9 | Erling Haaland - 2025/26

[Tyg3r]

Awful tonight. With that physic he must win balls back to goal.

 

[skillman]

I’d accept the back post obsession if he mixed it up even once a game. But even when the crosser is never - through stretching, ball under feet, bodies etc - going to get the ball to the back post he still doesn’t move. Baffling.

 

[Lavinda Past]

Needed to bury that chance in the first half. Doesn't get protection from the refs either. The defenders are always allowed to be extra physical with him.

Extra physical...? The Sunderland defenders didn't break sweat against him. He was weak. Just an awful performance.

 

[Chak19]

I’d accept the back post obsession if he mixed it up even once a game. But even when the crosser is never - through stretching, ball under feet, bodies etc - going to get the ball to the back post he still doesn’t move. Baffling.

Does no one at the club talk to him about it ?

 

[blue_danube]

Very poor today.

I accept you can't score every game, that's just being realistic but I think it was the worst he's played in a good while.

But he's Haaland, he'll bounce back very quickly. Nothing to worry about, just a real off day.

 

[Alexia_Ko]

Does no one at the club talk to him about it ?

Of course someone has noticed it but when he’s scoring at the rate he scores at he’s barely taking advice from coaches on how to score more. It’s more of an ego thing than anything

 

[Trickyblues]

Disgraceful tonight

 

[Gorbachev]

What gets me is if he was a bit tired tonight, which in the last two games he has looked sluggish, why didn't Pep play and start Marmoush in some of the games we had in November and December when played Sunderland and Leeds at home.

Marmoush should have started more games or come off the bench far earlier than he should have done.

We cannot keep spamming Haaland out in every game.

 

[tackeds]

Not his best but he’s got just a bit of credit in bank for me, he’ll be back on Sunday :-)

 

[Blue-Ghana]

It was very poor tonight, but it was also isolated. Rjeinders should have come on at 60 minutes to play besides him

 

[Chak19]

It was very poor tonight, but it was also isolated. Rjeinders should have come on at 60 minutes to play besides him

Gvardiol was basically playing besides him anyway, and he caused the Sunderland defenders more trouble.

 

[ID70]

Anonymous again, if he’s not scoring his contribution is minimal. Needs to put a bit of effort in and hold the ball up.

 

[dronefromsector7G]

Plays like an undroppable player.

 

[ninjamonkey]

I think there might be something in suggesting he's under instructions not to get into physical battles, ultimately, there's minimal benefit from it, if he wins a physical duel, there's never anybody playing off him for us to do anything with it, at best we recycle possession and getting into those battles just increases the chances of injury. He's simply too important, he gets injured, the season is done.

 

[Chak19]

I think there might be something in suggesting he's under instructions not to get into physical battles, ultimately, there's minimal benefit from it, if he wins a physical duel, there's never anybody playing off him for us to do anything with it, at best we recycle possession and getting into those battles just increases the chances of injury. He's simply too important, he gets injured, the season is done.

I also think that, but what's stopping him from making a near post run ?

 

[Big Yaya Wilko 12]

Appalling tonight.

Lazy and got bullied by that clogger at the back for Sunderland.

Probably too worried about his YouTube numbers.

 

[ninjamonkey]

I also think that, but what's stopping him from making a near post run ?

I too wouldn't mind the odd near post dart but i suspect the reasoning for that is two part. firstly to simplify it for him and his relatively new wingers who dont have a connection with him yet.

He can only make a near post run if he knows when the ball is coming in, doku is pretty much the most unpredictable player in football, nobody has any idea what he's going to do, rest of our wing options are similar, how many times do we expect a ball to be put in/across only for it to go back out instead? If he's making dozens of near post runs a game, he'll be knackered, frustrated at how pointless it's been and offside and put of position for if we do manage to create something. if he had somebody who was putting balls across on a regular basis then perhaps we'd see that run from him.

Also, statistically the back post is the best movement to make, it's easier to score from that position and requires the least amount of perfection in the delivery and finish, with his speed and size it makes sense to favour that.

 

[decmancity]

Has to score that chance from the cross. That’s what he’s paid for.

 

[madloaf]

Number of through balls played to the most powerful striker in the world. 0. He doesn't even make the run anymore. It's just not part of the tactics at all some games. Makes me sad

 

[Blue_Lightsaber]

Abysmal, shown up by Gvardiol. 500k a week and he barely moves from the back post. Doku gets past his man, ball into the box and Haaland’s chilling at the back post

This..

City calling Haaland.. you know the viking that scores goals for fun..

Anyone seen him?