CA Fenix’ Agustin Canobbio should be playing as a central striker
At 21-years-old, Agustin Canobbio has already experienced some of the highs and lows that come with a career in football as he came through the academy at CA Fenix. He then joined Uruguayan giants Penarol at the latter stages of his teens before he was discarded back to CA Fenix at the beginning of this year for free. He has spent majority of his professional career as a wide player as his goal-scoring exploits have dwindled as he even started the season for CA Fenix, playing as a wing-back in a 3-3-3-1 formation a few weeks ago. However, he has the potential to become a high-level striker with a well-rounded skillset that bodes well for an attacker possessing his traits as with tactical training and a well-defined system, he could become a gem up front.
Canobbio is part of a guilded age of reformed youth production in Uruguay due to the steady planning of National Team coach, Oscar Tabarez as he has also featured for the National Team at U20 level. He is quite short, standing below six-feet tall but makes up for it being a powerful runner and a strong dribbler while having a knack for ghosting into the six-yard box with clever movement and late runs. He is also gifted with his combination play as he can set up quick combination play sequences with his back to goal, playing quick one-twos with teammates to then make late runs into the box as his teammates will rarely find him in the box with deliveries. His experience in the wide areas have developed his all-round ability, receiving the ball in the channels to cut inside on his stronger right foot from the left flank to drive powerful shots at goal while also being able to create opportunities from the flank.
Canobbio would be worth taking a risk for most European clubs as he would not take up a non-EU spot as he is part Italian and would be able to acquire an Italian passport before signing like many South Americans before him as he is only turning 22 in November so he is far from his peak as he still has a ton of room to grow and learn as a centre-forward. On the modern day market, one of the best bargains available will be players that are being misused and being played in different positions that belie their skillsets as Canobbio would fall into that category as he is undervalued as an attacker, has rarely played as a central striker while showing that he has the movement and instinct in the box as well as the all-round game to be a useful for a team while he grows into the central striking role. CA Fenix would not require millions of pounds to part with him as with his youth and age, he could be an unearthed gem on the market to be bought cheaply and sold for a much higher price after tactical training and development.
In a tight game at home to Uruguayan rivals Nacional last year, he had the first chance on goal when he received the ball on the left flank, faked like he was about to drive to the by-line to cut inside, leaving his fullback floundering on the ground to cut inside and hit a well-struck shot at the goalkeeper to force a save. In the second-half, he then received the ball in between the central lines from Facundo Pellestri to turn and drive forward, cutting past a defender to continue pushing into the opposition half to then work a pass for a teammate out wide. After making the pass to the right flank, he then continued his run into the half-space to drag a marker out of position and clear space for his teammate to cross into the box for Penarol to have another high-quality opportunity on goal.
In two sequences, Canobbio has shown his ability to receive the ball in the wide areas and create his own opportunities. However, it should be noted that he is better in cutting inside to work passes through to runners and create shooting opportunities as if he continues driving on the flank after beating his direct marker, he will lose possession. He is talented in 1v1s when has the opportunity to cut inside but if he has to face more than one defender on the flank or constrained to driving to the by-line, he can lose possession. In the second sequence, he showed his ability to work quick connections in between the central lines as his movement after releasing the ball to create space for himself and teammates is exemplary. He is in constant motion as if he is played in a system tailored to him receiving the ball in the spaces he moves into within the opposition defensive block, he could be effective as an attacker.
In an away match for CA Fenix at Ecuadorian side, El Nacional, he was used on the flank in the first half to move into a role as a second striker in the second half. He started by receiving the ball on the right flank, cutting inside to attract markers and thread a pass through the lines with the outside of his right boot to then continue his run into the box. His teammate played an inaccurate switch ball as Canobbio had found a pocket of space in between two defenders on the edge of the box as he could have received a pass or if the switch was better executed, could have made a curved run to the near post to receive a cross from the left flank. Canobbio has the ability to ease transitions by receiving the ball by dropping deeper into the central areas or with runs into the channels.
The young Uruguayan attacker also has the ability to receive the ball in the higher areas and earn fouls using his core strength to shield the ball or his quick feet to just shift the ball past defenders to lure them into fouling him. In the Copa Sudamericana, he received the ball on the right flank to cut inside to beat the defender rushing towards him as he had tapped the ball too far inside to get a shot at goal as when another defender was rushing towards him, he just poked the ball past him to earn a foul at the top of the opposition box. In the game, Canobbio showed a lot of creative instincts that would add another dimension to his side as a second striker.
