Nemanja Matic

[dee25 1,044]

I think its absolutly true - Toure is a defensive liability for a long time for City. Im saying it forever - Yaya isnt a "complete CM" at all, he plays almost like a AM, he always leave Fernandinho alone dealing with the counter attacks, and thats why CIty are that bad defenfing those counter attacks. He's very lazy and heavy, moves very slow when defending. There's this popular opinion that Yaya is a beast also in defense, an engine almost like Essien was, thats one of the biggest lies in football nowdays.

Well he defends well when he's up for it, it's just that Toure is a lazy player against lesser opposition.

Matic is quality though. Believe me if we can manage to sign him for 25 million, that would be a big, big steal.

[The Skipper 20,609]

[Christo191 173]

Was a joke? Havent been here long but people here really need to lighten up.

Welcome, but my advice is to watch out for a person, who thinks he is Thor (yes the demigod from the movie) and I'm not joking!

[lionsden 4,689]

Doesn't have Yaya's stamina and isn't anywhere near as well rounded as him either. He's not Yaya esque at all IMO.

Yaya and stamina in the same sentence lol. ask any man city fan and they will tell you poor stamina and laziness off the ball are yaya's main weakness. he saves his energy for those long bursting forward runs. maybe you might have a solid case for the barcelona yaya but not the man city version. he probably still has the amazing stamina he displayed at barca but rarely shows it in full stretches anymore.

[nadavTKL 1,787]

Well he defends well when he's up for it, it's just that Toure is a lazy player against lesser opposition.

I dont think he defends well at all, a pretty tackle and an impresive chase on a player now and than, thats about it i think.

The Skipper,

First, we are five years after his days in Barcelona. He havent contirbuted a lot in attack when he was there, and I also think he never was a beast defensively.

I know he doesnt play a DM anymore, but Toure still needs to do his job in defense as a CM. It clearly doesnt work for City right now, their defensive midfield is very soft when defending. Its Pellegrini's fault as well to allow that to Toure, but i do think Toure was playing like that for years. Imo his overall impressive and powerfull play in his CIty career has blinded people to think he's a complete CM, but he doesnt show it.

[The Mak 4,459]

No one can deny Tourse is great but I think you need to take his cock out of your mouth

You're not mac.bro's brother/best mate are you? You have a similar style about you...

[lionsden 4,689]

I dont think he defends well at all, a pretty tackle and an impresive chase on a player now and than, thats about it i think.

I thought I was the only one outside city fans that notices that ugly part of yaya's game. He gets the plaudit solely for his ability to orchestrate play from deep, bursting forward runs and goals. His defensive game is nothing to write home about.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Completely disagree. Yaya Toure can play CB comfortably if needed, don't think i can say the same about Matic. Just because Toure doesn't play as a proper DM anymore does not mean Matic is suddenly better than him defensively.

Yaya is probably the most complete CM on the planet, Matic isn't in the same class at all.

I agree Yaya is one of best midfielders, but he is terrible in defending, same as was Song at Arsenal...

[lionsden 4,689]

I get the feeling many are massively underrating Matic here. some probably still see him as that chelsea reject who got traded plus cash for luiz. how much better could he have progressed as a player they say.

[Toli 977]

I agree Yaya is one of best midfielders, but he is terrible in defending, same as was Song at Arsenal...

Toure is better at defending though. attacking-wise he is surely better, but defending, he is also ok at it. dont even get why people compare yaya to matic. yaya is on another level and probably the best DM in the Premier League. Especially in the beginning of his city time he took a more defensive role than now.

@lionseden one could also say that people are overrating him massively, if they are starting to compare him to Yaya Toure.

[lionsden 4,689]

Toure is better at defending though. attacking-wise he is surely better, but defending, he is also ok at it. dont even get why people compare yaya to matic. yaya is on another level and probably the best DM in the Premier League. Especially in the beginning of his city time he took a more defensive role than now.

@lionseden one could also say that people are overrating him massively, if they are starting to compare him to Yaya Toure.

As a defensive midfielder he's better than Toure post barca but since Toure never plays that position anymore renders the comparison redundant anyway.

[LondonPride1905 236]

Rumours up that he'd be available after the weekend clash against Porto. Maybe then we would have some development over the issue.

Seems reasonable. They play Porto, we play the game against Hull and if the time is right, we enter negotiatons.

[Berke 58]

Doesn't have Yaya's stamina and isn't anywhere near as well rounded as him either. He's not Yaya esque at all IMO.

I believe he's got the same sort of playing style. I wouldn't say he's on Yaya's level. Not just yet anyway

[Gilvorak 3,734]

I haven't seen much of Matic since his departure but I doubt it takes much for him to be a better defender than Yaya. Despite his athletic gifts Toure is a horrendous defender.

He does his damage higher up the pitch these days and hasn't played DM in years. He's strictly a B2B/Attacking midfielder now, Fernandinho is the midfielder that does the most defensive work at City.

Yaya's poor defensive nous, terrible stamina and laziness is exactly why he was shipped away from Barca and replaced by Busquets.

[Waterfall 893]

Pretty sure Matic is the leader in distance covered in CL. Not sure where this stamina concern came from.