Sergio Aguero....just my thoughts.

OK. I’ve wanted to write this post for a while. I thought about writing it last year, when the Real Madrid rumours were abound , however, I never got around to it. Now seems the right time.
Before I start, I want to make my stance clear. I’m in favour of keeping Sergio Aguero at City. I have been since these rumours started, and I still want him to be a Man City player next season. However, I’m sure there are some out there who think maybe it’s time to sell him. Some that may think Pep has looked at Sergio and thought “as good as he has been, he just doesn’t fit my future City team”…and that’s fine. It’s about opinions.

I’ll try and break this post down into several sections. The player, the stats, the manager and fans and the current market that’s available out there and see what people think.

OK, here we go. The Player:

As we know and has been said by the player on untold occasions, he loves the club, the city and the fans. He’s said he wants to stay. This leads me onto his contract.
We’ve had numerous reports that all fans are waiting to hear about this contract extension. We’ve heard that Sergio has signed a contract until 2020 and he signed it last year. This has yet to be confirmed officially, by the club, his representatives or the manager. Now, it would be nice to know that he has signed this contract until 2020. Two-fold; he wants to stay at the club like he has said before “this will be my last club before moving back to Indepentiente and to know we have some bargaining power should an offer come into the club.
As of now, we know neither as fans.

As for the player, we all know he loves the club. He loves the fans and he loves MCFC. The club have treated him well and have also given him the platform to become one of the best players in world football – I’m sure there are not many pundits, City or opposition fans that would disagree. Today, he’s still one of ‘the’ best strikers in world football…at 28 years of age.
His age. Is this a problem, really? Does he have another 2 or 3 years at the top striking table? I think he does. But that’s not the issue. Will he be valuable to the club at 30/31 years of age…and, do the club worry about it or not? He’ll be 31 entering his last year of his contract if he stays that long. Is money a residing factor for The Sheikh, Khaldoon or Txiki? I’m not sure it is.

Another question would be this; does he deserve, after what he has done for this club in the last 5 years, to see his contract out at City and the board accept he’ll be hitting the tipping point in the next few years, of his best form? Should they accept that? Should they be loyal? Does Sergio really want to be the main man now and for the next 12 months, but then accept that in a league like the PL, he may be a second choice striker or a player used rotationally?
Or…..do we have to trust in Pep and what he wants, considering he will be at the reigns of the club for the next 2-5 years?

Stats: I’m sure we’ve all seen them, purred over them and they are hard to contradict.

League Starts – 146
Goals – 113

FA Cup Starts – 9
FA Cup Goals – 10

League Cup Starts – 7
League Cup Goals – 4

CL Starts – 36
CL Goals – 27

Statistically, we know, he’s one of the most prolific strikers in world football….and he’s done that at a club playing in the PL – a league which is the most difficult.
3rd on the list on ALL TIME Man City goal scorers – and he’s been here since 2011 – a record that in one season more, will make him City’s greatest ever goal scorer. Greatest EVER!

The Manager; under Mancini and MP he was always going to be number 1. Play him at all costs. Under Pep, he’s pretty much been that, until recently. We don’t know why he’s been left on the bench, but the arrival of Gabriel has definitely played a part – and the fact he’s scored 3 in 2 games.
Does he fit into Pep’s style of play? I don’t see why not, but then again, you have to look at the last few games and ask whether ‘that’ style of football, with youth, pace and energy, is better than what we would have seen with Sergio up top.
This will be a nonsensical debate, as we’ll never know….but you have to ask yourself…..why have we played the most scintillating football that we have done, all season, since Gabriel has been in the team with Sane and Raheem alongside and Aguero on the bench? That’s not to discount the games against Barca, Bayern, Chelsea, Arsenal and United…..but as good as they were, we’ve seen a brand of football lately, which is ‘different’ – fast, electric passing, control, movement, pace and finishing. Can Sergio enhance that style? I guess that’s the question.
For me, of course he can. It won’t be the same brand or style, but what’s to say that one of the deadliest strikers in world football, couldn’t easily go on a run and turn that 1-0 at HT against a Swansea into a 4-0 and hatrick style of football – he’s that deadly?

We know the Manager has openly stated he wants him to stay. We know the club have openly said they want him to stay, but I guess unless we know what Pep has decided, we’ll never know until the time comes for both sides to openly state their intentions and we Sergio playing again.
Has he been like he was last season or the season before? No. Has he missed chances he wouldn’t have missed last season? Yes. However, he’s missed 7 games through suspension. Now the up-side of that, is that it wasn’t through injury, something he seems to have finally rectified.

If you look at his goals per minutes:

1347 minutes played – 11 goals. 122 mins per goal.

Look at some of the others who are above him:

Defoe 14 goals – 2152 minutes played – 154 mins per goal.

Harry Kane 14 goals – 1629 minutes played – 154 mins per goal.

Zlatan 15 goals – 2070 minutes played – 138 mins per goal

Costa 15 goals – 1947 minutes played – 130 mins per goal

Sanchez 15 goals – 2056 minutes played – 137 mins per goal

Lukaku 16 goals – 2007 minutes played – 125 mins per goal.

Far less game time, but still a better goal to game ratio than any of the others vying for the Golden Boot. One question….7 games missed through suspension would generally mean another 600+ mins. That means on current goal to game ratio, he should be top of the pile with Lukaku….on 16+, even after he didn’t score for several games. Yet we’re still considering him a player we could possibly get rid of?

