By Álex Delmás @alexdelmas10
At almost 33, Sergio Agüero is a new Blaugrana player. The Argentine returns to La Liga ten years later. I analyse the player at his current point in his career, based on the Alebia Sports Analytics metrics:
CURRENT PROFILE
A DIFFERENT KUN: It is as true that Agüero is still a very good player as that he is a quite different player from the one he was at the peak of his career. His physical condition is not the same as 5 years ago. Whereas since 2009 he had always played a minimum of 2,500 minutes in every season, in the last two seasons his figures have dropped markedly. In 2019/2020 his minutes did not reach 1,700 and in the last one (2020/21) his involvement has barely reached 700 minutes. A long career (he made his debut at 15) and injuries mean the Argentine is now suited to limited efforts.
An aspect that is very clear when we compare, with the help of the Alebia radar, his scores in his last three seasons (2020/2021 season in blue, 2019/2020 in yellow and 2018/2019 in red):
CURRENT STRENGTHS
GOALS AND SHOOTING IN HIS DNA: The first point that defines the Kun is the goal. A quality that has always been linked to him. He has been scoring goals since he made his debut as a boy with Independiente. And with the logical ups and downs of any goalscorer, his records are very solid and compelling. As well as passing the 20-goal barrier in most of his seasons at the top level, his time at City leaves magnificent numbers. Even in the recent 20/21 season, in which he scored six goals playing only 706 minutes between the Premier League and the Champions League. This volume of goals makes an average of 0.76 goals per match, or a spectacular goal every 118 minutes played. His great capacity to create danger and his skill in front of goal are largely down to him being a player with a very quick shot. His very powerful lower body allows him to set his leg quickly without sacrificing accuracy. In this respect, his qualities remain unchanged. Last season he recorded a very high 66.7% of shots on target. Based on the statistics in relative terms for shots and goals, Alebia ranks the Argentine as the best forward in the Premier League in these two disciplines.
BUILD-UP AND DRIBBLING INTACT: He retains his footballing power over short distances. His leg power helps him react before most of his opponents. That explains why his success rates in short dribbles are on a par with his best years. Whereas in 2016/17 he averaged a 50% success rate in them, in the current season he has recorded 47.83%. He is one of those players who has the ability to be quick in the area where it is hardest to be. He is also one of the forwards who contributes most to build-up play, with good statistics for passing volume and accuracy. It is true that the Pep method helps. This last point is something very much to be taken into account. Manchester City is the European team that shows the greatest similarity to the Blaugrana side this season, according to the team style indicators produced by Alebia. The Argentine’s adaptation has all the ingredients to be instantaneous.
WEAKNESSES
To the low output in total minutes in recent seasons we can add:
LITTLE DEFENSIVE CONTRIBUTION: Defensively the Kun has never been a great bulwark, but it is significant that his record in ball steals last season (blue) has substantially improved on his usual numbers. He recorded 1.53 interceptions per match in 2020/2021. Perhaps because his experience lets him choose his efforts much better, and also because of his freshness given the few minutes accumulated.
HE HAS LOST SOME STEAM IN TRANSITIONS: Over the seasons he has lost the ability to maintain top speed over many metres. That explains why, in his current version, he is not the player who was equally unstoppable with metres ahead of him when carrying the ball. Something natural and logical given his stage in life.
WHERE AND WHEN HE CAN BE USEFUL
With all of the above, it seems clear that his contribution will be especially productive in very specific game contexts, in which, with his current qualities, he can provide something extra. And here there are two clear points:
- AGAINST LOW BLOCKS: When the team is very much committed in the opposition box. Whether through great control of the match or because of the plan set by the opponent, if Barça plays close to the opposition goal, the Kun’s contribution will be fundamental.
- SCOREBOARD EMERGENCY: A situation in which, through quality, imagination, goals and experience, Agüero can handle himself very well. His career shows that, when the team needs him to show up, the Kun comes to the rescue.
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