9 | Erling Haaland - 2024/25

[M16 citeh]

That’s a good question and will no doubt get a few responses.

Several thoughts I initially had:

Do we currently have the players to do that?
If not, who would we need to replace?
How much would it cost to implement?
Would that make us too dependent on one persons fitness and form?

People who can cross the ball would be a good start!
Overlapping fullbacks would help with this I imagine and wingers who could cross first time!

 

[M16 citeh]

But at this point what is the strength beyond putting a ball in 10 yards out if there's no defenders in the way?

If the strength is running in behind then we'll need a change of manager too.

Ok so he's shit then lol

Seriously though if you can't see his strengths your blind

 

[mosssideblue]

People who can cross the ball would be a good start!
Overlapping fullbacks would help with this I imagine and wingers who could cross first time!

Agree but that didn’t address my questions

 

[Mr HJ]

Getting the best from Erling is one of the biggest dilemmas that needs addressing this summer. When he first arrived he made run after run into great spaces and despite having an unbelievable conversion rate with goals was often ignored as our midfielders passed teams to death. This is fine when you are winning all the time. I noticed that this year he's not making as many runs into key areas perhaps because he feels he will not get an early pass. I thought it was due to Kevin not being fit - and then on his return not being as forward thinking as in the past. However, I can see similar things happening with Omar which is concerning.

Much was made of our strikers - Erling in particular - having so few touches but still being in the right place to score - but once they stop making those runs they look poor. I feel very sorry for Erling as we saw in many recent games he has zero service then when a chance comes his way he snatches at it.

The key for next year is to bring in players and more importantly a more dynamic fast pace attacking way of playing. I don't want to see Bernie, Gundo, Kova or whoever is in the midfield make 20 passes sideways and back and forth to our defenders without playing telling forward passes. I am also begining to think that both wide men we have are a bust. Savinho for example comes back inside so many times that when he finally does go on the outside and get a ball in our forwards, whoever plays, are not in the box or arrive too late. Other teams sussed our tactics out and wait deeper in shape to prevent easy chances.

 

[Damanino]

the tactics isnt set up to create chances for Haaland simple as that. rarely anyone can play him in anymore. without KDB next season if there arent wholesale changes in the squad and tactics its gonna be grim for Erling big time. wont be even getting 15 goals in the league.

 

[Blue_Lightsaber]

Getting the best from Erling is one of the biggest dilemmas that needs addressing this summer. When he first arrived he made run after run into great spaces and despite having an unbelievable conversion rate with goals was often ignored as our midfielders passed teams to death. This is fine when you are winning all the time. I noticed that this year he's not making as many runs into key areas perhaps because he feels he will not get an early pass. I thought it was due to Kevin not being fit - and then on his return not being as forward thinking as in the past. However, I can see similar things happening with Omar which is concerning.

Much was made of our strikers - Erling in particular - having so few touches but still being in the right place to score - but once they stop making those runs they look poor. I feel very sorry for Erling as we saw in many recent games he has zero service then when a chance comes his way he snatches at it.

The key for next year is to bring in players and more importantly a more dynamic fast pace attacking way of playing. I don't want to see Bernie, Gundo, Kova or whoever is in the midfield make 20 passes sideways and back and forth to our defenders without playing telling forward passes. I am also begining to think that both wide men we have are a bust. Savinho for example comes back inside so many times that when he finally does go on the outside and get a ball in our forwards, whoever plays, are not in the box or arrive too late. Other teams sussed our tactics out and wait deeper in shape to prevent easy chances.

Pep's system simply doesn't favor him. The 17-19 seasons would.. but we had David Silva and KDB back then who would play line breaking passes.

So we need those kind of players but it seems we don't want to sign them.

 

[69FACUPfinal]

People who can cross the ball would be a good start!
Overlapping fullbacks would help with this I imagine and wingers who could cross first time!

And every other team seems to have effective ones. ( OK probably an exaggeration but that is how it feels currently).

 

[King Jay]

Pep's system simply doesn't favor him. The 17-19 seasons would.. but we had David Silva and KDB back then who would play line breaking passes.

So we need those kind of players but it seems we don't want to sign them.

