9 | Erling Haaland - 2025/26

Early days, but Reijnders looks as though he might be capable of spotting the chances to play Erl in. Really looking forward to seeing them gel.

At least a couple of times per game last season - usually several - he'd be begging for the ball, in space, only to turn away disgusted as the chance was lost and the ball played either backward or across the pitch.

I'm biased, though - I wouldn't swap him for any other striker.
 
Millwallawayveteran1988 said:
The not taking the pen in the final particularly annoyed me.
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Yep - I wish he'd just put his foot through it. That's going to keep coming back to haunt him, unless he never has another lean spell.

Having said that, there was a pretty lengthy delay and if for some reason he genuinely didn't feel that he was the best man for the job (however hard that is to fathom) then it could be argued that it took more courage to pass the ball to somebody else - I mean, he couldn't have been unaware of the backlash, could he?

Cue the flaming :-l
 
Man_City_Loyal said:
think you need to lay off the drugs dude.

Overall way he plays has changed, his own game and the team.

Debut season was a freak season in the treble season, and last season the whole team dropped off not just him.


22/23 Total stats
53 games, 52 goals, 9 assists and played 4131 minutes

23/24
45 games, 38 goals, 7 assists across 3745 minutes


24/25
48 games, 34 goals, 5 assists and 4041 minutes

No doubt across both of the last two season if he had played similar minutes and games he would of hit the same numbers
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Spot on

Plus his start here was pretty insane, the amount of goals he got in his first ten games or so was never really sustainable. He was on course for something like 60+ league goals at one stage, which isn't realistic these days.

If he stays fit and the team plays well, he's going to get around 40 or more in all competitions. That's fucking good.

People forget in his second season he was out for the best part of two months, and still won the golden boot and got 38 in all competitions.

Last season we were well under par and he still got 34. He was out a month or so too.

We've got a striker that will easily do 40+ a season if he's not unlucky with injuries and we start moving the ball quickly again.
 
Crooked_rain said:
Spot on

Plus his start here was pretty insane, the amount of goals he got in his first ten games or so was never really sustainable. He was on course for something like 60+ league goals at one stage, which isn't realistic these days.

If he stays fit and the team plays well, he's going to get around 40 or more in all competitions. That's fucking good.

People forget in his second season he was out for the best part of two months, and still won the golden boot and got 38 in all competitions.

Last season we were well under par and he still got 34. He was out a month or so too.

We've got a striker that will easily do 40+ a season if he's not unlucky with injuries and we start moving the ball quickly again.
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i'm certain he will hit those numbers this season!
 
Minutes per goal/assist in the PL (ChatGPT):

Haaland 80
Henry 86
Aguero 86
Salah 90

To be fair, Haaland's City score more goals than Henry's Arsenal. Still, it's impressive.
 
thegoatsthegoat said:
I agree the service was poor but isn't it worrying that if it isn't on a plate from an unreal KDB ball then he has been struggling? He needs to be more involved even in games he might not be getting the service. I hope we play to his strengths but I hope he improves a lot of his game.
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He scored like 5 from Nunes I think.

Those 2 have chemistry.. a lot more than people think.. but you need someone to be on the same page as him.

Most don't even try to feed him and just side to side.. that was the problem!
 
Blue_Lightsaber said:
He scored like 5 from Nunes I think.

Those 2 have chemistry.. a lot more than people think.. but you need someone to be on the same page as him.

Most don't even try to feed him and just side to side.. that was the problem!
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Nah, it’s not only that YES his movement for “through balls” is world class, and finishing in those situations is deadly and as a team we need to get better at releasing Erling Earlier BUT he needs to become a bigger threat from crosses. We don’t have KDB anymore, creating open play chance after chance, so set pieces will become more important. Haaland sometimes looks weak as shit during set pieces, big 6’5 striker and hasn’t scored a header from a corner or free kick that I can remember since the 6-3 Derby in 2022?
 
Blue_Lightsaber said:
He scored like 5 from Nunes I think.

Those 2 have chemistry.. a lot more than people think.. but you need someone to be on the same page as him.

