The rumours linking Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Manchester City does not look like dying anytime soon and even though the January transfer window has shut, the striker’s big money move is still the talk of the town in Manchester. With the situation regarding Sergio Aguero’s standing in the club getting murkier, the rumour mongers are circling around for bits and pieces of discontent and the air of uncertainty coming out of the Etihad now.
People are touting Aubameyang as a direct replacement of Aguero and it is a testament to the fact on how the scenario has changed at City.
Roberto Mancini preferred to have a quartet of strikers and individually they were players who were capable of scoring 20 goals each in a season. The lack of opportunities and minutes did not allow them to do that is another matter altogether. The likes of Aguero, Dzeko, Negredo, Jovetic and earlier Balotelli, were effective in their own ways and had a hand in both of City’s league titles. But other than Aguero, all of them made their exits over the next few years as City began focusing more on the midfield and got in creative players who would contribute to the goal scoring department from other areas as well.
The likes of De Bruyne, Sterling, Navas (unfortunately that hasn’t worked out as far as end product is concerned) and more recently Sane and Nolito have been signed which has seen the emergence of a single striker up top and a maximum of 2 players in the squad capable of playing as an out and out striker.
Along with the quantity, the role of a striker has also changed at the Etihad with Pep Guardiola demanding a lot more than any of his predecessors did. He wants the likes of Aguero to be full of running and contribute defensively and help set up goals and be more involved in the goal scoring process than just score them with the final touch.
While Pep is still sorting things out, a number of typical Sergio Aguero goals have given them some valuable points till now. But the arrival of Gabriel Jesus has changed the whole dynamics. He has brought in exactly what Pep wants and has the goals to supplement that as well. And the swiftness with which his displays has relegated Aguero to the bench is a worrying sign for the Manchester City legend, so the exit talks are not that far fetched as a result.
Pep likes to see his strikers move out wide to make way for the late arrival of the midfielders into the box and the fact that Aubameyang started off as a winger would certainly help fulfil that criteria. He is good with his feet and has the ability to get past opponents with quick dribbles and stepovers.
He loves to take on defenders. He thrives in one-on-one situations and is an adept finisher which his 21 goals this season proves. His pace and energy make him a dangerous candidate in times of a counterattack and he has already shown big match pedigree with goals in both Champions League games against Real Madrid and that is something City have missed with Aguero growing unusually quiet in big ticket matches.
