Sergio Aguero - 2016/17 performances

[mrtwiceaseason]

Interesting to see on the Inside City this week that all the players who didn't start against Barca trained on Thursday in Barcas mini stadium. No sign of Kun though. Am I reading too much in to that? Clichy, Willy, Sane, Navas, Maffeo, Fernando, Kelechi and Gunn but no sign of Aguero (or Kompany for that matter).

Also his girlfriend drove him to training yesterday ,seems to be protecting an injury maybe ?

 

[Terra Passenger]

Here is the philosophy ( at least as I understood it.) To have a chance against Barca we needed to control possession and at the same time limit Barca's build up.

Now , controlling possession required our best passers on the field, and limiting their build up also required our best pressers on the field.

Those were the keys to the game in Pep's mind. Knowing the above, who of our front 6 is weakest on the press and and who were the weakest at keeping possession.

The answer to the above questions was why Aguero was on the bench. It isn't particularly complexed.

You're somewhat on the right track. But off course in other points.

Barca is a better team - better players. And they play a similar system.

Still, pressing Barca whenever possible to gain possession was absolutely part of Pep's plans. At best, I think Pep hoped for 50-50 possession.
==========
Attackers we had available and their ability to press::
Silva, very weak. Also tires as the game goes on.
KDB, not great. And seems to tire even more than Silva.
Kun - actually pretty good when he puts a shift in.
Gundugan - no problem, but might not last a full 90 if asked to press contently.
Sterling - OK. Great stamina and would at least shadow press when necessary.
Nolito - probably more than satisfactory. Doesn't seem to tire.
'Nacho - also probably OK. Good stamina.
=======
So, of the above to start, pressing full-time as very important and yet ability to score when in possession also important, I'd have started, in order of preference:
Gundugan
Nolito
Kun
Sterling
KDB
'Nacho
Silva

Kun is far up that list. That he didn't actually start either means that:
1) my assessment of Kun's pressing ability is off; or
2) Pep was sending a message - Kun needs to follow instructions, pressing whenever the ball turns over, staying up front, and moving to create passing opportunities and to move defenders out of possession.

In my book it's 2 (yes there are other reasons why Kun might not have started... possible injury concerns which we're not aware of.. etc. Nonetheless, several posters have pointed to a possible dissatisfaction with Kun's recent performances on the part of Pep - not pressing and drifting back to get the ball - that Kun then doesn't start in our biggest game of the season suggests that Pep is indeed not satisfied with Kun's performances of late.

 

[Brendan110_0]

You're somewhat on the right track. But off course in other points.

Barca is a better team - better players. And they play a similar system.

Still, pressing Barca whenever possible to gain possession was absolutely part of Pep's plans. At best, I think Pep hoped for 50-50 possession.
==========
Attackers we had available and their ability to press::
Silva, very weak. Also tires as the game goes on.
KDB, not great. And seems to tire even more than Silva.
Kun - actually pretty good when he puts a shift in.
Gundugan - no problem, but might not last a full 90 if asked to press contently.
Sterling - OK. Great stamina and would at least shadow press when necessary.
Nolito - probably more than satisfactory. Doesn't seem to tire.
'Nacho - also probably OK. Good stamina.
=======
So, of the above to start, pressing full-time as very important and yet ability to score when in possession also important, I'd have started, in order of preference:
Gundugan
Nolito
Kun
Sterling
KDB
'Nacho
Silva

Kun is far up that list. That he didn't actually start either means that:
1) my assessment of Kun's pressing ability is off; or
2) Pep was sending a message - Kun needs to follow instructions, pressing whenever the ball turns over, staying up front, and moving to create passing opportunities and to move defenders out of possession.

In my book it's 2 (yes there are other reasons why Kun might not have started... possible injury concerns which we're not aware of.. etc. Nonetheless, several posters have pointed to a possible dissatisfaction with Kun's recent performances on the part of Pep - not pressing and drifting back to get the ball - that Kun then doesn't start in our biggest game of the season suggests that Pep is indeed not satisfied with Kun's performances of late.

Kun has been below what he can be, he should never have games with no influence which happens from time to time. Harassing players like Tevez/Suarez would catapult Aguero to the Ballon'dor and us to multiple pots.

 

[SWP's back]

I don't think it was as good as any of those performances. Didn't think it was bad by any means but it wasn't quite up to those standards IMO. If it had have been we would have created more clear cut chances from open play, as it is I think some of the final balls weren't good enough. Mind you I missed the first 12 mins due to the turnstiles so maybe the first 12 mins were especially brilliant.

