Yaya Toure is on the decline but his Man City career deserves respect

The Man City midfielder is a club legend and he deserves to be respected, writes Rob Pollard

 

Yaya Toure

There can be no doubt that Yaya Toure is one of Manchester City ’s most important signings of the Mansour era.

Bought for £24 million in 2010, many felt City had vastly overpaid for the unwanted Barcelona man.
But he soon showed people what he was capable of, developing into one of the best midfielders in the game and proving time and again to be the difference between City and their rivals.
At his best, no one could touch him, and he had a knack of delivering important goals on the big occasions.

Winners in the 2011 FA Cup semi-final and final ended City's 35-year wait for a trophy - and a double away at Newcastle the following season put City on the brink of their first title in 44 years.
Then there was the mind-bending goal against Sunderland in the League Cup final in 2014 and 20 league goals as City won their second title in three seasons. These are vital moments in this club’s history.

During his 2010-2014 pomp, he could dominate midfield battles singlehandedly. His passing was the best around - and his pace and power meant few could get near him if he decided to drive forward.
His goal against Aston Villa as City closed in on the title in 2014 perhaps sums him up best. He set off from inside his own half, leaving a trail of Villa defenders behind him, before smacking the ball high into the net. Untouchable.

City wanted Toure to help them become winners - and he delivered emphatically on that brief. Garry Cook, instrumental in bringing him to City, says his signing was the one that made it easier to go out and sign other big-names. With Yaya there, others gladly followed.

Toure has barely featured for Guardiola thus far

But now, at 33, the Ivorian’s star is very much on the decline. He’s been left out of City’s Champions League squad for the group stage and is unlikely to feature much in the Premier League, either. Age catches up with us all eventually.

It's an understandable decision from Pep Guardiola. He has certain demands of his squad that he will not deviate from. One of them is the need to show desire and intensity to win the ball back if possession is lost.