9 | Erling Haaland - 2023/24

[JDV]

It's been my theory for a while now that Haaland has it in his contract that he will start every PL and UCL game unless injured, and he cannot be subbed off unless he has already scored or gets injured.

If anyone can disprove this theory with facts, not only would I be interested but kind of relieved because my theory has Pep's hands tied in a way I don't think is great for the team. But I can't think of a single time the above theory can be disproved.

Who are we going to sub him off for?

 

[cleavers]

zero service but not involved either, anonymous

That's probably insulting anonymous.

 

[TrentGrisham]

Who are we going to sub him off for?

Move Alvarez up top or even Foden. We were pretty fucking good with him as a false 9 IIRC.

 

[wolviedinho]

Worst game today for me. Where is the hunger? It’s almost as if he has resigned himself that he won’t get good service. Needs to be a more focal hold up forward in games like today.

No service is not his fault but he could have done abit better today Imo. Hard to criticise a goal scoring phenomenon.

Not aggressive enough just like the rest of them.

 

[Keeper!]

Shocking performance and has looked very ordinary this season, needs to up his general game enormously, a great goal scorer, truly great but at this time a very , very poor footballer.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Sadly with shit performance like that he’s giving the opportunity to easily award the little one Balon dor

He shouldn’t be winning that anyway.

There are more deserving players in our team than him. Goals are what grab attention in the highlights but goals only happen in moments in games. Football is about the dictation of play from minute-to-minute and Håland barely features in any of that.

I love his goalscoring dominance and I hope he stays with us until he retires and breaks every goalscoring record in England. But if Håland won the Balon d’Or over Rodri, Stones, Bernardo, de Bruyne… it would be because people watch highlights of games and not because he’s the best player in Europe.

 

[the plasterer]

As bad as he was yesterday, and he was bloody awful, he had absolutely no service whatsoever

 

[Half Time Draw]

Wow. Some of the comments on here? What have we become as a fan base. One loss and it’s all Erlings fault. We need to be very careful otherwise we’ll become just as self entitled as those down the road and the dippers.

We’ll bounce back and so will Erling. Lets
Get behind the team. Onwards and upwards

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Not sure why he’s getting abuse. Had zero service today. They all played badly

As bad as he was yesterday, and he was bloody awful, he had absolutely no service whatsoever

Strikers aren’t just there to be served, they are part of the team and should be involved with the general play as well.

 

[skillman]

The thing that frustrates me most about us not getting him involved in games is that his touch and link up play is superb. We have that many players up top that he’d have runners around him if we gave him the ball rather than keeping him anonymous until he’s tapping one in.

Not complaining, though, because his stats since joining are a joke but in games like yesterday it would be a nice option to have when plan A isn’t working.

Feels like Pep has gone polar opposites with his 9s - when he came and with Aguero it was a case of him not playing unless he did more. Now Haaland is told to wait for a chance and not get involved elsewhere. A bit strange.

 

[bigA]

Strikers aren’t just there to be served, they are part of the team and should be involved with the general play as well.

Agree 100%. If you're not getting the service from others then you have to find a way of getting it yourself. Didn't see much of that today.

 

[JTFactsPlz]

Aston Villa 3-1 home victory last February.

Exception that proves the rule ;)

 

[Kippax Street 1880]

Thought he was fine yesterday with his limited service. The team needs to get him more involved. If we don't have space to play him in behind we need to give him the ball to feet more on the edge of the box and get runners beyond him. He has the quality to hold off a couple of defenders and play the 1-2.

 

[Gigant]

Every time he got the ball on the edge of the opponent penalty box , they've started to wrestle him , no punish at all after that

 

[kaz7]

Sergio created for himself loads of times , thor needs to learn how to do that

 

[Blu1]

Love him but at times we are playing with 10 men.

If we don’t give him the right service our entire game comes to a standstill as players look a bit confused on what to do.

Would rather see Alvarez next to him or in front of him to really split the defence. Playing Alvarez behind just congest haalands space for me

 

[Keeper!]

Every time he got the ball on the edge of the opponent penalty box , they've started to wrestle him , no punish at all after that

He allowed them to wrestle him, for a big unit he is easy to bully at times, he needs to be more angry and cleverer.

 

[Blueroses]

Love him but at times we are playing with 10 men.

If we don’t give him the right service our entire game comes to a standstill as players look a bit confused on what to do.

Would rather see Alvarez next to him or in front of him to really split the defence. Playing Alvarez behind just congest haalands space for me

So do I but his lack of complete skill seat holds us back when we lose like yesterday…

I genuine feel the struggle gets worse when Rodri is missing and no one is stepping into midfield to get the midfield superiority. Still early days and teething problems that Pep has to find answer so it doesn’t derail our season.

Haaland is special with how clinical he is and difference maker but genuinely think we are not getting the best out him. I see new direction we are moving towards just need time to get playing more direct football.

 

[southamptonblue]

It's been my theory for a while now that Haaland has it in his contract that he will start every PL and UCL game unless injured, and he cannot be subbed off unless he has already scored or gets injured.

If anyone can disprove this theory with facts, not only would I be interested but kind of relieved because my theory has Pep's hands tied in a way I don't think is great for the team. But I can't think of a single time the above theory can be disproved.

How about you prove your theory with facts?
If you seriously believe any City player has such nonsense in their contract, I hope you're a kid, because if not, you're simply stupid ;)

 

[Blueroses]

It's been my theory for a while now that Haaland has it in his contract that he will start every PL and UCL game unless injured, and he cannot be subbed off unless he has already scored or gets injured.

If anyone can disprove this theory with facts, not only would I be interested but kind of relieved because my theory has Pep's hands tied in a way I don't think is great for the team. But I can't think of a single time the above theory can be disproved.

Haaland is the most lethal finisher having him on is bonus whether he score or not. In final he was pretty much marked out of the game but Rodri found a chance to score. We lost once but we all know his limitation and strengths.