The Ivory Coast midfielder arrived from Barcelona this summer with high expectations but struggled to match his star billing with consistent performances during the first few weeks of the season. It did not help that City were so badly affected by injuries, which forced Toure to play in a far more advanced role than he was used to at the Nou Camp. But the 27-year-old's last couple of performances, against Fulham and Bolton, have shown a marked improvement on what has gone before. And the £25million man is feeling far happier with life. "I feel I am getting closer to my best each time I play," Toure told City's official website. "I have had to change the way I play because I am more of a central midfielder by nature. "But I get forward a lot more at City and I am still adapting to the change." Toure will hope for more of the same at West Ham tomorrow, although with the January transfer window looming, thoughts at City are already starting to focus on potential arrivals and departures. The vast financial backing Roberto Mancini has available means City will be linked with scores of players, the vast majority of whom will not come close to being signed. Those who might leave are of more interest, with Shaun Wright-Phillips amongst the players about whom interest has already been expressed, from West Brom and West Ham. Emmanuel Adebayor and Wayne Bridge would also appear to be in the most obvious group of potential departures, with City eager to trim their vast wage bill. A balance must be struck though between shifting players who are not happy missing games and Mancini leaving himself without adequate cover to sustain a trophy challenge on three fronts. That particularly applies to Shay Given, who has grown increasingly frustrated at his lack of matches but for Mancini has an essential role to play as back up for first-choice keeper Joe Hart. The England keeper will doubtless be in goal on Saturday when City look to extend their present unbeaten record to seven games at Upton Park. Not that Toure feels the Blues will have a comfortable passage. Having lost at Wolves already this term and being held by Birmingham when Alex McLeish's men were in the bottom three, he knows better than to expect an easy three points. "West Ham may be bottom but they won't roll over and die for us," said Toure. "It will be difficult, especially on their own ground, but we know a win will set us up nicely for the Christmas games and extend our unbeaten run, too, which is very important. "They have some good players and if we allow them to play, they could hurt us. "We go there in good form and with our confidence high - we can't afford to slip up and need to leave with three points."
