No-one passing to Haaland.

[colinthewindowcleaner]

I think todays obsession with not giving the ball away is for some reason pep isn’t playing our main defenders in Dias and Laporte.

 

[Jesus H Gabz]

I think we're all of one mind that Haaland's ability is being partially blunted by a "low-risk" possession based strategy.

What annoys the hell out of me is that early through balls are potentially LESS risky.

Scenario A : we play a quick ball through to Haaland and the opposition win the ball. Pretty much every City player is still back in defence or midfield. Zero risk of counter attack.

Scenario B : we ignore the quick pass and opt for possession instead. This requires most of our team to push up to support a passing move. Lose the ball and the majority of our team is out of position defensively. We've seen this time and time again.

And that's before you consider the early pass to Haaland causing panic in the opposition defence and making them drop much deeper, creating all kinds of space in front of them. We've played teams this season with slow defenders playing offside on the half-way line because they know we won't play a ball over the top.

Frankly this is becoming ridiculous. Pep said two weeks ago that we were going to play more passes to Haaland, I see no evidence of that.

Agreed, the worst one was I think Bernie? Broke the lines in midfield, Haaland made the run and he turned the pass down, play went sideways, then backwards, before Eddie launched a ridiculous long ball (probably out of frustration at what he’d just seen) that got us nothing, totally summed our play up

 

[cleavers]

I want neither to go but it looks like Pep will quit.

Where does it "look like Pep will quit" please ?

 

[NeilMcnabTwoFooted]

It’s bizzare, it’s like locking miss world in your bedroom from the outside and then throwing away the key

i was racking my brain for the most accurate description of it and this best sums it up, it’s a ridiculous ridiculous waste of talent, it’s unforgivable is what it is, absolutely unforgivable, im fuming

 

[NeilMcnabTwoFooted]

Before the break, there was a call for others to contribute goals. Sadly this seems to have been a signal to avoid giving Haaland any chances.

exactly

 

[ProofMCFC]

Has he even had a shot on target away to a top 6 team

 

[WestGorton]

It's up to the manager. Get it sorted.

 

[RayCTID]

It's up to the manager. Get it sorted.

And the rest of Haaland's team mates. They should know how to get the best out of him

 

[01cravend]

I dont believe it's an instruction as Haaland wouldnt waste his time if it were..I think the players are just so drilled into passing sideways until they reach the box that they(KDB and Gundo aside) just fail to see any of his runs.

 

[super_city_si]

Systemic error. Absolute shit state of affairs.