Manchester City, as has been pointed out endlessly in the last 5 years, have the backing of a multi-billionaire owner, and can offer a seemingly endless amount of money to players, meaning that in theory, they could attract any footballer they want to the club.
So why is it then, that the loss of explosive forward Sergio Aguero is so bemoaned, so notable, so disappointing?
Whilst it is true that Aguero is a world-class forward, a man who can, and has, single-handedly win games for his team, surely with 2 other forwards who grossed almost £50m between them they can cope?
To find out why it seems that City can’t cope without him, why he’s so important to them, we need to look at what he brings, compared to Dzeko and Jovetic.
Aguero is blisteringly quick, which is an obvious asset to any team. If you can threaten in behind a defence, it’s one of the easiest and classic goals you can score. Failing that, in order to combat his pace, you have to drop deep to close the space behind the defence, giving the likes of Toure, Fernandinho, Nasri and Silva more room to fashion chances for the Argentinian. Jovetic is not a slow player, but his nature is to drop deep for the ball, more like a traditional number 10 or even a ‘False 9’, which can at times make it easier for defences to push up and squeeze the space. Dzeko is no slouch, but he doesn’t have the explosive acceleration and low centre of gravity that Aguero has which makes him so scary.
Adding to his ability to make teams drop deep is purely a fear factor. Defenders are scared to close him down, to mark him tightly, as his quick feet, acceleration and strength allow him to roll them easily. Man City are a frightening opposition with Aguero, yet far less so without. Assuming Dzeko and Jovetic both start, teams will naturally push higher and be less afraid to attack the heart of City’s defence which, as has been shown, is frail.
On a purely goal scoring front, Aguero outstrips both forwards. Dzeko has 48 in 114 Manchester City appearances, Jovetic has 7 in 20; Aguero this season has 10 in the league, but also that incredible hat-trick against Bayern Munich. An overall record of 66 in 101 games is absolutely incredible and any team would miss somebody who adds that many goals.
So what can City do to try and combat the loss of the diminutive striker? Though he has not scored yet for the club in the league, Jose Angel Pozo is an option should Pellegrini wish to go like for like in terms of playing style, however Pozo is inexperienced and putting too much pressure on his shoulders may be counter-productive.
Firstly, I think playing Jesus Navas could be key, as though he lacks the guile and creativity of Silva and Nasri, his pace is an asset and may stop teams pressing so high, creating space for Toure and Fernando in midfield. In order to make the most of this pace out wide, Dzeko should naturally start as he is, despite his inconsistencies, the best finisher other than Aguero at the club. He also has some aerial presence due to his height, which can be very useful. If Pellegrini wishes to play Silva and Nasri as well as Navas, dropping Jovetic and playing one centrally could be an option.
In bigger away games, Nasri, Jovetic and Navas could be a very frightening counter-attacking trio, allowing Pellegrini to play 3 central midfielders. This also gives Toure a bit more freedom to roam, knowing he is covered by 2 midfielders. This could play like a variation of Barcelona’s famed system, as Jovetic naturally plays quite deep, which may drag defenders about, leaving space for Toure and Nasri to exploit. Navas’ pace is an asset on the counter and for pushing teams back, so I feel he may be absolutely key in the coming weeks.
Man City can cope without Aguero – as one would expect given the amount of money their team costs – but it will make things a bit harder, especially with Dzeko’s poor form of late.
Article contributed by: Elliott Griffiths
Blog: Just Like Watching Brazil
Twitter: @ElliottBCFC
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| Sergio Aguero [Image by Stuart Grout] |
Whilst it is true that Aguero is a world-class forward, a man who can, and has, single-handedly win games for his team, surely with 2 other forwards who grossed almost £50m between them they can cope?
To find out why it seems that City can’t cope without him, why he’s so important to them, we need to look at what he brings, compared to Dzeko and Jovetic.
Aguero is blisteringly quick, which is an obvious asset to any team. If you can threaten in behind a defence, it’s one of the easiest and classic goals you can score. Failing that, in order to combat his pace, you have to drop deep to close the space behind the defence, giving the likes of Toure, Fernandinho, Nasri and Silva more room to fashion chances for the Argentinian. Jovetic is not a slow player, but his nature is to drop deep for the ball, more like a traditional number 10 or even a ‘False 9’, which can at times make it easier for defences to push up and squeeze the space. Dzeko is no slouch, but he doesn’t have the explosive acceleration and low centre of gravity that Aguero has which makes him so scary.
Adding to his ability to make teams drop deep is purely a fear factor. Defenders are scared to close him down, to mark him tightly, as his quick feet, acceleration and strength allow him to roll them easily. Man City are a frightening opposition with Aguero, yet far less so without. Assuming Dzeko and Jovetic both start, teams will naturally push higher and be less afraid to attack the heart of City’s defence which, as has been shown, is frail.
On a purely goal scoring front, Aguero outstrips both forwards. Dzeko has 48 in 114 Manchester City appearances, Jovetic has 7 in 20; Aguero this season has 10 in the league, but also that incredible hat-trick against Bayern Munich. An overall record of 66 in 101 games is absolutely incredible and any team would miss somebody who adds that many goals.
So what can City do to try and combat the loss of the diminutive striker? Though he has not scored yet for the club in the league, Jose Angel Pozo is an option should Pellegrini wish to go like for like in terms of playing style, however Pozo is inexperienced and putting too much pressure on his shoulders may be counter-productive.
Firstly, I think playing Jesus Navas could be key, as though he lacks the guile and creativity of Silva and Nasri, his pace is an asset and may stop teams pressing so high, creating space for Toure and Fernando in midfield. In order to make the most of this pace out wide, Dzeko should naturally start as he is, despite his inconsistencies, the best finisher other than Aguero at the club. He also has some aerial presence due to his height, which can be very useful. If Pellegrini wishes to play Silva and Nasri as well as Navas, dropping Jovetic and playing one centrally could be an option.
In bigger away games, Nasri, Jovetic and Navas could be a very frightening counter-attacking trio, allowing Pellegrini to play 3 central midfielders. This also gives Toure a bit more freedom to roam, knowing he is covered by 2 midfielders. This could play like a variation of Barcelona’s famed system, as Jovetic naturally plays quite deep, which may drag defenders about, leaving space for Toure and Nasri to exploit. Navas’ pace is an asset on the counter and for pushing teams back, so I feel he may be absolutely key in the coming weeks.
Man City can cope without Aguero – as one would expect given the amount of money their team costs – but it will make things a bit harder, especially with Dzeko’s poor form of late.
Article contributed by: Elliott Griffiths
Blog: Just Like Watching Brazil
Twitter: @ElliottBCFC
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