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Yaya & Kolo

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 7:12 am
by mcfc/wire
Not seen it amywhere else , but good news .


Manchester City delay Yaya Touré's Africa Cup of Nations release

• Midfielder able to play in FA Cup tie against Manchester United
• 'I have to go … but I am a little bit guilty and confused'

Daniel Taylor
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 13 December 2011 23.00 GMT

Manchester City have agreed special dispensation to delay the departure of a "guilty and confused" Yaya Touré to the Africa Cup of Nations so he can take part in their FA Cup tie against Manchester United and the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final against Liverpool.

Touré still faces the possibility of missing a month of City's title campaign and the Ivory Coast international has admitted being torn about his involvement in the tournament in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, starting on 21 January.

However, City have minimised the damage by persuading Ivory Coast not to enforce a Fifa rule that players can be called up two weeks before the competition. The same provisional agreement is in place for his brother, Kolo, and means they can be involved against United on 8 January followed by the home leg of the Liverpool match three days later.

City's case was helped by Roberto Mancini's links with François Zahoui, the Ivory Coast manager, who spent two seasons in Italy with Ascoli in the 1980s. However, it has also become increasingly clear on the part of Yaya Touré that his desire to represent his country is tempered by the fact it means missing potentially five league games, the second leg of the Liverpool tie and a possible replay against United or an FA Cup fourth-round game.

"Our country needs people like myself and Didier Drogba because there is a war and it's important we do what we can for our people, but this is also a crucial time of the season," he said. "There are two crucial months coming up and now I am going to miss one of them. The team, the club and the manager need me, but I will have to go away and play in a different competition.

"It's difficult as I am very focused for City and we need all the players. I have to go because my country is going through some difficult things, but I am a little bit guilty and confused about it. My loyalties are divided and I do feel a little bit sad. But City will cope. We have fantastic players who can take my place, such as Nigel de Jong and Gareth Barry, while Owen Hargreaves is also working very hard to come back."

Mancini's concern about losing the former Barcelona player partly explains why he has prioritised the signing of another central midfielder in the January transfer window and is monitoring the potential availability of Daniele De Rossi at Roma.

The City manager has lost the trust he once had in De Jong but, with Touré away, the Premier League leaders are expected to repel QPR's attempts to sign the Dutchman on loan until the end of the season.

Re: Yaya & Kolo

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 7:56 am
by Lev Bronstein
Bobby lost faith in Nige? Seems to me that we are weaker in defence without him.

Re: Yaya & Kolo

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 8:04 am
by bluej
Lev Bronstein wrote:Bobby lost faith in Nige? Seems to me that we are weaker in defence without him.


I'd imagine it's more to do with who De Jong is represented by, rather than anything he has done on the pitch.

Re: Yaya & Kolo

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 8:05 am
by Ecclesblue
As defensive midfielders go Delong is on if not best for that role in the league in my opinion. We will miss yaya and kolo toure. As what I have seen of Savic at the moment as not been convincing but he is young and needs time to settle. So I think defence rather than midfield cover I would go for rather than another midfielder. As we do have Owen a greaves for that position in midfield to fill role. Be interested to see what will happen in January though

Re: Yaya & Kolo

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 8:07 am
by Avalon
I don't think he has, however, I would like to see more of him. He's a commanding midfielder and I think the leadership of him and Kompany is what made us so strong defensively.

Re: Yaya & Kolo

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 8:53 am
by feedthegreek
brilliant news .

Re: Yaya & Kolo

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 9:40 am
by feedthegreek
just been on. micah richards fit for sunday.
sports news talkshite.

Re: Yaya & Kolo

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 11:20 am
by Dubciteh
Greta news.

And no way bobby will let ndj go in january as we need him badly then and for rest of season

Re: Yaya & Kolo

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 1:13 pm
by Mark Garrett
Good news about Yaya staying for the derby and Liverpool at home in lge and League Cup 1st Leg.

Re: Yaya & Kolo

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 3:57 pm
by carl_feedthegoat
Lev Bronstein wrote:Bobby lost faith in Nige? Seems to me that we are weaker in defence without him.


We were weaker at goal scoring with him in the team than out.......vicious circle.

NDJ has not performed well since coming back from injury...nowhere near the player that he was last year.

Re: Yaya & Kolo

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 4:05 pm
by Socrates
carl_feedthegoat wrote:
Lev Bronstein wrote:Bobby lost faith in Nige? Seems to me that we are weaker in defence without him.


We were weaker at goal scoring with him in the team than out.......vicious circle.

NDJ has not performed well since coming back from injury...nowhere near the player that he was last year.


spot on, needs games to get his mojo back so bit of a vicious circle.

Re: Yaya & Kolo

PostPosted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 2:40 pm
by Nutzer
Thought that was what reserve team games were for.

Re: Yaya & Kolo

PostPosted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 12:09 pm
by Socrates
Nutzer wrote:Thought that was what reserve team games were for.


That was true 30 years ago. Playing with, and against, a bunch of kids does not remotely get you up to speed for the Premier League.