9 | Erling Haaland - 2025/26

Why don’t we for once play to his strengths as he is lethal running onto balls .
Because we don’t have many players capable of playing perfectly weighted passes from defence/midfield, as evidenced in recent games, and because we’ve become conditioned to prioritising possession over such penetration. The last thing an aging midfield that cannot shuttle in either direction needs is to risk giving the ball away cheaply.
 
Why don’t we for once play to his strengths as he is lethal running onto balls .

The way teams setup against us makes it harder to do, and we also don't want to give the ball away easily if it goes wrong.

But we should try it more anyway agreed.
 
The way teams setup against us makes it harder to do, and we also don't want to give the ball away easily if it goes wrong.

But we should try it more anyway agreed.

They set up the way they do because we move up the pitch so slowly with sideways passing that it gives teams time to get set and men behind the ball. Why wouldn't they?

Look at his goal Vs Everton. The ball was moved up the pitch quickly and all of a sudden Everton didn't have loads 9 men behind the ball. There was no "low block".

90% of the reason teams defend like that is our own doing.
 
They set up the way they do because we move up the pitch so slowly with sideways passing that it gives teams time to get set and men behind the ball. Why wouldn't they?

Look at his goal Vs Everton. The ball was moved up the pitch quickly and all of a sudden Everton didn't have loads 9 men behind the ball. There was no "low block".

90% of the reason teams defend like that is our own doing.
This.

We spend 90% of the game passing it in front of them, so where are they going to go.

Seems like only Kovacic is callable of passing the ball forwards these days.
 


First time since seeing this live. Outrageous to not let it play on and then look at it, if that is Saka going through they would spend 10mins on it.


Outrageous indeed. I thought he was on. Hard to say but if you pause it as the pass leaves, he looks on.

They let a CLEAR Bournemouth offside play on earlier in the game, nearly causing an injury. Fucking ridiculous

Funny thing is Haaland didn't even complain because he's almost never flagged offside with those runs because he times it so well, so I think he just assumed it was the right call for some reason.

He will be raging about that when he watches back
 
We really have to find a way how to get the best out of him or he'll be off. Why can't we ever try and find him ffs, nobody makes the effort in this team. His last good assist was from Kovacic and he's barely played. Our midfield bar Doku and Cherki in patches just haven't done enough this season
 


First time since seeing this live. Outrageous to not let it play on and then look at it, if that is Saka going through they would spend 10mins on it.

It was an obscene decision, he was offside but that was too close to call with any certainty, he was lucky it was correct. Considering the one he let play out, almost injuring Guehi in the process, it's unfathomable. If i'm City, i'm writing to the pgmol with those 2 exact clips and asking for a reasoning why such drastically different rules were applied by the same linesman.
 
Such a weird moment when his Golden Boot award was announced at the last minute. Perhaps VAR were looking for an excuse to rule a few out.

Anyway, the phenomenon has done it again.
 

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

SIGN UP
Back
Top