A last-minute goal saw Manchester City lose 1-0 at Bayern Munich but it was the performance of Yaya Toure that had people talking afterwards. Sarah Winterburn wonders what's happened to the midfield powerhouse...
Wednesday 17 September 2014 23:54, UK
Vincent Kompany said earlier this week that Yaya Toure was "not far off" signing a new Manchester City deal; that's considerably closer than he got to any Bayern Munich midfielder on Wednesday night.
Sluggish, awkward and wasteful, it is difficult not to conclude that he owes a massive apology to Fernandinho for leaving him to deal almost single-handedly with Mario Götze, Philipp Lahm, Xabi Alonso and occasionally David Alaba as Bayern revolved and rotated to leave Toure in a spin largely of his own making.
Whether it's a problem of fitness or attitude after a summer of birthday cake consternation followed by back-pedalling – “For me I was always quiet and my decision, if you want to say it like that, is that I will stay at Manchester City for as long as possible” - Toure has had an underwhelming start to the season.
Overshadowed by Fernando against Newcastle, average against Liverpool, over-run against Stoke, left out against Arsenal after a late return from international duty and now the nadir of 90 awful minutes in Munich when partner Fernandinho made eight tackles to his none.
Toure's high five with James Milner when he entered the fray after 58 minutes was telling - as are the stats that show Milner made three tackles in his cameo appearance as Toure floundered slightly higher up the pitch. As in previous Champions League clashes against the heavyweights of Bayern, Real Madrid and Barcelona, Toure was a passenger.
As the only Manchester City player to have won the competition, he should be emerging as a leader in these matches. Instead, he has the air of a man who's been there and done that.
Time and again on Wednesday night, you saw a Bayern player running into the area and Toure walking some yards behind. Or saw him easily dispossessed. Or saw him lazily hack down an opponent. Or spend far too long on the floor when he lost his footing.
Is he still seething at his perception of City's lack of respect - either in offering him cake or even more money? Is he simply physically spent? Does he lack motivation after winning pretty much everything at club level?
Whatever the reason for Toure's malaise, one thing is clear: he is performance are unlikely to have City rushing to draw up a new deal. In a year when Vincent Kompany, Samir Nasri, David Silva and Aleksandar Kolarov have been rewarded for their excellence and effort with new contracts, Toure will not have earned the same gesture unless his enthusiasm begins to match his evident talent again.
Some have asked this week whether Arsene Wenger is willing to drop Mesut Ozil, but the same question should be asked with the names of Manuel Pellegrini and Toure replacing those of the Gunners pair.
His assistant Ruben Cousillas dodged the decision by taking off Nasri rather than Toure in Munich, losing Silva's extraordinary ball retention and creativity from the centre of the park. It did not cost City the game - blame that on a wicked deflection - but it did cost City their most promising avenue through Munich's defence.
With Fernandinho (unlucky to lose his place to Fernando this season), Fernando himself (back from injury next week), Frank Lampard and Milner capable of playing in central midfield, Toure is no longer making a compelling case for his inclusion in a City side facing Chelsea, Roma and Tottenham in coming weeks, never mind a compelling case for a new contract. There are tough decisions ahead.
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A version of this article originally appeared on Football365
