What Does Yaya Toure Actually Do?

[Foreverinbluedreams]

I'm looking forward to Ask Yaya on the OS.

I'm going to ask him what he actually does.

[bigblue]

Personally I don't think Yaya is a good defensive midfielder at all. I think he's a fantastic midfielder but makes loads of mistakes when asked to do a purely holding role & can sometimes be a liability there. He should only be asked to play that role v lesser teams or if we're desperate imo. He should be allowed to play his own game rather than be shoehorned into a role he doesn't perform too well.

Don't think Yaya is as lacking in the defensive department as you say and he can play there (or in center defence) as needed. But if De Jong is available, he should defiantly shield the defense for most big games. As good as Yaya is all-round, De Jong is the master at that role.

[Ted Hughes]

Personally I don't think Yaya is a good defensive midfielder at all. I think he's a fantastic midfielder but makes loads of mistakes when asked to do a purely holding role & can sometimes be a liability there. He should only be asked to play that role v lesser teams or if we're desperate imo. He should be allowed to play his own game rather than be shoehorned into a role he doesn't perform too well.

Don't think Yaya is as lacking in the defensive department as you say and he can play there (or in center defence) as needed. But if De Jong is available, he should defiantly shield the defense for most big games. As good as Yaya is all-round, De Jong is the master at that role.

Normally, but tbh I thought he went missing a little bit at times v Newcastle in that area just in front of the defence. He does look as if he's getting his old sharpness back in general though.

Second guessing Mancini on occasions like this is difficult. I would have bet my own knob against Kolo Toure starting in Munich.

[Esky]

Yaya Toure: Midfield
Manchester City
I doubted his sanity when I heard he was leaving Barcelona for City. Who knows he might still face his old mates in the Champions League final yet? He never misses a game, and is the most competitive, no nonsense midfielder in the Premier League. The buy of the century, although he wasn't cheap.
Did you know? Toure has made the most successful passes in the Premier League this season (744).

Garth Crook's team of the week.

[Bluedj]

Yaya wins us games (FA Cup Semi, Final, Villarreal, QPR). I think he's an integral part of the team. Great energy, hard to push off the ball. I'm quite shocked any City fan doubts his ability but each to their own. I hope stays for many years to come.

Speaking as somebody who's frequently been critical of him it was more the question that when he was required to play a defensive midfield role his mind was often elsewhere, or he didn't seem sure what his role was meant to be.
Now I think we can get the best out of him by playing any two from Barry, De Jong, and Milner, - or perhaps Zaba, also, - as dedicated defensive midfielders, and Ya Ya always forward of the half-way line to better conserve his energy for those 'power surges'
(Which I think is how we should line up in Naples)

Just fess up that you were wrong for criticizing a world-class player. Enough backtracking and trying to re-write what you said.

He's played good where ever Mancini has asked him to play, thats why he keeps getting picked! Sure he has games where he isn't on the top of his game, but thats just like everyone else. Just because YOU don't know what his role is, it doesn't mean that Yaya or Mancini also don't know.

I'm not backtracking: I've been consistent in my views on Ya Ya: I still maintain he lacks the discipline to be a dedicated defensive midfielder, based on all the evidence I've seen him give in a City shirt.
Now that might be down to his role not being well enough defined for him, but I can only comment on what I've seen from him, and I think its best to play him just beyond the half-way line

As much as I love Yaya, and i really do, tonight he ambled back, leaving a their player free space to get the shot away and score their second. I've seen this happen a few to many times, this time it cost us big. James Miller was also in the same part of the pitch, don't know if he thought yaya would go get there player. If Yaya cant do this defensive duty, then get him up the pitch where here reaks havock

[Mase]

Had a poor game against Napoli. Seemed like he was actually napping for most of the game actually. I'd say he could do with a rest but we're going to need him against Scouse 1 on Sunday!

[King Kev]

He wins the African Player Of The Year Award, that's what Yaya does!

[Biamp]

He wins the African Player Of The Year Award, that's what Yaya does!

