Manchester City Fan View: Citizens must say time-up for Toure

Manchester City continued their unbeaten run with a 3-1 win over Marco Silva’s Watford at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, ensuring that the Sky Blues maintained their comfortable lead at the top of the Premier League table.

However, one thing that they did not maintain was their impressive defensive record. The goal that Pep Guardiola’s side conceded from former Burnley striker Andre Gray, was sloppy and added a blot to an otherwise good performance.

The goal came when the Citizens were already 3-0 up and, with two cup clashes and a big game against Liverpool at Anfield next weekend, Guardiola opted to bring off some of his star men in order to give them a rest, and sent on some substitutes.

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City probably have the best squad depth in the whole of England at the moment. Sending on Bernardo Silva, Danilo and Yaya Toure when your side is already cruising to victory is no mean feat. Yet it was the latter of these substitutes who, despite general consensus, was the culprit in his side’s goal conceded.

When Toure came on to replace Fernandinho, thereafter the entire intensity of the midfield dropped a level or two. That duo – Toure and Fernandinho – was one of the best in the division just a couple of seasons ago. But since that 2013/14 title-winning campaign, Ivorian Toure has massively declined.

After a dispute with Guardiola last season, Toure was dropped from the squad altogether. Then, a change in attitude saw him drafted back in after a long-term injury ruled Ilkay Gundogan out for months. Toure aided City’s season massively last year and his performances earned him a one-year contract extension.

I suspect that City gave Toure a new contract out of respect to his contribution to the club, as well as a desire for the veteran to not move to an English rival.

His contract is due to expire again this season and it should not be extended. The 34-year old looks leggy and is thus unable to make the bursting runs with which he was once so fearfully associated. Now, he is reserved to sitting deep and spraying lofted balls to the faster players ahead of him. It is no surprise that teammates call him ‘Uncle Yaya’.

Yet Toure, because of his lack of pace now, is also unable to press with the same intensity of his teammates to win the ball back as quickly as possible, as Guardiola demands. It is this reason why many of the Sky Blues’ rivals interested last summer, will no longer be scrambling to acquire the midfield powerhouse, even on a free transfer.

And Fernandinho, who himself is 32, looks so much more competent fulfilling that role in between Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva. The Brazilian has also just signed a one-year contract extension, though I would not be surprised to see him stay beyond that as well.

It was the drop in intensity in midfield that lead to the Watford goal earlier this week. If De Bruyne and Fernandinho were still on the pitch, possession would have been reclaimed further up the pitch and not placed the same pressure on City’s defence.

The time is right for City fans to acknowledge and appreciate all that Toure has done for the club over the past seven years. He will be remembered as a City great, but now he is a great – Great Uncle Yaya. And his time at the Etihad is up.