Most don't even try to feed him and just side to side.. that was the problem!
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Yeah I have said our play and approach does not get the best out of him. Slow boring build up against a team defending means you need eye of a needle type passes. If we are quicker this year and attacking with purpose he will score a sack load.
 
thegoatsthegoat said:
Yeah I have said our play and approach does not get the best out of him. Slow boring build up against a team defending means you need eye of a needle type passes. If we are quicker this year and attacking with purpose he will score a sack load.
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I agree that it gets boring at times. However, how do you get around it when teams completely park the bus? We did see last season whenever a team was daft enough to go high line or man for man against us(Newcastle and Chelsea spring to mind) we were able to go more direct and the goals flowed. In the CWC Juventus left us space and we destroyed them but then in the game we lost it was a team that just sat in and despite still scoring goals we were back going sideways for most of the game.

Even Liverpool largely sat in against us at the Etihad and despite us not playing badly they looked fairly comfortable. I know Haaland didn’t play that game but with no space i doubt he’d got much change out of Van Dyke.
 
Craig said:
I agree that it gets boring at times. However, how do you get around it when teams completely park the bus? We did see last season whenever a team was daft enough to go high line or man for man against us(Newcastle and Chelsea spring to mind) we were able to go more direct and the goals flowed. In the CWC Juventus left us space and we destroyed them but then in the game we lost it was a team that just sat in and despite still scoring goals we were back going sideways for most of the game.

Even Liverpool largely sat in against us at the Etihad and despite us not playing badly they looked fairly comfortable. I know Haaland didn’t play that game but with no space i doubt he’d got much change out of Van Dyke.
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Why do people moan at teams parking the bus? We clearly struggle with it and means teams get results they may not get if they don't set up that way. We don't help ourselves, when playing against parked buses you then have to take advantage of them rare times you win the ball whilst they have some players committed. Instead of moving with pace and purpose, going from back to front quickly, we fanny about and let their whole team get back in shape and position. It is fucking painful to watch. That is on Pep to work out the best way to play, passing a team to death who sit back is not the way forward. Pace, power whilst being direct is and I am sure us playing that way benefits Haaland greatly
 
thegoatsthegoat said:
Why do people moan at teams parking the bus? We clearly struggle with it and means teams get results they may not get if they don't set up that way. We don't help ourselves, when playing against parked buses you then have to take advantage of them rare times you win the ball whilst they have some players committed. Instead of moving with pace and purpose, going from back to front quickly, we fanny about and let their whole team get back in shape and position. It is fucking painful to watch. That is on Pep to work out the best way to play, passing a team to death who sit back is not the way forward. Pace, power whilst being direct is and I am sure us playing that way benefits Haaland greatly
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Yeah, i’m not moaning can understand why so many do it. Shite to watch at times though
 
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thegoatsthegoat said:
Why do people moan at teams parking the bus? We clearly struggle with it and means teams get results they may not get if they don't set up that way. We don't help ourselves, when playing against parked buses you then have to take advantage of them rare times you win the ball whilst they have some players committed. Instead of moving with pace and purpose, going from back to front quickly, we fanny about and let their whole team get back in shape and position. It is fucking painful to watch. That is on Pep to work out the best way to play, passing a team to death who sit back is not the way forward. Pace, power whilst being direct is and I am sure us playing that way benefits Haaland greatly
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A high press also plays into their hands.

How can we complain about them, if we then compound the effect by compressing the match into a 40m playing area?

You surely have to sit back and draw them out? That's what other teams have always done - we aren't the first to come up against teams sitting in.
 
noseve said:
Early days, but Reijnders looks as though he might be capable of spotting the chances to play Erl in. Really looking forward to seeing them gel.

At least a couple of times per game last season - usually several - he'd be begging for the ball, in space, only to turn away disgusted as the chance was lost and the ball played either backward or across the pitch.

I'm biased, though - I wouldn't swap him for any other striker.
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Any person who thinks it would be a good idea to replace haaland is clearly insane.
He's the best around.
Could be the best ever.
This season he s going to be better than his first season.
Play direct to his strengths.
Maybe to coach from dipperland might bring a bit of that into our style of play
 
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