Share

OPINION: Why so little noise about Sergio Aguero?

accreditation
Sergio Aguero (Getty Images)
Sergio Aguero (Getty Images)

Cape Town - Sergio Aguero, the man of many moments, but somehow the spotlight always seems to miss him.

Joining Manchester City from Atletico Madrid in 2011, the striker ended his final game of Premier League season in tears... and for good reason as well.

His debut campaign as a Citizen could have ended with rivals Manchester United claiming league honours but City went on an incredible five-match winning streak which ensured that the title race went down to the wire.

As United claimed victory against Sunderland and with City trailing Queens Park Rangers 2-1 in stoppage time at home, Eden Dzeko levelled matters which made the final 90 seconds unbearable for Sir Alex Ferguson and United at the Stadium of Light.

QPR restarted and City were quick to apply the pressure and win the ball. Seconds later, Mario Ballotelli found himself darting forward with the ball. Aguero ran in the space on the right flank and the Italian fed the striker, who made no mistake in blasting the ball in the back of the net.

The image of the Argentine swinging his City shirt in elation remains fresh in my head. In his post-match interview, City captain Vincent Kompany revealed that Aguero shed tears as they huddled over him during the celebrations.

Aguero's City journey already summed up his first season - the man who always delivers.

ALWAYS DELIVERING

This past weekend, the 30-year-old once again rescued Manchester City in a crucial 1-0 victory against Burnley at Turf Moor.

42-hours prior to City’s kick-off against Sean Dyche’s side, Liverpool topped the league standings with 91-points following their 5-0 thumping of Huddersfield at Anfield.

City needed a reply and they did so emphatically after struggling to find the back of the net during the first-half - it was the ever-reliable Aguero ensuring Pep Guardiola’s side return to the summit of the standings with 92-points as the title race continues to keep millions around the globe on the edges of their seats.

That goal placed Aguero in the Premier League history books.

He matched Thierry Henry as the only players to score 20 goals or more in five consecutive Premier League campaigns.

The 30-year-old also surpassed the Frenchman - who scored 228 goals for Arsenal - by netting 229 goals for City in all competitions.

He then went on to match Liverpool great Robbie Fowler as the sixth highest Premier League scorer with 163 goals.

A statistic of 0.69 goals per game in 237 appearances.

To add to that, he has 43 Premier League assists to his name and I believe the feisty forward still has more in the tank before hanging up his boots or switching clubs.

For much of City's title winning campaign last year, Aguero was plagued with a serious knee injury and a fractured rib. He missed 17 games but still managed to score 21 goals for the Citizens.

THE KIND OF PRAISE HE DESERVES

The media and football pundits often turn a blind eye despite Aguero’s scoring consistency. Even when he is not on the scoresheet, his influence is unmatched as City’s target man with his movement off the ball and intelligent link-up play.

It could be the fact that he plays for City and not the likes of Manchester United or Liverpool where players are quickly placed on a pedestal because even Chelsea’s Eden Hazard goes underappreciated.

Perhaps Aguero’s nationality plays a role in the biased United Kingdom.

But with two games remaining of the 2018/19 season and Liverpool continuing to mount the pressure on City, Aguero remains a pivotal figure for Guardiola’s charges.

"He is a legend. He does that all the time, he scores important goals all the time, he is an incredible player," said Guardiola after City’s narrow win against Burnley.

United legend Paul Scholes shared the same sentiments and believes that the striker deserves much more credit than he usually receives.

"It goes to show as not many people have done it. But I'm not sure if he gets the credit he deserves. I think he's been sensational for years.

"He's obviously playing in a great team but to do what he's done - even just staying fit in that period - is an incredible achievement.

"He's got so much quality and he can make his own goals as well. He doesn't need the ball on a plate all the time.

"And we've seen he's getting even better and stronger as the years go by."

On Sunday, the 2019 Professional Football Association (PFA) Awards ceremony was held with Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk deservedly receiving the Player of the Year gong followed by Aguero's team-mate Raheem Sterling awarded the Young Player of the Year silverware.

Meanwhile, Aguero has never won the coveted PFA Award himself despite his glowing statistics...

Tashreeq Vardien works at Sport24 and is a paper basketball dustbin champion... Follow Tashreeq on Twitter.

Disclaimer: Sport24 encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views of columnists published on Sport24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Sport24.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1471 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2250 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE