- Sergio Aguero has praised Rayan Cherki
- The Man City legend says Cherki makes City better
- Aguero believes Pep Guardiola understands his free style
Sergio Aguero has claimed Rayan Cherki has made Man City a better team, despite admitting the Frenchman still needs to improve his consistency.
Rayan Cherki’s first season at Man City has been nothing short of entertaining. It has also made the Frenchman one of the most talked-about players in Pep Guardiola’s squad.
The level of freedom Cherki assumes on the pitch can be difficult to control. He prefers creativity over simplicity, and Guardiola can be seen frustrated on the line at times.
Naturally, his profile has divided opinion, especially in a City side built on structure. However, Sky Blues legend Sergio Aguero believes Cherki has brought something new to the team, adding to an already strong side.
Sergio Aguero praises Rayan Cherki
Despite the praises, the former Argentina international wasn’t all happy with the player. Speaking to Stake, Aguero pointed out that the Frenchman still has areas to refine.
Cherki has 10 assists in the Premier League this season. However, Aguero’s assessment is fair considering the Frenchman can be more consistent with his performances.
“Obviously, he’s still missing some consistency, but he’s a different player. He has impressive qualities. Hopefully, he takes the next step,” Aguero said.
He added, “Rayan Cherki needs to be careful with the way he plays, but he makes Man City a better team.”
Pep Guardiola understands Rayan Cherki’s style
Aguero also claims that Guardiola is probably having problems with Cherki, but the Catalan manager has just accepted the Frenchman’s natural style of play.
The challenge now for the gaffer is to make sure that Cherki doesn’t go overboard with his style. City shouldn’t contain his flair, but they can direct it towards more goals.
“He plays in a very free way, without caring about anything, and that makes him different on the pitch,” Aguero told Stake, via City Xtra.
He added: “Knowing Pep, some of the things he does, Pep probably doesn’t like, but Pep has understood that this is his natural way of playing.”
Rayan Cherki still has room to improve defensively
Despite his on-the-ball brilliance, Cherki can still help the team out of possession. Guardiola has avoided extensive public criticism on the matter, but he did mention the topic once.
Off-the-ball Cherki has only 7.10 defensive contributions per 90, which is just above average for attacking midfielders in the Premier League.
He also only manages 1.39 tackles per 90, which is below average. The Frenchman is further low with interceptions per 90 (0.40).
Cherki’s attacking numbers are elite, and he doesn’t have to change his style on the ball. However, his off-the-ball play is still an area for improvement.