I genuinely thought it was the best football we played. We had total control.

 

[Terra Passenger]

Kun has been below what he can be, he should never have games with no influence which happens from time to time. Harassing players like Tevez/Suarez would catapult Aguero to the Ballon'dor and us to multiple pots.

Agreed.

And too bad Tevez was such an emotional time bomb - not just for us but for the Argentinian national side as well.

Tevez was nearly as skillful as Suarez at breaking sides down singlehandedly and had an engine that just would not stop.

Tevez tended to drift all over the field though, interfering with other offensive players. And his emotional instability was off-scale.

Tevez was one of the best (if not the best) players we ever had - and easily the most frustrating.

 

[SWP's back]

Here is the philosophy ( at least as I understood it.) To have a chance against Barca we needed to control possession and at the same time limit Barca's build up.

Now , controlling possession required our best passers on the field, and limiting their build up also required our best pressers on the field.

Those were the keys to the game in Pep's mind. Knowing the above, who of our front 6 is weakest on the press and and who were the weakest at keeping possession.

The answer to the above questions was why Aguero was on the bench. It isn't particularly complexed.

Yep. He got his tactics spot on and I'm still not quite sure how we lost 4-0. We were the better team up to the stupid sending off.

 

[SWP's back]

so all in all it was a pretty stupid idea no ?

No.

I asked you what Aguero had done wrong as your implied that our new tough manager picked players on merit.

I don't think you understand what merit means. He can score goals but he doesn't help dominate possession and press. So on those merits, whilst he hadn't" done anything wrong", he wasn't selected.

 

[Terra Passenger]

Yep. He got his tactics spot on and I'm still not quite sure how we lost 4-0. We were the better team up to the stupid sending off.

That's it in a nutshell.

Messi was off-scale brilliant, and would likely have beaten us no matter what - coupled with a very unfortunate mistake by our excellent keeper. Result: 4-0.

A combination of tremendous play by the world's best footballer and a bonehead error by our keeper. The best manager in world football with an excellent side at his disposal could not overcome Messi followed by Bravo's error.

 

[quiet_riot]

I can't believe anyone thinks the best football we've played this season was v Everton.

I think it was some of the best football played anywhere ever.

 

[Terra Passenger]

I think it was some of the best football played anywhere ever.

It was indeed very good. Very unlucky not to have won that game by 3 or 4 goals (missed 2 penalties, should have had a 3rd penalty awarded, missed numerous opportunities to score). We were by far the better side.

 

[Lancet Fluke]

I genuinely thought it was the best football we played. We had total control.

I don't think we shifted the ball about quite as quickly as we have done in some (of what I would see as) our best performances so far, I felt like we were a bit more cautious in possession, possibly due to losing at Spurs. Just the odd extra touch here and there which slowed things down enough to make it easy for Everton to get themselves back into their shape. We had total control but then Everton looked very happy to give us total control and in the second half we looked vulnerable to the counter attack. So not as good as some performances where we have to me looked more incisive and more solid defensively. But as I said it was by no means a poor performance, I am being pedantic really by picking the other poster up on it.

 

[Neville Kneville]

I was away for the Everton game & had to make do with a shit stream.

Having watched it since, I think we were fantastic apart from a few instances of dumb defending & some shite play in the final 3rd. Same v Barca. Best ever performance by a City team in Europe bar final 3rd & stupid mistakes imo.

Re Sergio, I think someone is about to cop it, in a big way. Hopefully both Southampton & the rags. He will take it all out on someone, very soon.

 

[domalino]

You're somewhat on the right track. But off course in other points.

Barca is a better team - better players. And they play a similar system.

Still, pressing Barca whenever possible to gain possession was absolutely part of Pep's plans. At best, I think Pep hoped for 50-50 possession.
==========
Attackers we had available and their ability to press::
Silva, very weak. Also tires as the game goes on.
KDB, not great. And seems to tire even more than Silva.
Kun - actually pretty good when he puts a shift in.
Gundugan - no problem, but might not last a full 90 if asked to press contently.
Sterling - OK. Great stamina and would at least shadow press when necessary.
Nolito - probably more than satisfactory. Doesn't seem to tire.
'Nacho - also probably OK. Good stamina.
=======
So, of the above to start, pressing full-time as very important and yet ability to score when in possession also important, I'd have started, in order of preference:
Gundugan
Nolito
Kun
Sterling
KDB
'Nacho
Silva

Kun is far up that list. That he didn't actually start either means that:
1) my assessment of Kun's pressing ability is off; or
2) Pep was sending a message - Kun needs to follow instructions, pressing whenever the ball turns over, staying up front, and moving to create passing opportunities and to move defenders out of possession.

