Although the current conditions are not the best for him, we wanted to make a tribute to Sergio Aguero by doing a tactical analysis.  It was only in October when Sergio Agüero had to withdraw from the pitch due to chest problems. Nobody in the world of football expected that two months later, the Argentinean striker would announce his retirement from the game due to heart-complications.

At the MBP School of Coaches, we want to pay tribute to the spectacular career of Kun Agüero, analysing the aspects of his game which made him one of the best players in the world.

Analysis

If Kun is to be remembered for anything as a footballer, it is for his goal-scoring ability. Since his early beginnings at Independiente, as well as in the U20 categories of the Argentine national team, the forward had already started to demonstrate his clinical prowess in front of goal.

It was not until the 2007-2008 season though that the Argentinean’s goalscoring records really took off. In this year, at Atletico Madrid, Agüero’s goalscoring figures reached double figures for the first time.

However, his player profile at that time was far from the conception we have of him today. In his early days with the Colchonero, Agüero took up more of a second striker role, rather than as the number 9 seen in recent seasons at Manchester City. As a result, many of the goals scored by the Argentinian came from arriving from the second line, taking advantage of defensive imbalances created by teammates.

Some of the fundamentals that he tended to apply at a high level back then, and which he has performed even better throughout the rest of his career, were the individual forward ones of ‘finishing the shooting quickly yet executing it slowly’.

The Argentine has always been an explosive player thanks to his low center of gravity and strong lower body. This factor has allowed him to execute quick actions inside the box, dismarking from opponents with great ease, and finishing with brilliant precision and effectiveness.

Five years later, and after a brilliant five seasons at Atlético de Madrid, Kun packed his bags for his big move to England, at Manchester City. The Argentine was the star signing for the club that summer, besides being the most expensive in the club’s history at that time.

The player’s arrival in the Premier League not only served to consolidate what he had shown in Spain in terms of his number of goals, but also of the development of all the different structures of the player. Agüero was a leader from the very first moment in Manchester, not only for his goal scoring, but also for his ambition and leadership in the most adverse moments.

The most memborable example has to be when Roberto Mancini’s side found themselves needing a goal to win the league, but with only 2 minutes left on the clock. It was in this moment when Kun made himself a true legend at City. The Argentine showed his courage in asking for the ball in such a situation, making a brilliant individual player and hitting the back of the net, thus giving the club its first league title in 44 years.

Unfortunately, during the last phase of his career at FC Barcelona Kun never got the opportunity to show his full potential to the team. Injuries problems made it difficult for the Argentine to make any contribution to the side. And even if it wasn’t enough to change the result, his goal in the final stages of the game against Real Madrid will surely remain in the memory of Barcelona fans.

In analyzing the goal, we can see how he positioned himsef well in a free space inside the area in preparation for a cross from the wing. He also applied expertly the fundamentals of orientating the body to prepare the shot and the one of finishing first-time inside the area.

Conclusion

It is indisputable that Sergio Agüero’s career will be fondly remembered. We will look back not only for his goals, but also for his adaptability to the different clubs and countries in which he has played in.

At the MBP School of Coaches, we wish Agüero a speedy recovery and the best of luck in this new stage of his life.

All the best!