I still think City either needs both Wirtz and Cherki or give Echeverri a good chance to play next season to which every 10 joins. If Yamal gets his chance and use it why not Echeverri too.

 

[rodrizontal]

Why are people acting like Marmoush is some 19-year old academy product? He's a 26-year old, £65m player on 300k a month, if the FA Cup final is too big for him, then we are fucked.

 

[Blue_Lightsaber]

I still think City either needs both Wirtz and Cherki or give Echeverri a good chance to play next season to which every 10 joins. If Yamal gets his chance and use it why not Echeverri too.

Yamal is a 10.. just look at his stats.. 8 league goals but 15 assists.

I can't remember Foden ever having 15 assists in a season.. even his POTY season.. he only had 8 and Ollie Watkins led the league with 17.

So yeah we're missing players who will play that pass. KDB covered us for a decade but he's basically 2 players in one. That's why the front line looks so frustrated since the line breaking pass isn't coming.

And on top of that we seem to want to sell Perrone who does play those passes..

 

[bondsman]

LOL just relax..

There's a long list of penalty takers that didn't feel good enough and trusted their teammate to do it.

Mattaeus -> Brehme in WC Final
Lewandowski -> Gundogan in CL Final
Kane -> Palmer (last year?)

And it was a good pen.. was hit with power in a good position.. he just saved it.

I don't blame him or Omar. Just not our day!

He picked it up and changed his mind. Bottled it.

 

[cityboy1]

What puzzles me about this risk averse football is that it wont be changed even if that risk is mitigated by us being dry bummed by every shit team on the planet.

It's a weird one.

Haaland is good for the clubs profile, if I am honest I would rather get rid of Pep than have to replace most of the squad, controversial I know but there it is.

The squad will need replacing either way way too many players past it or not good enough. I think we would need less new signings by sticking with pep as there are players in the squad im not sure can work in a none pep team.

 

[Gabriel]

Must confess that when Haaland had the ball in his hands, my proverbial tea cup wasn’t actually brimful with confidence.

 

[5 Hit Gibbon]

Must confess that when Haaland had the ball in his hands, my proverbial tea cup wasn’t actually brimful with confidence.

Same, I was worried he would miss it. Seems like he was also.

 

[Gabriel]

Same, I was worried he would miss it. Seems like he was also.

In all honesty, save for de Gvardiol, Bruyne, and Bernardo, I don’t think any of our players yesterday or in recent weeks (Kovacic also excluded) are playing with confidence. They all appear a little frit.

 

[decmancity]

Must confess that when Haaland had the ball in his hands, my proverbial tea cup wasn’t actually brimful with confidence.

The fucking 30mins it took for the pen to be confirmed didnt help. Did Haaland not have one like this a while back, he was stood about with the ball for ages and then eventually took it and missed.

We can argue it should mean fuck all but it definitely has an impact imo.

Perhaps the plan all along was for Haaland to look like he was taking it and then give it Omar last minute, some mind games with Henderson.

 

[Haaland94]

I would bench him for the final 2 games after chickening out of the pen. Unforgivable. Our highest paid player, on a 10 year contract, supposedly best striker in the world not taking a pen in a Cup final? Fuckin hell. He needs to get his mojo back ASAP.

 

[Goater101]

Same, I was worried he would miss it. Seems like he was also.

That’s great knowing our 500k a week 10 year contract striker doesn’t fancy a penalty. Massive concern imo

 

[Blue Maverick]

The fucking 30mins it took for the pen to be confirmed didnt help. Did Haaland not have one like this a while back, he was stood about with the ball for ages and then eventually took it and missed.

We can argue it should mean fuck all but it definitely has an impact imo.

Perhaps the plan all along was for Haaland to look like he was taking it and then give it Omar last minute, some mind games with Henderson.

He’s had two like that, one in Munich and one not long ago, if you keep him waiting it screws with his head.

 

[samuelyeboah]

Haaland, marmoush, and even the young lad today.

all suffer from our sideways crab football

the amount of times they make movements for a through ball just to be ignored and them passed to when they have 2 on them

haaland? movement? Im sorry but what fucking game are you watching? He hasn't been making any movements. one of the most static center forwards i've ever seen. bollocks.