He deserves it the most, beside there aren't many players who deserve it more than him based on 2010/2011 season.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

I think I agree fully with Ted.In a full central midfield role where he can dictate the game he is world class.I am sure every team in the prem would love to have him. Give him a restricted defensive role and he can occasionally be found wanting.He's good but just not top top class. He isn't a perfect 2nd striker but he does scare the hell out of teams when he moves into that role.

He seems to know when the pace of the game needs to be upped and is ideal at making it happen but at the same time he is perfect to keep it calm and retain the possession with his excellent awareness and first touch control. And as for the lazy comments.......I give up.

[Blue2]

I think I agree fully with Ted.In a full central midfield role where he can dictate the game he is world class.I am sure every team in the prem would love to have him. Give him a restricted defensive role and he can occasionally be found wanting.He's good but just not top top class. He isn't a perfect 2nd striker but he does scare the hell out of teams when he moves into that role.

He seems to know when the pace of the game needs to be upped and is ideal at making it happen but at the same time he is perfect to keep it calm and retain the possession with his excellent awareness and first touch control. And as for the lazy comments.......I give up.

Sorry Doug, got to disagree there, he is definately top class.

[Ted Hughes]

I think I agree fully with Ted.In a full central midfield role where he can dictate the game he is world class.I am sure every team in the prem would love to have him. Give him a restricted defensive role and he can occasionally be found wanting.He's good but just not top top class. He isn't a perfect 2nd striker but he does scare the hell out of teams when he moves into that role.

He seems to know when the pace of the game needs to be upped and is ideal at making it happen but at the same time he is perfect to keep it calm and retain the possession with his excellent awareness and first touch control. And as for the lazy comments.......I give up.

Sorry Doug, got to disagree there, he is definately top class.

As a defensive player, you only have to go back to the Chelsea game & the first goal, for concrete proof that he isn't. Then check out the 2nd Napoli goal. A top quality defensive midfielder or even someone like Kevin Horlock, would have dealt easily with both.

As a midfielder in a free role though, he is in a very elite club. I can't think of anyone better in this league.

[FBlue]

I remember Chelsea vs Barcelona in 2009 in the first leg. The lad was the best Barcelona player ahead of Messi, Xavi, Iniesta and Eto'o. There's very few (maybe no other) players who can put that on his CV.

[Fesan]

He seems to have found his rhythm in the prem more and more as of late. In the beginning he seemed to have good and bad games and fitness seemed to be a problem.

Lately he has almost only good games and plays 2x a week without fitness trouble. As people have said before he controls the pace of our games, every top team needs a player like that!

He is our version of a Fabregas type player who controls the flow.

[Nigels Tackle]

he doesn't play to the final whistle...

very disappointed to see him standing still after our final attack broke down...

[Douglas Higginbottom]

he doesn't play to the final whistle...

very disappointed to see him standing still after our final attack broke down...

hahaha in the previous minutes he had been everywhere and the key man driving us forward and showing real urgency. Won the ball at left back and powered forward and was everywhere all match.

[london blue 2]

he doesn't play to the final whistle...

very disappointed to see him standing still after our final attack broke down...

hahaha in the previous minutes he had been everywhere and the key man driving us forward and showing real urgency. Won the ball at left back and powered forward and was everywhere all match.

I love yaya but I thought he was dog shit today.

[dazby]

As I put in the match thread when he was good we were good and vice versa. Still, he gets involved so you can't ask for much more. I'd have liked him to have taken a couple of long shots to mix things up a bit.

[PeterParker]

I really like Yaya, but the last games his passes were horrible. He lost a lot of important balls in some important moments.
Today he played in the first half were he loves two, at the same line with Nasri and Adam and for me he wasen't good at all.
Of course, this opinion is because he walked when Sunderland was on the counter, in the last moment of the game.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

As I put in the match thread when he was good we were good and vice versa. Still, he gets involved so you can't ask for much more. I'd have liked him to have taken a couple of long shots to mix things up a bit.

One of our better players from a team performance that overall wasnt that good. We just lacked the quality needed on the final ball or shot but I am left feeling that we don't go for games early enough.The first half just lacked desire.

[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