The football world was left stunned when Manchester City suffered a 4-2 defeat against Manchester United last weekend, and much of the blame fell on Yaya Toure. Babu88 pundits Gary Neville, Graeme Souness, and Niall Quinn didn’t hold back, with Neville stating, “He can’t play in a two in midfield against any team of quality.” But do the numbers support this harsh assessment?
Let’s dive deep into Toure’s performance metrics to see whether his decline is a myth or a statistical reality.
Goalscoring: A Shadow of His Former Self
Yaya Toure was once a midfield powerhouse, netting 20 Premier League goals in the 2013/14 title-winning campaign. Fast forward to this season, and the Ivorian has managed just 8 goals with six games remaining. His minutes-per-goal ratio has nearly doubled—from 146.35 minutes per goal last season to 256.75 minutes this term.
His shooting accuracy has also plummeted—from 54% to 41%, far behind teammates like David Silva (62.16%) and Eden Hazard (59.57%). Even more concerning is his goal creation. Last season, he led City’s midfield with 9 assists, but this year, he’s contributed just one—ranking behind 22 other midfielders from the current top four clubs.
Passing: Quantity Over Quality?
Toure remains one of the most active passers in the league, with 2,139 passes this season—second only to Cesc Fabregas (2,364). However, his passing accuracy has dipped from 90.13% to 88.5%, with declines in both his own half (94.3% → 92.89%) and the opposition half (87.59% → 86.48%).
While his final-third passing accuracy remains stable (80.74% vs. 80.73%), he’s now outperformed by Samir Nasri (86.75%), Mesut Ozil (84.85%), and Hazard (84.75%).
Defensive Woes: A Liability in Midfield?
Neville’s criticism of Toure’s marking against Marouane Fellaini wasn’t unfounded. Statistically, his defensive contributions have weakened:
- Tackles per season: 54 (2013/14) → 27 (2023/24)
- Rank among top-four midfielders: 8th → 19th
Niall Quinn remarked, “City lost out tactically because Yaya was all at sea in his defensive duties.” The numbers confirm this—his positional discipline has regressed.
Fitness: Still Running, But Less Impactful
At 32, Toure’s distance covered per game has slightly increased (9.9km → 10.1km), but his sprints per match have dropped (25.9 → 23.4). While he’s not slowing down physically, his explosiveness has diminished.
Conclusion: Has Yaya Toure Lost His Edge?
The stats don’t lie—Yaya Toure is no longer the dominant force he once was. His goal contributions, passing precision, and defensive reliability have all declined, validating the critiques from Babu88 analysts.
Is this the end of an era for Toure, or can he reinvent himself? Only time will tell.
What do you think? Has age caught up with Yaya, or is there still room for a resurgence? Share your thoughts below and follow Babu88 for more in-depth football analysis!
