9 | Erling Haaland - 2025/26

[Craig]

In the exact same position Pep would have destroyed Kane as he is with Haaland

Just utter nonsense. One is a brilliant actual footballer who scores shitloads and the other is just great at scoring shitloads. How on earth would Pep destroy Kane? Tell him to stop dropping deep and playing great passes whilst linking the play? Did he destroy Sergio or the Polish bloke at Bayern? The lengths people will go to defend Erling are quite comical

 

[wayneblue]

Sorry but I cannot understand why our striker is never in the centre of the goal. I think he has been terrible last couple of months which doesn’t mean he isn’t an awesome player but they can be praised as criticised

 

[wayneblue]

Not getting enough service. No pass over or through for him to run on to. Obviously off form as well but there is mitigation

He doesn’t run though.

 

[WestGorton]

He doesn’t run though.

He does and we don't pass when he does

 

[madloaf]

Feel like most serious football clubs would be using xg vs actual goals as the way to measure ability to finish.

I think the issue with Haaland is based on even his most ardent supporters he's never going to look better than he did with prime Kev, prime Gundo, prime Phil, Prime Rodri. If you handpicked players from other teams you might not even come close.

So you say fine he's a senior player now, a leader, he'll add more to his game, and I think it's valid to ask how long we can do the "if Kev was still here" thing when Kev isn't here and another one isn't just around the corner.

There needs to be some way to be able to activate the best goalscorer of his generation while playing a low block, or it just doesn't work does it?

Play quicker. Risk more.

As for xG - In different sports they used to use certain simple metrics which they then decided we're useless and we're replaced with more sophisticated metrics - but these sports all start from an exact and repeatable position. Football does not work like that and as such xG imo is completely and utterly useless. Just because teams use it does not make it worthwhile. I believe it attempts to actually make something simplistic from something far more nuanced. But back to haaland. He's wasted the way we play.

 

[samuelyeboah]

He does and we don't pass when he does

he doesn't. he doesn't make runs. he sprints forward from time to time while giving defenders 10 yards to fully track him, throws his hands up at amazement that somehow, we didn't decide to randomly given the opponent the ball back trying to find his ass, and then takes 20 seconds to walk back slowly from an offside position

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

He does and we don't pass when he does

Absolutely this, he makes the runs but the ball never comes. The ball over the top or into the channel rarely gets used. You can see him frustrated with the lack of service time and again.

 

[bluegaz13]

He does and we don't pass when he does

I think it’s a combination of the two…….he used to make the runs but the ball didn’t come…now he just doesn’t make the runs

 

[WestGorton]

he doesn't. he doesn't make runs. he sprints forward from time to time while giving defenders 10 yards to fully track him, throws his hands up at amazement that somehow, we didn't decide to randomly given the opponent the ball back trying to find his ass, and then takes 20 seconds to walk back slowly from an offside position

Without him we would not have won 2 league titles and the European Cup. I am cutting him some slack

 

[samuelyeboah]

Without him we would not have won 2 league titles and the European Cup. I am cutting him some slack

that's fine and that's fair. I am putting the reality as it is today because i don't like living in the past

 

[Sam69]

Cherki touched the ball first and created his best chance, which was saved by the goalkeeper.

He's going through the worst period of his career, at least here at City, and the tactical choices aren't helping.

Instead of surrounding him with Cherki and Doku, Pep prefers to field Semenyo and Marmoush, who make the same runs as him and clog up his area…

 

[Mcfc1.9.8.0]

Just utter nonsense. One is a brilliant actual footballer who scores shitloads and the other is just great at scoring shitloads. How on earth would Pep destroy Kane? Tell him to stop dropping deep and playing great passes whilst linking the play? Did he destroy Sergio or the Polish bloke at Bayern? The lengths people will go to defend Erling are quite comical

I’m not defending Haaland I think he’s been shite but put him in a different team he’ll score loads. Put Kane in this team his goals would dry up it’s the slow boring shite tactics that’s the problem.

 

[NQCitizen]

Play quicker. Risk more.

As for xG - In different sports they used to use certain simple metrics which they then decided we're useless and we're replaced with more sophisticated metrics - but these sports all start from an exact and repeatable position. Football does not work like that and as such xG imo is completely and utterly useless. Just because teams use it does not make it worthwhile. I believe it attempts to actually make something simplistic from something far more nuanced. But back to haaland. He's wasted the way we play.

