9 | Erling Haaland - 2025/26

franksinatra said:
That is fair enough. I probably disagree on Haaland’s role in the press, but as I said I don’t think he is solely responsible, Doku and Savinho also, in my eyes, adopted a ‘fake’ press last year also.

I take your point about the headless chicken press, however for a press to work effectively there has to be an intent and a fear for the opposition they might lose the ball to impact on their decision-making.

Anfield the first 20 minutes of each half is an example of that as was coming to the Etihad in seasons past. It’s far too passive.
Click to expand...
I agree our press is diabolical now, we simply cant do it, i don't think we have the players to do it so we shouldnt even be trying something that just leaves us badly exposed.

I do think Doku over last season went from arguably the worst presser in the squad, to easily our best forward presser. He actually does it with intent now, he sticks his stocky body in there and wins the ball back rather than just a token press for optics which I assume is what you mean by a fake press, foden is the worst for that, he'll run but there is never any threat of him actually winning the ball.
 
ninjamonkey said:
I agree our press is diabolical now, we simply cant do it, i don't think we have the players to do it so we shouldnt even be trying something that just leaves us badly exposed.

I do think Doku over last season went from arguably the worst presser in the squad, to easily our best forward presser. He actually does it with intent now, he sticks his stocky body in there and wins the ball back rather than just a token press for optics which I assume is what you mean by a fake press, foden is the worst for that, he'll run but there is never any threat of him actually winning the ball.
Click to expand...
Bobb is worse. As I said last week he presses with all the vigour of my 14 year old son mowing the grass.
 
ninjamonkey said:
I agree our press is diabolical now, we simply cant do it, i don't think we have the players to do it so we shouldnt even be trying something that just leaves us badly exposed.

I do think Doku over last season went from arguably the worst presser in the squad, to easily our best forward presser. He actually does it with intent now, he sticks his stocky body in there and wins the ball back rather than just a token press for optics which I assume is what you mean by a fake press, foden is the worst for that, he'll run but there is never any threat of him actually winning the ball.
Click to expand...

Would not disagree with Doku, but I think the bar is pretty low currently. Just reading the Marti Perarnau book on Pep and it talked about Bernardo 22/23 and how he could almost simultaneously press 3 players. When I look back to that year and matches like Arsenal/Real Madrid at home we were a completely different animal.

Yes it’s a mystery with our current press, we’re still pushing up to the half way line to condense the pitch but without a proper press we’re getting played through and then there is a half a pitch of space to play into.

Yes the ‘fake’ press in when you close a player down but without intent to really challenge but just go through the motions and I agree on Foden.
 
madloaf said:
Couldn't agree more the press is sporadic and disjointed. That comes from coaching and effort. Maybe the wingers are too worried about what's over their shoulder, don't trust the full backs etc. maybe the players just aren't as good (that's a fact). I agree its a fake press.
Click to expand...

The players are definitely not good enough. Have a look at our bench when we played Spurs in the Champs lge, the drop off in standard is huge.

Think we have a lot of good/decent players but previously we had 5/6 who were right at the top of their profession.
 
franksinatra said:
The players are definitely not good enough. Have a look at our bench when we played Spurs in the Champs lge, the drop off in standard is huge.

Think we have a lot of good/decent players but previously we had 5/6 who were right at the top of their profession.
Click to expand...
I would do, but I refuse to acknowledge that game and the UCL final against Chelsea. Never happened as far as I'm concerned.
 
madloaf said:
Is richarlison better than who?
Click to expand...

That was a typo

I think what I was trying to to say is out guy needs service and when he gets it, needs to score

I don’t rate Richarlison but he’s a handful and a pest. It’s a bad example, I accept, but Haaland needs a bit more Drogba/Richarlison about him at times - the days of KDB, Marhez etc are long gone so maybe he needs to do a bit more
 
Blue Hefner said:
I don’t want to slag him off, but I can’t watch this for the next 8 years

Come on. We’ll be like Shearer’s Newcastle, he’ll score loads but the team won’t do anything - if the job of the team is to give him chance then he needs to score two today, at least.

He needs to be more like Drogba in a way and get his arse in the way and get us some free kicks or some sort of link up
Click to expand...
You won’t be watching this for the next 8 years because another one or two like the last 12 months and he will be off. The biggest plus of that contract, should have been that we had secured the best striker in the world for practically his whole career but the actual current win from it, is that we are protected against him trying to leave on the cheap, or for free as his contract runs down/out. We are not a good side and I hate to say it but he can do much better than this version of City.
 
Blue Hefner said:
That was a typo

I think what I was trying to to say is out guy needs service and when he gets it, needs to score

I don’t rate Richarlison but he’s a handful and a pest. It’s a bad example, I accept, but Haaland needs a bit more Drogba/Richarlison about him at times - the days of KDB, Marhez etc are long gone so maybe he needs to do a bit more
Click to expand...
Lol. A bit more richarlison in haaland. New highlight in bluemoon history. Congrats on that.
 
OrigamiNinja said:
You won’t be watching this for the next 8 years because another one or two like the last 12 months and he will be off. The biggest plus of that contract, should have been that we had secured the best striker in the world for practically his whole career but the actual current win from it, is that we are protected against him trying to leave on the cheap, or for free as his contract runs down/out. We are not a good side and I hate to say it but he can do much better than this version of City.
Click to expand...

I knew commenting on the Haaland thread was a bad idea

What I’m trying to get across is, he has the physical attributes to do more - stick his arse in the way

Whilst I’m here - we are likely to finish 3rd or below this season. If Marmoush(or Alverez) were our strikers, would we be much worse?? I don’t know…
 
Giovinco said:
Today showed that Bobb unfortunately does not have the physical prowess or technical ability
Click to expand...
how have we ended up with 2 players, Lewes and Bobb, in our squad who seemingly lack the physical attributes to play at this level
 
He's a wonderful striker but when we signed him it was obvious he wasn't the type of forward we needed.
He did help us win the treble because when the team played poorly that season he came up with plenty of goals. It meant in many games players could coast so at the business end of the season we still had plenty in the tank.
Subsequently we have not seemed sure how to use him. I don't think he's a Pep player. But he's on a 10 year contract and is almost as big a personality in the club as Pep.
 
robbieh said:
He's a wonderful striker but when we signed him it was obvious he wasn't the type of forward we needed.
He did help us win the treble because when the team played poorly that season he came up with plenty of goals. It meant in many games players could coast so at the business end of the season we still had plenty in the tank.
Subsequently we have not seemed sure how to use him. I don't think he's a Pep player. But he's on a 10 year contract and is almost as big a personality in the club as Pep.
Click to expand...
Despite his record I would swap him for a Tevez or Aguero in the blink of an eye
 
The better half is no football fan but rightly suggests with a 10 year contract hes too comfortable for the battle ahead.

Hes lost his buddy Jack and supplier KDB and probably accepts nine out of ten crosses from Doku and co will land nearer to his onlooking dad than their natural target man!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top