9 | Erling Haaland - 2023/24

I think we've got to come to terms with something a lot of us are missing.

Just like Sterling had 2 very different careers with us.. pre Lyon miss and post Lyon miss..

Haaland has had a very good pre-Aston Villa injury season with us. He had 18 goals in the PL this season racked up in November before that injury.

And just 2 since.. yes I know he scored some against Luton in the FA Cup but I'm not convinced he's completely healthy. Further proven by him coming off in the Madrid game.

I would actually rest him for the rest of the season and allow him to fully heal to go again next season. When he's on his game.. he's the best in the world.

And what we need this offseason is some players who can actually get the ball to him in a position he can score, not just recycling it side to side!



It's almost like Stones and Aguero.. when he's available and fully healthy.. he's unbelievable.. but Erling seems to be injury prone just like Kun was!
I agree with a lot of what you said, but….

If we can rest a player for the rest of the season IF he is available for selection when we’re in a very tight title race and have a cup final to look forward to, then he’s either not good enough or we don’t need him or he doesn’t suit our style.

The recycling from side to side comes from the managers demands to retain the ball and we’re hell bent on trying to find a double-marked Haaland when he plays. Our build up play is far too slow for Haaland to be effective and for us to wring out of his game what we got last year. Yes, I know he’s been injured but for me we just haven’t played to his strengths and he doesn’t/can’t play to ours.

We have goals throughout this team, fortunately and I’d love nothing more than to see this lad succeed again, I mean, it’s relative isn’t it, in goal scoring terms he’s already had a good season, just not as good as last season. Last season will never be repeated.

I feel were stronger without him on his current form, injury or otherwise. He is the very best goal scorer on the planet, but his all round game is nowhere near that level. It doesn’t need to be though when we’re laying on balls for him to finish like last season. When we’re not though….
 
Honestly, I've felt critical of him this season, but if he's fully fit, I would definitely play him. He's just too big a player — in every sense — to leave on the bench. And I rate Julián higher than many seem to on here, by the way, but he himself has not exactly had a great season.
The fact is that Erling worries opposing defences to death, even when he's not scoring. If his movement is good, they've always got to have half an eye on him. Which leaves spaces and pockets for people like Kev, Bernardo, and Phil running through from deeper.
I've also got a feeling that one of these matches before the end of the season Haaland is going to hand out one of his spankings, just to show everybody that last year was no fluke.
 
Honestly would keep him on the bench and hope he can be a impact sub as we look better with him out the first XI at the moment

The only game I'd say he HAS to start is the Spurs one as they play a crazy high line
 

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