya had been instrumental in stopping one of their attacks deep in City's left back poisition and followed it with a run down that wing.

What happened last night was partly a response to the Sunderland game but in the sense that City didn't attack irresponsibly but kept more players in a better shape so that counters were much more difficult.

[Im_Spartacus]

Being picky here, but even before Sunderland got in our half at the end, I was screaming at Yaya to move his arse as he was badly out of position after making a forward run and allowed the free run through our midfield.

So yet again a major factor in conceding a goal was Yaya just sauntering back in his own time

He MUST have been bollocked for this, because he was tearing back down the pitch from the first minute to the last on Tuesday. Was seriously one of the best performances I have seen from a midfielder in protecting the defence then turning defence into attack, perhaps since Roy Keane at his best.

Vinnie's brother must have awarded him man of the match, because Toure was head and shoulders above everyone last night

I think you were wrong re the Sunderland match (Yaya was not a major factor in their goal) and I very much doubt he was bollocked for anything.

Sunderland ran right through the hole Yaya vacated - as has been done many times this season. I don't say he was at fault, because there were other people in play, but his unwillingness to chase the player who ghosted past him was definately a factor, because Sunderland would not have had a free run through the centre of midfield.

Any particular reason then why he would choose this game in particular to track back when a player has passed him?

Hmm I thought Yaya was forward on City's left and the Sunderland attack came down City's right so it was hardly the hole Yaya vacated.

Maybe the goal actually came from Vinnie not tracking Ji who laid the ball off and ran around him to score,or Lescott who arguably missed a tackle or Barry who ( in the linesman's eys) played Ji on side or most importantly the lino who just got it 100% wrong.

But yes if you want to have a go at Yaya feel free. Yaya didn't just choose this game to track back, he does it most of the time and it's just ultra critical folk who decide to castigate him,seemingly every time, when he doesnt.Just before that Sunderland goal Yaya had been instrumental in stopping one of their attacks deep in City's left back poisition and followed it with a run down that wing.

What happened last night was partly a response to the Sunderland game but in the sense that City didn't attack irresponsibly but kept more players in a better shape so that counters were much more difficult.

Sorry Doug, but I suggest you watch the extended highlights on the OS from about 9.50 onwards. The Sunderland goal ended up with play on the left hand side of our box, but Sunderland waltzed through the hole Yaya left in the centre of midfield when attacking. Yaya makes his run, offloads I think to Aguero, then just stands and watches on the left hand side as Aguero loses the ball and Sunderland's attack begins right through the gap he has left because he couldnt be arsed taking 10 paces right to get back into position (he had a good 5 seconds or so but chose to stand like a statue)

There are plenty of other reasons why the goal was scored - not least Lescott I think it was, coming out of defence to close down the hole Yaya had left, then finding ourselves outnumbered at the back. The biggest crime for me though, was not that the goal was scored - but that it was relevant - which is more an issue for Aguero/Dzeko/Silva than the rest of the team.

I am by no means blaming Yaya for that goal, but him being badly out of position allowed the move that led to the goal.