Yaya Toure Showed Arsenal How To Win Premier League

Of all the things to take away from Arsenal’s massive win against Manchester City, let’s focus on the huge lesson of how to win the Premier League.

Arsenal fairly comprehensively handled Manchester City at the Emirates. Despite the possession being largely in City’s favor, they never looked an imposing threat and they never looked capable of slowing Arsenal’s attack. But then, around the last half hour of the game, something happened. Suddenly, City looked very imposing and very capable as they snuffed out Arsenal’s counter attacks and forced them into parking the bus.

What changed? Yaya Toure changed. When Toure decided that he had had enough with the proceedings, he took control. The Ivorian midfielder managed more touches than anyone else on the pitch and he was the only to have triple digit touches (106). He fired more shots than anyone else on the pitch (4). He had the highest pass completion of any non-defender (92%). In short, he took over the game and dictated what happened (stats via WhoScored). His goal was bizarre and almost unbelievable. But it was clear that if City were to come back, it was going to be through Yaya Toure.

So just shut him down. Easy enough. All Arsenal had to do was shut down Toure. They had already shut down Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne. Surely one more should not be a problem.

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Well it was. At different points throughout the proceedings, Yaya toure boxed Aaron Ramsey, Mathiu Flamini, Mesut Ozil and more away from the ball. He was just too big and too powerful to stop. The only Arsenal man who looked remotely capable of slowing him down was Calum Chambers.

Which brings me to my point. Arsenal thoroughly and convincingly won that game. Or at least the majority of it. But the one area they looked exposed at was in the base of their midfield. So the solution to the season is simple. All Arsenal needs to do is buy a bully of a midfielder to prevent such takeovers from happening. Do that, and it’s a trophy. It really is that simple. He doesn’t even have to be an offensive threat. Look at Wanyama. I’ll bet Wanyama could have knocked Toure off the ball.

Granted, not every team out there has a Yaya Toure. But every team out there is going to be switched on as the game winds down and they are nearing a defeat. That is when that Wanyama-type can make all the difference.

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Also think of it this way. Arsenal has no one that can prevent a guy like Toure from getting the ball back. They don’t have that big midfielder to hold onto the ball and box the other team out as the clock winds down. Toure’s athleticism and strength was a massive risk for Arsenal and if they are going to take home the title and compete in Europe, they are going to need someone like him.