In the first-half, a CA Fenix goal-kick was headed into his path for him to tap a through-ball for a teammate who sent a shot over the bar. In the second-half, he created more opportunites from a second-striker position as a free-kick was played to his strike-partner who headed the ball into his path as Canobbio had to chase the ball to the right flank, he then cut-back so he was facing his own goal while in possession to play a reverse pass into a runner in the half-space who mis controlled the ball. The Uruguayan attacker even managed to notch an assist when a free-kick was chested into his path on the left side of the box for him to cut-back to his strike partner who diverted the ball home. In the dying minutes of normal time, the goalkeeper played a goal-kick in behind to him to hold-up play on the right-channel and play another reverse pass to his strike partner in the half-space who attempted a back-heel for another attacker to have a shooting opportunity.
This game also showed Canobbio’s ability to perfectly time his runs in behind the opposition defensive line as he managed to make runs off the shoulder of the last man to create opportunities and have shots on goal. However, he will need to improve his finishing with his weaker left foot as in one situation, he went in behind and sent a clear-cut goalscoring opportunity wide with his weaker foot. His sense for shot locations will also need to be developed as he tends to try audacious shots that he sends from low percentage distances high and wide while having the ability to drive into the box or work connections to get into better areas.
In terms of defensive work, the 21-year-old has the pace, focus and tenacity to lead the pressure phase, pushing up to force opposition centre-backs into errors or dropping deeper once possession is lost to make a crucial challenge in the counter-pressure phase. As he has played out wide and in deeper areas, his defensive resolve is highly developed when marking fullbacks or being aware of loose passes in the second line of pressure to cover ground and regain possession with interceptions or tackles. He is also comfortable in dropping deep into his own half to regain possession as he can be a buccaneering force on the counter-attack. When he regains possession in the deeper areas, he can lead the counter attack with clever passes into attackers or with lung busting runs into the opposition half, shaking off and cutting past markers while he has the vision to play through balls into runners.
He has shown some potential as a finisher in the past as his movement and timing in the box is special as if one pays attention to the areas that he manoeuvres into in the opposition box, they would find his spacial awareness elite. Two years ago, in a tie against Rampla Juniors, Penarol had a free-kick from the right flank where he made a late run into the box to find himself free on the edge of the six-yard area to acrobatically divert the delivery in with the heel of his right foot in the third minute. In March this year away to Plaza Colonia, he received the ball on the left side of the box to cut past his marker and curl a shot past the keeper with his right foot. However, his goal tally is low due to his different positions and his spurning of opportunities. At home to Progreso, a few weeks ago, he took on a pass in his own half to drive forward into the opposition half, shrugging off a challenge to poke a ball through to a teammate on the right flank for the ball to be squared to Canobbio at the near post to hammer over.
Against Progreso, he played as a wing-back but frequently nudged his way into central positions on the counter, through regaining possession in the centre as well as through combinations. It was a 90-minute exhibit on his powerful running ability as he spent the COVID-19 lockdown improving his fitness with a friend who is a college basketball player in the United States. He had a moment where he was played through on the right flank to chip and jump over a sliding defender and play an immaculate cut-back for a teammate which was cleared. As a player, Canobbio offers so much as if he played in a position where he had the opportunity to utilize his movement in the opposition box with improved finishing while being more crucial to his team, he could be explosive.
Canobbio would most certainly be of use in a 4-4-2 or any two-striker system with the opportunity to drop deep allowing his strike-partner to lurk around in the final third. He has the ability to work quick connections to create opportunities while if he is playing with a taller striking presence, he can make runs in behind off his teammates’ knock-downs or collect possession from lay-offs to ease transition. The Uruguayan could also grow into a modern-day lone striker as he can win aerial duels in the final third and would be able to score crosses with his head. He would also drop deep and create opportunities for teammates making runs off him in the wide and central areas bringing fluidity and industry to any front line that he plays in.
However, Canobbio would need tactical work and training in being acquainted with the central striking positions, especially in shooting with his left foot, making well-timed runs to the near post to finish from awkward angles while also improving his one-touch finishing through drill-work. He will also need training on analysing shot locations with a focus on sustaining drives into the box to get into shooting positions, so he sheds his tendency to attempt shots from range with opposition defenders in front of him. He should always be looking to work one-twos with teammates to get into better areas, so he could have a higher chance of scoring. However, he will also need to work with teammates who deliver the ball to him in the great positions he finds in the box through low crosses and cut-backs, so he can begin to take advantage of his sense of space in the opposition box.
It seems like Canobbio is being shuttled further and further away from his best position being played out wide and now as a wing-back. However, in these roles, he keeps manoeuvring into the centre and into the box but is rarely found as it is not within the tactical framework of CA Fenix to create opportunities for him. He still manages to create opportunities for himself as he could develop into a high-level all-round striker if he is given time, training and patience in a mid-tier European League. He could be bought for a small sum, developed into a lethal striking presence and sold for a bounty as he is worth taking a look at as a low-cost option on the market.