In my book it's 2 (yes there are other reasons why Kun might not have started... possible injury concerns which we're not aware of.. etc. Nonetheless, several posters have pointed to a possible dissatisfaction with Kun's recent performances on the part of Pep - not pressing and drifting back to get the ball - that Kun then doesn't start in our biggest game of the season suggests that Pep is indeed not satisfied with Kun's performances of late.

This list is such a hilariously bad appraisal of how good the players are at pressing I'm actually wondering if you watch games at all.

De Bruyne is unquestionably our best presser, both in terms of intensity, and his decisions of when and who to press. He is the player that completely leads the defensive effort and Pep said as much after the Bournemouth game. The reason he gets tired is because, like Lallana at Liverpool, he leads the press and never stops sprinting to close people down. That's also why he runs further than anyone else on the team.

The fact that you think Aguero, who Guardiola has frequently said he want more from off the ball, is better at pressing than De Bruyne is like writing "I don't have a clue" across your forehead in giant red marker.

 

[Lancet Fluke]

I think it was some of the best football played anywhere ever.

Really? That Everton match is some of the best football you have seen played anywhere, ever?

 

[pride in battle]

I think you have confused Dzeko or Bony or maybe Zlatan with Aguero. One of Aguero's strengths is his mobility and agility.

I do think his game has dipped a little. He's not as quick as the player who arrived from Atletico, but he's still a fantastic striker.

We got in some great opportunities against Everton, and Barca, but scored once. I am sure we would have done better against Everton had he been fit. The tactics were spot on against Barca. We had the upper hand as a team before individual errors blew it up in our face, although I think we massively overdo the passing with Bravo especially against a team who press. Too risky.

Blue tinted glasses Marv, Aguero has become lazy,he's is/was a fantastic player but he could offer more, he doesn't close defenders down like he used to...

 

[Terra Passenger]

This list is such a hilariously bad appraisal of how good the players are at pressing I'm actually wondering if you watch games.

De Bruyne is unquestionably our best presser, both in terms of intensity, and his decisions of when and who to press. He is the player that completely leads the defensive effort. Pep said as much after the Bournemouth game.

The fact that you think Aguero, who Guardiola has frequently said he want more from off the ball, is better at pressing than De Bruyne is like writing "I don't have a clue" across your forehead in giant red marker.

LOL.

KDB isn't great at pressing and easily tires.

Kun is much better when he puts his mind to it - and that is the rub. Kun isn't trying hard enough.

Our best presser by far is Fernandiho - but Fernandiho is just too good at defense and must play one of the pivot roles.

 

[domalino]

LOL.

KDB isn't great at pressing and easily tires.

Kun is better when he puts his mind to it.

Our best presser by far is Fernandiho - but Fernandiho is just too good at defense and must play one of the pivot roles.

You are wrong. You are so, so wrong, and you only need to listen to the manager's post match comments to know that he has a completely different opinion to you.

 

[Terra Passenger]

You are wrong. You are so, so wrong, and you only need to listen to the manager's post match comments to know that he has a completely different opinion to you.

Then we're in complete disagreement.

Just let me know where you'd put KDB in this list of potential pressers (when motivated) for a full game:

Gundugan
Nolito
Kun
Sterling
KDB

KDB is last. Arguably Sterling isn't great either - but Sterling never tires.

 

[quiet_riot]

Really? That Everton match is some of the best football you have seen played anywhere, ever?

Certainly in patches.

 

[Lancet Fluke]

I was away for the Everton game & had to make do with a shit stream.

Having watched it since, I think we were fantastic apart from a few instances of dumb defending & some shite play in the final 3rd. Same v Barca. Best ever performance by a City team in Europe bar final 3rd & stupid mistakes imo.

Re Sergio, I think someone is about to cop it, in a big way. Hopefully both Southampton & the rags. He will take it all out on someone, very soon.

I know what you're getting at and to some extent I wouldn't disagree but stupid mistakes that lead to losing a match comprehensively and poor decision making/bad finishing at the other end are pretty fundamental parts of a performance being good or not IMO. I think it showed that we will absolutely be competitive with the top teams in Europe in the not too distant future but at the same time we got too many crucial things wrong for me to say it was a genuinely good performance. I think Sevilla away is probably our best performance in the Champions League to date but the potential we are showing at the moment is huge and really encouraging.