Toure loving life in England

17 September 2010 13:50
Yaya Toure believes he's "suited" to the Premier League and can help Manchester City challenge at the top.[LNB] Although results have not gone exactly to plan for the Blues this season, it has done nothing to diminish what Toure views as the most exciting challenge of his career so far.[LNB]The Ivory Coast midfielder always had an inkling life in the Premier League would be ideally suited to his muscular style.[LNB]And, after abandoning Barcelona to become one of this summer's highest profile transfers, the 27-year-old has not been disappointed.[LNB]On Sunday he will be part of the Blues side looking to get their domestic campaign back on track by beating Wigan.[LNB]He knows the Blues face a ferocious battle if they are to end a two-match run without a win. But that is just the way he likes it.[LNB]"When I think about the differences between football in Spain and England, the biggest is that in Spain the matches are played slowly with a lot of quality," said the £24-million man.[LNB]"In England everyone has to fight and run for the opportunity to play football. I love that.[LNB]"I know I am suited to the Premier League."[LNB]Toure cannot wait to meet England's biggest clubs.[LNB]Having spent so much money over the past three summers, he accepts City must now be matching the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United, plus champions Chelsea, who visit Eastlands on September 25.[LNB]"I have a lot of respect for these clubs," he said.[LNB]"But our matches against them are going to be very important to know whether we are a strong side as well.[LNB]"We are just starting on our path, with a lot of new players but if we work hard I am totally sure we can join these famous clubs."[LNB]As City took six points off Chelsea last season and three off Arsenal, yet have still managed to lose at Sunderland this term and somehow failed to overcome Blackburn on home soil last week, it seems the problem is not how they fare against England's title contenders.[LNB]More likely, the problems come when they encounter opponents expected to be disposed of with ease.[LNB]Wigan for instance are a side City have never beaten on five previous visits to the DW Stadium.[LNB]And, for all his club's wealth and collection of star names, Toure accepts breaking that duck is not going to be easy.[LNB]"In Spain, usually when you see Barcelona play against the smaller teams it ends up being a lot of goals for them," said Toure, conveniently overlooking last weekend's shock defeat to newly-promoted Hercules.[LNB]"It is not like that in England. Blackpool have just come up from the Championship yet we already know when we play them it won't be easy.[LNB]"I like that challenge. I like it to be difficult."[LNB]On the evidence of Wigan's opening two matches, difficult is not what City's task seemed to be.[LNB]Conceding 10 goals on home soil in defeats to Blackpool and Chelsea had the Latics marked out as early season relegation favourites.[LNB]Since then though, Roberto Martinez's men have beaten Tottenham at White Hart Lane and showed commendable spirit to claim a late draw from last weekend's encounter with Sunderland.[LNB]And even in that hammering by Chelsea, Toure saw reasons for City to be wary.[LNB]"Wigan played very well for half an hour that day," he said.[LNB]"We have already dropped points against Sunderland and Blackburn and I feel Wigan are a team just like them.[LNB]"They will work hard and won't make it easy for us.[LNB]"The thing is in football, particularly English football, you never know.[LNB]"Sometimes you go into a match when it seems you have no chance but the small team somehow manages to beat the big one.[LNB]"The most important thing we can do to avoid these results is to work hard in training because what you do in training, you also tend to do in games."

Source: Team_Talk