Welcome Erling Haaland | Signing confirmed on a 5 year deal

[Carlos- the- jackal]

Kevin De Bruyne

Rentboys reject

 

[Chippy_boy]

De Bruyne had a fraction of the hype that Haaland has. We almost have to erase from our minds what the likes of KDB, Aguero, Silva, Yaya etc have done for us and try to remember the hype around them at the time of purchase. Not one of those signings comes anywhere near this one for me. Biggest signing we’ve ever made. Haaland is a galactico (don’t like using that word but you know what I mean).

Exactly my point. I don't remember any club in the PL ever making a signing this "big".

 

[sir baconface]

Could do...but im not entirely convinced Pep likes the way a typical CF plays. He has a passion for his team re cycling the ball. Probing..finding gaps then a killer pass..a CF will close that space as naturally there will not be that re cycling and movement of the opposition. He may be amazing, time will tell BUT careful what we wish for..fundamentally changing our style of play..we will lose one of our in the hole players as Haaland will be a CF and play traditionally. I still think 3 years of Kane may have been a better bet. Not being a kiljoy, just wary. A whole new style of play from the team may be needed. Hopefully im being too concerned

I think a vastly improved conversion rate will allay all your concerns.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Could do...but im not entirely convinced Pep likes the way a typical CF plays. He has a passion for his team re cycling the ball. Probing..finding gaps then a killer pass..a CF will close that space as naturally there will not be that re cycling and movement of the opposition. He may be amazing, time will tell BUT careful what we wish for..fundamentally changing our style of play..we will lose one of our in the hole players as Haaland will be a CF and play traditionally. I still think 3 years of Kane may have been a better bet. Not being a kiljoy, just wary. A whole new style of play from the team may be needed. Hopefully im being too concerned

I think this a valid concern and we will see.

That said, I think we could do with "a whole new style of play" to mix things up a bit sometimes. Seem to me we're vulnerable to two types of opponents as it stands:

(a) Those who park the bus for 90 minutes, allowing us 20 fruitless attempts and half-attempts on their goal, but who then break and score with their only chance; and
(b) Those who press and harry and chase and are basically all over us, stopping us from playing.

Certainly for (b) hoofing it forward to our big and lethal no. 9 is a great remedy. And for (a) if he can convert any of our half-chances, it can only help.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

None of these qualify either.

I am talking about players who were regarded as world superstars BEFORE they joined the PL. Maybe just maybe Yaya might qualify but not really.

Klinsmann?

 

[Chippy_boy]

Klinsmann?

Yeah maybe. You'd have to say Haaland is a "bigger" signing than that though, wouldn't you.

This is like us getting Neymar when he first came to Europe, or PSG getting Mbappe. Its that big.

 

[blueish swede]

Haaland is a truly huge signing and definitely our biggest. In fact is he perhaps the Premier League's biggest ever signing? Not in fees and wages of course, but just the significance of it?

What I mean is the world megastars, the truly great players, have almost never come to the PL.. at least in their prime. I am thinking Neymar, Mbappe, Messi, Falcao, Eto'o, Kaka, Zinadine, Ronaldino, Ronaldo (Brazilian one), Figo, Lewandowski etc. You get the drift.

Sure, we get to sign has-beens like Ibrahimovic or even Ronaldo. But I don't remember any PL club ever bagging "the next big thing", which on the world stage, I think Haaland probably is.

I remember Klinsmann being a big deal.

 

[Zenmanc]

As excited I am I just hope this isn't a distraction for the games ahead. Wolves are a defensive puzzle and Villa esp with Gerrard will not roll over on the final day of the season.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Yeah maybe. You'd have to say Haaland is a "bigger" signing than that though, wouldn't you.

Hard to know. Klinsmann had won the previous World Cup and had done well the Inter when Serie A was dominant.

There was less hype as none of us had the internet and were checking Ceefax and Clubcall for information on our clubs.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Hard to know. Klinsmann had won the previous World Cup and had done well the Inter when Serie A was dominant.

There was less hype as none of us had the internet and were checking Ceefax and Clubcall for information on our clubs.

All fair points. Still, Haaland is right up there as one of the PL's biggest signings. I am sure we can agree on that ;-)