It's a weird one with Toure. For the past 5 years he's been instrumental to our game plans, he's the calm head who picks the ball up off the defense and dictates the pace of the game, he's experienced and knows when the slow down and when to speed up, when we're in possession he's undoubtedly the most comfortable player on the pitch, you'll rarely see him loose possession, but he's getting old. When we won the league in 2014 he scored 20 goals in 35 appearances, I'm sure you'll agree that's a world class statistic for a defensive midfielder, I'd argue he had the most influential role of ANY player since the inception of the Premier League, he was on fire. There were three games in particular that season, Crystal Palace away (the later game after the Gerrard slip) where he was a class above everyone else and scored a screamer for the opener. Aston Villa, the mid week game after we played you, we struggled to break them down and Sunderland in the League Cup final when he scored our equaliser which I'd argue is one of the best goals I've seen. Looking back historically he's had a key role in so many big games (only goal scorer when we beat united at wembley and stoke in the FA cup final, 2 at Newcastle away in the League the first time we won it etc) and I'm starting to think he get's in the squad just in case he can produce something like that again.
That's all when we have the ball.
When we've lost possession he is awful now. He struggles to track runs and is forever getting caught out of position. He's obviously told by Pellegrini to reserve his energy for 'key attacking moments'. He's looks disinterested if things aren't going his way and I'm sure you've all heard stories of 'cakegate' and other times when he feels 'unloved' shortly followed by rumors of transfer requests. I think culturally, African footballers behave in a manner most English football fans would find 'annoying', it's the complete opposite of someone like Lampard who's a battler, who keeps working hard and never acts as thought he's comfortable or established at a club.
I'd have loved us to buy Pogba (wouldn't we all) in the summer. It would have given us a long term replacement for Toure. Pogba could have learnt from arguably the best player in that position, win/win. But now I feel Toure's impact will decline and we'll have to replace him with the likes of Fernandihno, who, even though he's been exceptional this season, isn't in the same league as Toure was.
People will look back at his time here Fondly, but he's past his best and we're a club that should be forever improving now, I think he'll be gone this time next year.