I do get that perspective but I think it's useful as without it it's almost impossible to really measure if someone "should" score.

I think Haaland is a great finisher when set up well, but at the same time he's hard to compare to how the people who aren't receiving that service. For example I wonder how many fewer Osimhen would score for us?

And I also wonder, even outside of Pep, whether such a pure poacher works in any other big team that is likely to face a packed defence every game.

Mbappe, Dembele, Lewa, Kane, Martinez, Alvarez are all more than capable of creating their own chances and playing an all round game.

Unless we can get West Ham to pile forward, which we did best by using Ederson's passing as bait, there's no way they'll set up where we can use explosive pace in behind them.

 

[madloaf]

I do get that perspective but I think it's useful as without it it's almost impossible to really measure if someone "should" score.

I think Haaland is a great finisher when set up well, but at the same time he's hard to compare to how the people who aren't receiving that service. For example I wonder how many fewer Osimhen would score for us?

And I also wonder, even outside of Pep, whether such a pure poacher works in any other big team that is likely to face a packed defence every game.

Mbappe, Dembele, Lewa, Kane, Martinez, Alvarez are all more than capable of creating their own chances and playing an all round game.

Unless we can get West Ham to pile forward, which we did best by using Ederson's passing as bait, there's no way they'll set up where we can use explosive pace in behind them.

There were two times tonight and he was ignored both times.

 

[Mr HJ]

Clear to us all that his form is off - he snatches at chances and is obviously down on energy. However, tonights game was a snapshot of how the team is not helping him - all about the coaches set up.

Tonight for 60 mins he made 3 really good runs as Nico, Marmoush and Rodri were breaking forward and failed to play the pass for him to run onto. This has been a common theme. Within 30 seconds of Cherki being on he picked up the ball and instantly played a first time pass right into Erling - who managed to make the keeper work with a decent effort.

I really think Pep does him no favours - gone are the assists from Kev or us having wingers who can play the final ball consistently. The only midfielder who comes close is the one Pep will not start with. Tonight again if we had started with the team that ended the game we would have won. I am amazed that after the Madrid game Pep stuck with Bernie and Rodri in the middle and then to make matters worse trusted Semenyo in the very position Cherki would thrive in. Those choices made us once again a team that slowly goes sideways and back, 93% boring possession that starves our main forward of balls into the channels. That is my biggest issue with Pep at the moment. He is smart enough to know the answer but it seems to me he's trying to make a statement about recruitment.

Erling is having a rough period but as a team we are making it worse week by week. The solution is playing a set system - not having 2 wingers one week and no fullbacks followed by no wingers and regular fullbacks expected to do the attacking work as well. We are best with Doku left, Cherki as a 10 and Semenyo right - that would give Erling a better chance to get out of this slump.

 

[hilts]

I don’t want to sound reactionary(but I’ve had a beer so here goes) - Calvert-Lewin would be disappointed with this recent goal return/performance. Bellyaching about service just doesn’t cut it - I’m obviously not saying sell him but he has to do more/impact the opposition

Even Stevie Wonder would be embarrassed but on a plus note his hair swirls in the wind, kids copy his goal celebration and his social media brand is top notch.

 

[robbieh]

Without him we would not have won 2 league titles and the European Cup. I am cutting him some slack

We could easily have won the champions league. He didn't score much. Foden and Bernie could have played as false 9s.

 

[Blue Hefner]

Even Stevie Wonder would be embarrassed but on a plus note his hair swirls in the wind, kids copy his goal celebration and his social media brand is top notch.

Goal celebration - I’d love to copy it and I’m 43. But unfortunately, I can’t remember the last time he scored, never-mind celebrated!!

His bobble game is good though. The bobble usually matches the kit…so there is that!

 

[bg1968]

His massive drop off in form and confidence has cost us the title , we relied on him to keep us in the race until xmas , we have struggled to replace his goal output , this is not a blame game , any player can go off the boil and lose confidence but that player has to work harder than ever to get back to his best , and i am not sure he is busting a gut to do this. He needs dropping , starting with the Real game , put him on the bench , if he doesnt like it , then he isnt a team player , he is only interested in himself

 

[Tevez City]

Can't wait for his next Youtube Video