Club América's attack isn't working

Data from FBRef.com, photo from Récord.

For the first time under André Jardine, Club América won’t play in the Liga MX final.

Whilst América suffered some bad luck in the 3-2 aggregate defeat against Rayados, creating more xG in both games, the underlying numbers backup the feeling that Apertura 25 was Jardine’s worst season in charge.

The graph below shows the moving average for their attacking (xG for) and defensive (xG against) performances. América have clearly been less dominant in Apertura 25, shown by a reduced gap between the two lines.

The red line, analyzing defensive performance, hasn’t changed much. Attacking output is the problem. This season, their xG moving average hasn’t passed 1.5 per game, a mark that Jardine has always reached during previous seasons.

Less efficient in the final third

During their best moments under Jardine, América were the most efficient attack in Liga MX. Las Águilas showed clear ideas in the final third, consistently getting into the box via the half-spaces. They ranked top for xG per game in 2024-25 despite only generating the 10th highest number of final third entries.

I analyzed their attacking ideas in this article:

This season, the trend has flipped. América are the least efficient attack in Liga MX.

There’s a rather strong correlation between box entries and xG per game. Previously, América were able to greatly outperform the trend line, but their xG now ranks below expectation.

More crosses to the box

The philosophy to enter the box through the half-spaces, with rotations, combinations and ball carries, is no longer clear in América’s game. They’ve relied more on crosses as a method to enter the box during Apertura 25.

América have crossed more from deep zones and the wings, with fewer attempts from the “assist zone”- shown in the red rectangles.

The probability of a cross leading to a goal is much higher in the “assist zone” than from other areas (about 3/4 times more likely).

I discussed the concept in this article:

More shots from distance

América aren’t just crossing from further out, they’re also shooting more from distance.

Average shot quality was a great strength for Club América under Jardine. Now it’s a weakness.

Tactical concepts, less clear/effective ideas in the final third and fewer box arrivals from midfielders (which I’ll look at later), are important. However, there are also key individual factors to mention.

Allan Saint-Maximin’s decision making is a problem. His xG per shot is a dismal 0.03, the 2nd lowest in the league (minimum 20 shots). Brian Rodríguez can also shoot too often from long range, but at least generates some shots, and goals, from inside the box.

Considering the investment, his age, and squad needs (América extended Brian’s contract and signed Isaías Violante), Saint-Maximin appears one of the worst signings of the season.

América, or Jardine, haven’t replaced Henry Martín

Martín has a unique profile within Liga MX strikers. Maximizing his efficiency in attack, Henry never attempted 3 shots per game- Rodrigo Aguirre averages 3.5 shots p90 with América, Saint-Maximin 3.25. Martín saved his shots for the most dangerous locations, in the center of the penalty area.

The Mexican relied on shot quality, not quantity, to find the back of the net consistently, and this style of play also helped him to regularly create for his teammates. Avoiding shots from outside the box and difficult angles, Henry connected América’s attack and was one of the most creative Liga MX strikers.

xA measures the quality of chances created (using the xG of the shots generated). It’s more precise than using assists, which depends on teammate finishing.

Aguirre is useful as a different option, and from the bench, but can’t replace Henry’s impact.

However, it does seem that Jardine had some effective options to play in a similar role up-front. Zúñiga adapted his game under Juan Carlos Osorio, with many more touches in build-up, and greater creativity for teammates. Víctor Dávila was also rather effective when playing as a striker during Clausura 25, dropping in to connect attacks and finishing chances in the box.

But Jardine barely used Dávila as a striker this season, whilst Zúñiga’s role has been totally different.

Zúñiga has been much less involved, and less creative, at América

Raúl Jiménez, who could return to Las Águilas after the World Cup, has the profile to replace Henry’s goals, creativity and ability to connect attacks. But for the upcoming campaign, it seems that Jardine needs to get more out of Zúñiga, in a different role, and/or use Dávila more.

The interior midfielders are making fewer runs into the box

During Clausura 25, Jardine adjusted his system to a 4-3-3, getting more out of Érick Sánchez, and reducing the reliance on Henry to score goals. The two interior midfielders had the job, and freedom, to get into the box and finish chances from dangerous positions.

Sánchez had played in a similar role whilst at Pachuca, but the tactical change had a greater impact on Álvaro Fidalgo. He scored 12 times in 8 tournaments before Clausura 25, or 0.09 per 90 minutes. Last season, Fidalgo scored 7 times, 0.40 per game.

Fidalgo out-performed his xG in Clausura 25, but a change in his positioning and movement is the main factor behind his drop in goals. It’s clear to see in his shot maps.

Shot maps also show a drop in Sánchez’s shots inside the box, despite the Mexican attempting the same amount of shots from outside the box.

Fewer shots in the box, without changing the number of efforts from outside the box = Lower xG and a worse xG per shot.

Alexis Gutiérrez’s signing has also been a factor in the drop in attacking productivity from América’s interior midfielders. Gutiérrez, who’s played from the left and as an interior/attacking-midfielder, has never shown enough quality for a team like Club América.

Too much pragmatism against the strongest teams?

In their previous 6 first-legged matches (liguilla and CONCACAF Champions Cup), América have scored a total of 0 goals. 0.

Jardine has consistently attempted to keep first-legs tight, and then win the knock-out game in the return leg. A pragmatic game model, creating a match with few chances, and few goals, is a risk.

Variance plays a bigger role in deciding tight games, and one moment, like Sergio Canales’ golazo, can completely change the game situation.

América also struggled with their pragmatic ideas, and system changes, when facing the strongest teams during the regular Apertura 2025 season.

In a “mini-league” between the sides with the strongest xG differences, América were the worse performing team this regular season.

Conceding a 93rd minute goal shouldn’t lead to a “crisis” for Club América and André Jardine. However, the underlying performances show significant attacking problems, and issues in the most important matches. Jardine, and the directors, need to find solutions if América are going to win titles again.

Thank you for reading, if you’d like to contact me regarding any questions, comments or to consult my services, you can contact me on:

• Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/tomh36.bsky.social

• Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-harrison-a682a2175/

• Twitter/X - https://x.com/tomh_36

También, se puede leer este artículo en Español- https://cambiodejuego.beehiiv.com/