Posts Tagged ‘Yaya Toure’

50 of the Best African Players of 2012: 10-1

Posted: January 5, 2013 by Salim Masoud Said in African Football, Africans Abroad
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10. Christopher Katongo (Henan FC/Zambia) – It was the elder Katongo’s club form that saw him slip to 10th in our list. Katongo notched a respectable 9 goals for Chinese side Henan FC, but his contribution was not sufficient in salvaging his club’s fortune as they teetered down relegation avenue. On the international stage, Christopher Katongo was the vanguard of a once-in-a-lifetime cinderella story. He skippered the Chipolopolo to their first continental championship in Libreville-the exact location of the air disaster which stole the lives of 30 of the Copper Bullets’ finest 20 years earlier. A feat which saw him collect the BBC African Player of the Year award- the first ever granted to a Zambian player.

9. Kwadwo Asamoah (Juventus/Ghana) -  ‘Kojo’, the former African Young Player of the Year (2010), has found development strikingly smooth. After blessing Francesci Guidolin’s midfield with industry and heart in Udine, Asamoah took to Turin in a brilliant career move. Asamoah snuck right into Conte’s 3-5-2 as a wing-back and carnage ensued. Kojo’s pace and power constitutes an immediate mismatch for opposing full-backs. Some liken him to Gareth Bale as his athleticism permits similar mazy runs. What’s certain is Juventus will miss the threat of their wing-back as Ghana look to capitalize on what could well be a world class player.

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JMG Academies: A Unique Philosophy

Posted: December 20, 2012 by Dante in African Football
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Guillou instilled unique methods with unprecedented success

Gervinho, Bakari Kone, Arouna Kone, Kolo Toure, Yaya Toure, Didier Ya Konan, Lacina Traore, Ndri Romaric, Didier Zokora, Aruna Dindane, Salomon Kalou, Emmanuel Eboue, Arthur Boka, Siaka Tiene. An explosion of Ivorian talent in a matter of years. It isn’t a coincidence. Much of the credit goes to a man by the name of Jean-Marc Guillou. Why?

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SFG European-based African Team of the Season

Posted: May 24, 2012 by Salim Masoud Said in African Football, Africans Abroad
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It’s been a momentous season for African footballers in Europe, especially the strikers. Have a collection of African strikers enjoyed a better season in Europe? Probably not; Arouna Kone scored so much that Levante had to abstain from playing him to avoid triggering a clause which would have seen him return to his parent club; Emmanuel Adebayor reached double figures in goals and assists; Yakubu’s goalscoring chance conversion rate (29%) was only bettered by Papiss Cisse 37% – which is incredible, considering Blackburn were eventually relegated; Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang came of age, embarking on a goalscoring streak of 14 goals in 26 games; Seydou Doumbia froze Russian league defenders with his right-place-right-time sense in front of the net; and, of course, Didier Drogba’s insatiable performances in big games were vintage. I could go on. But this isn’t about merely strikers. To the business at hand:

Goalkeeper: Boubacar Barry (Lokeren/Ivory Coast)

African goalkeepers seem to be in short supply in Europe. Richard Kingson has faded into obscurity, Carlos Kameni rarely played for Espanyol in the first half of the season and played second fiddle at Malaga following a January move, whilst Guy Roland N’Dy Assembe floundered in mid-table with Nancy even though he has shown genuine talent at times. The straightforward choice, then, was Ivorian Boubacar Barry who remains the number one choice for Lokeren and added a Belgian Cup medal to his medal collection this season as well as scored goals.

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SFG Player of the Week: Yaya Toure

Posted: May 8, 2012 by Sagar in Player of the Week
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No, you’re not going crazy but nor is this a duplicate post. His two goals put Manchester City within touching distance of their first title in 44 years, so it’s no surprise that Yaya Toure becomes Sandals For Goalposts’ Player of the Week for the second week running. What can be said about him that wasn’t posted last week? Many people have said that he symbolises what Man City is all about, and who can argue? For one, while City’s muscle is purely financial, Yaya is nothing but a man of physical strength and force. The determined approach of City to become the leading football club in the world is the same possessed by Toure everytime he steps on to the field of play. The beauty of having a player like Toure is that you almost get two players at once. At times he can be the enforcer in midfield and, in other moments, can be that player who makes the surging runs from midfield. Fans got to see both sides of him last Sunday at Newcastle when Roberto Mancini replaced Samir Nasri for Nigel de Jong after failing to break the Magpies down for 60 mins. This saw Toure move further up the field and the result never really seemed in doubt after he grabbed the first goal. Had they not won the game, the tactical decision would almost certainly have backfired and be considered ‘defensive’ and ‘typically Italian’ by critics. In getting the two goals, Toure not only put his club in the driver’s seat for the Premier League trophy but also justified Mancini’s tactics.

SFG Player of the Week: Yaya Toure

Posted: May 1, 2012 by Salim Masoud Said in Player of the Week
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How do you stop a runaway freight train? Well, you don’t stop it by placing Park Ji Sung in front of it. The runaway freight train I’m alluding to is Yaya Toure, this week’s Player of the Week after his magnificent performance against Manchester United. The Ivorian was simply unstoppable in the Manchester derby, proving yet again that he is one of the most complete footballers in the world at the moment. With Manchester United reticent in their set up, Toure destructed their parked bus with his forceful, regal runs severely exposing the weak core of their midfield. A common criticism of the Ivorian is the way he visibly fades towards the final third of games (this weakness was apparent at the Africa Cup of Nations – he was notably withdrawn after 87 minutes in the final after beginning to look clumsy, not playing extra-time), but there was little sign of fatigue on Monday night. With Man Utd’s midfield battered and bruised and space opening up in the final third of the game, Toure finished the game strongly, threatening on more than one occasion to add the oomph to the scoreline that Manchester City’s dominance deserved.

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