The midfielder is one of the few droppable players at City, but his form has been indifferent this season, and an enforced break might help both the club and the player.
Roberto Mancini has said today that he expects Yaya Toure to decide to play for the Ivory Coast at the African Cup of Nations in the New Year, despite the club hoping he might opt to stay in England.
Toure is no doubt keen to try and avenge his country’s penalty shootout loss in the final of the tournament earlier this year, and there is also a feeling that the upcoming competition is the last chance for national legends like Drogba and Toure to win the trophy that has eluded them.
Toure’s absence will be seen as a blow to Manchester City, with the player key to much of their success over the past couple of years. It was his goal that won them the FA Cup in 2011, and his scoring spree in the last few games of last season brought home the title. Toure is perhaps the only attacking player in the side who does not face rotation, and his influence on the side is undeniable.
However Toure has yet to really get going this season, and his lack of form has contributed to City’s own poor recent record. Being without Toure leaves a hole in their side, but they have plenty of talented players who should be able to fill in, and there is an argument for saying both City and Toure could benefit.
For City, they have the chance to integrate new signings Javi Garcia and Jack Rodwell into the side. Both are excellent payers, but have yet to make an impact at their new club due to a lack of consistent playing time. City need to have players able to dominate the midfield even when Toure is absent or out of form, and Rodwell and Garcia will be given the chance to step up to that challenge in January.
For Toure, although he will face the physical demands of the tournament, he will be given a mental break from the Premier League. Also, if Ivory Coast do finally clinch the title, then he will be bringing back plenty of positivity to Manchester, and might be able to turn his league form around as City push for the title.
Given his influence on City’s recent success, losing Toure for around a month looks like a huge problem for Manchester City, but if they can successfully integrate their other talented players in his absence, and if Toure can recover his form whilst with the Ivory Coast, they might both end up benefiting from the break.
image: © marc_tacoma
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