Which leads me to my last point. Possible replacements. Sergio is 28 and will be 29 in the summer. How much would he cost if we sold him this summer? He’s generally accepted as one of the best strikers in world football….so if PEA and Griezman are worth £70-80m……..why wouldn’t Sergio with his record (which destroys theirs) be worth £100-110m? Would you take Kane, Costa or Lukaku over Sergio…..and more so, would Pep to fit into our style of play?

Current best strikers in European Football - goals

La Liga
Messi 16
Ronaldo 13
Aspas 11
We’re not getting any of the top 2 here.

Serie A
Icardi 15
Higuain 15
Dzeko 15
Belotti 15
Immobile 12
We don’t want any of the top 2 here.

Bundesliga
PEA 17
Lewandowski 15
Modeste 15
Werner 11
PEA is 28 in the summer, Lewandowski 29…..if age is the issue, why sell Aguero?

Ligue 1
Cavanni 22
Lacazette 18
Falcao 14
Gomis 13
The French league is shit….just look at Falcao in the PL.

So…..who out there are we going to replace Aguero with? Someone who already loves the club, knows the fans, knows the PL, has the best goal to min ration in PL history and is still 28 years of age right now?

Or, do we simply leave it to Pep to decide and trust in what he see’s fit – which, might be to keep him and rotate the system of strikers and get them all playing fluidly?
I’d still bet with anyone, that if Pep gives Sergio game time, he’ll score more than any of the other PL strikers this season.

Just my thoughts.

It's a conundrum this, listening to fans on talk sport tonight, plenty are saying we should cash in and sell!

Crazy if you ask me, 2 games on the bench and all of a sudden he is done.

This is Pep telling him as great a player is he needs to do more when he doesn't have the ball.

Storm in a teacup, let hope Sergio is clever enough to see that though, because he doesn't look happy and all this press bullshit can't be helping.

In Pep we trust.

Even though I've criticised him, you have to trust Pep.

I've actually seen a stat that says we've scored more goals per game and got more points per game with him not in the side this season!

I think it boils down to two things that worry Pep: AGuero doesn't press the way Pep wants him too (maybe he's worried about injuries or just lazy) and he's not as clinical as we need him to be. But he's not the only one. Kev hits the target against Chelsea, as he should have done, and we are only 4 points behind them and all to play for. And all this hoo ha wouldn't have arisen.

I want Aguero to stay, but I'm less emotional about it than I was last season. I'd hate to think his best years are behind him.

It would be utter madness to sell him
We have a 19 year old new to the league and just Iheanacho as back up 
Aguero would get into every PL team right now as no 1 striker

he is still our number 1 striker.
I would have expected him to bury the chance in the last minute against Swansea though.
We need to start with Sergio in the middle, Jesus left and Sane right I think next time out

So what do you do with Sterling? Is he the weakest of the four?

We're so emotionally attached to Aguero because of what he's done for us that it would be hard to let him go. But we've seen Pep is ruthless to the point of downright stupid and doesn't seem to care too much for sentiment.

Sterling comes off the bench this weekend,
then the weekend after either Sane or Jesus takes a rest.. etc..

this is what we've wanted is competition for places, we will have to accept one off the bench until we get injuries/suspensions etc.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/sergio-aguero-vs-jesus-stats-12569771

These early stats are what Pep wants. Jesus has covered 10% more distance than Sergio's best this season and he's done 10% more sprints. And, apparently, he's already got more assists this season!!!

I think to compare the two is folly. It's like comparing Sergio's stats after 6 games vs Gabriel's now. 10 goals in 6 games v 3 goals in 2.
Let's see Gabriel's distance covered after he's played 12 games on the run, 3 games per week - and see if it's still that high....I hope it is!! But he's fresh, new club, point to prove...you always get that. He'll need protecting and resting at some point. I can't see Pep continually playing, Sane or Sterling - so Aguero will still get plenty of games IMO.

We should be pleased we finally have another striker to supplement Kelechi and Sergio and use them as Pep see's fit.

Kelechi is out of the picture now.

Itchy is only effective as a sub. but very effective and not quibbling about being on the bench either..

He's not even making the bench these days. And being brutal, he's fallen behind Jesus and down the pecking order. Maybe he'll end up going out on loan.

Pep gave him a few starts and then dropped him.

TBF, he wasn't great when he come on recently, but maybe in this new system - all out attack, he'll be better. He's still only a kid, so still got lots of time to be learning the ropes.

It would be nuts to sell Aguero just because Jesus has made a good start.  How many times has Aguero saved the day?  Hopefully it's all just talk to sell papers.  Craig Bellamy made a good start when he signed (just sayin) - LOL.

Wensdi wrote:It would be nuts to sell Aguero just because Jesus has made a good start.  How many times has Aguero saved the day?  Hopefully it's all just talk to sell papers.  Craig Bellamy made a good start when he signed (just sayin) - LOL.

I thought Bellamy was great for us

Many clamoured for the club to sign another class striker to help carry the burden up front. We sign Jesus and he hits the ground running, so we sell Aguero leaving Jesus in the same position as the lone striker? Kelechi is not good enough, Aguero is not going anywhere we still need 2 top strikers not just one.

Paulpowersleftfoot wrote:

Wensdi wrote:It would be nuts to sell Aguero just because Jesus has made a good start.  How many times has Aguero saved the day?  Hopefully it's all just talk to sell papers.  Craig Bellamy made a good start when he signed (just sayin) - LOL.

I thought Bellamy was great for us

I also thought Bellamy was a great signing.  He certainly grafted every match he played - just like Tevez.  Remember watching Bellamy's first match - think it was an evening match - and anyway he scored.  Lot of people didn't care for him though.

I loved both him and Tevez....