Toure wants Baggies to play ball
LONDON: Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure hopes West Bromwich Albion will not erect a defensive brick wall when his side travel to The Hawthorns today.
Premier League leaders City needed a penalty shootout to overcome West Brom’s Midlands neighbours Wolverhampton Wanderers in the fourth round of the League Cup on Tuesday after 120 goalless minutes at the Etihad Stadium.
And Toure is desperate for the Baggies to at least show some signs of attacking play on home turf in their league encounter.
“I hope in the next game it’s much easier because when you give teams so many chances to believe and be in the game, it’s so hard and so difficult,” Toure said.
“It’s so difficult when teams defend en masse. The striker stays with the holding midfielder, it’s unbelievable.”
City were indebted to goalkeeper Claudio Bravo against Wolves after he saved two spotkicks during a 4-1 victory in the shootout.
Bravol has lost his place to Ederson, who joined City from Benfica in June, but Toure said Bravo’s performance against Wolves was a sign he could force his way back into the first team.
“Frustration is part of life,” the Ivory Coast great added. “In your job, sometimes you feel frustrated. It’s part of life we have to understand.
“Bravo is a player with big experience, like me. We are always delighted if we help the team move forward. That’s the best thing we can do.”
West Brom coach Tony Pulis is looking for club record signing Nacer Chadli to relieve the pressure he’s under from fans after just two wins in 18 Premier League games.
Chadli made a scoring comeback in the 1-0 win at Leicester on Oct 16 after being left out when he snubbed the club’s pre-season training camp in Austria before being sidelined with a muscle strain.
“Nacer had a telling off, and he responded to that. And he had a kiss and cuddle and he responded to that,” Pulis said. AFP