9 | Erling Haaland - 2022/23 Performances

[Kamaro011]

Coming into the pre-season, I wasn't worried that we wouldn't find Haaland's runs but was much more concerned that we'd look for him every time and we'd become one dimensional and lazy. There's also a lot of very traditional football opinions in this thread declaring that that is what we should do, but we're not going to do that and I think they're setting themselves up for disappointment.

I thought he did okay personally. There has been a very large overreaction to Haaland as a signing not just on here but across social media. 30 goals, 50 goals, top goalscorer ever, etc. He's just a person, he's not a video game character who will score every game. He'll take time to fit into how we play and yesterday he looked out of place because he was playing like a Dortmund striker and not a City striker. His pressing specifically was lobsided, and he was too often looking for the solo drive. He will have to learn that he's part of a team and he isn't getting targeted every run. City as a team work for each other on the pitch more than almost any other team, and like with Mahrez and Grealish, it will be a transitional period for him to get used to that.

He's not our Lord and Saviour wrapped in blue cloth despite what City's photographers might have you believe. He's just a 22 year old kid taking his first steps into English football. A very talented young lad, but still just a young lad who is going to need coaching and will have to listen and learn.

He'll be fine in the long run - you don't have every major club in world football throwing money at you to join if you don't have a bit about you, and even during his teething stages, he's still going to score just due to the talent and presence he has. But we won't see the best of Haaland for at least a few months and that's fine. He signed a 5 year deal, not a three game deal. He'll learn to play our way

Too much sense in this post, does not compute on average crowd in here.

 

[CityBluez]

Probably fewer. Reckon he'll score at W Ham.

He will score . He could have scored yesterday also. But i am saying it will take time for team to gel . Haaland getting more involved

 

[blueparrot]

In hindsight Haaland maybe shouldnt have started the game it was obvious during our peformance that our players cannot read Haaland's clever movement at the moment , no doubt it was a good 90 minutes under his belt , but in retrospect it looks like it could be a few games before Haaland and the rest of the team are on the same wavelength
But it will happen , and when it does we are going to be unstoppable , just need a little patience for Pep to work out the finer points

Isn’t that every reason why he should’ve started, it will take games for them to understand each other.

 

[Kippax77]

I honestly think he would of put that chance away at the end if the score was still at 2-1.
I reckon he would of placed it into the net with composure.
At 3-1 the game was done and it seemed he smashed the ball with a bit of anger, powering it up and onto the bar.
The guy is human and i hope he rams every bit of negativity from the media back down their weasel throats over the coming season.

 

[robbieh]

Watching the whole 90 again, and thought Haaland played pretty well.

Yesterday I was listening on BBC 5 live and it was Liverpool this, Liverpool that.

But from what I've seen we had much more of the game and created more chances.

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

Isn’t that every reason why he should’ve started, it will take games for them to understand each other.

True ,but i dont think anybody wanted to lose to these feral bastards , play our proven tactics/players we know it works against the Dippers, he could of come off the bench and had an impact , but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 

[Bobby the blue]

Anyone that doubts the lad has no idea about football. This boy when he gets going will be frightening.

Yes that joker Nunez scored yesterday but he is not in the same league as Haaland. Honestly he will go down as one of the greatest ever city players and one of the worlds best. Give him a few weeks and a lot of fans of other clubs will be eating humble pie. Next time we play that mob he will boss that van dyke character.

 

[applejuice]

At least I think the team tried very hard to adapt and he did the same. Before the sub coming on, I can count Grealish tried at least twice, Bernado twice, Cancelo once and KDB more than 3 times trying to put the ball to him. TBH most of the cross were above avg quality. The team did try hard. Will be better next time.

Anyone who has watched how Grealish Bernado Cancelo and KDB served their strikers in their national team or formal club - won't question that they will serve Halaand well in the future. Just need a bit of patience.

 

[SebastianBlue]

 

[Craig]

It’s going to take a while for our midfielders to forget the muscle memory of the way we have played for the past few years , especially in transitions

time and again we had space in behind with Haaland making the run off the last man

the players need to learn to not take as many touches and play the ball into that space

De Bruyne was having a go at Haaland in the second half because he was offside when he wanted to play the ball through but the ball was on as soon as De Bruyne got posession, it needs to go earlier

once through he’s got the pace and strength to beat any player in the world

Bernardo seemed to be on a better wavelength , epically with the cross in the first half

we are so used to playing to feet but it will come in a few weeks

I agree with what you’re saying about the pass being on a few times on Saturday. Only problem will be it will be a rarity that there is space for that pass against almost every other team. The scousers are the only team willing to go toe to toe with us and not park the bus.