9 | Erling Haaland - 2023/24

[cyan]

I'm amazed at those questioning Haalands contribution to the side in general and to the win over United in particular. United set up to stop the ball coming to Haaland with Evans/Varone tight to him and Casemiro/Mainoo covering in front of him. He was never going to get the chance to to turn anyone the way he did at Luton - and when the ball came into him the Midfielders were there to tidy up. But that meant there were often 2/3 players on him - and that creates space for our midfelders to get in and around him. On the occasions when he did manage to find a bit space the pass to him wasn't accurate enough and so he was left with very little - the snatched header (I thought at the the time he could have brought it down, but looking again - he would have been closed down) and the sitter - which yes we all expected him to score - but just proves he is human. The wonderful thing about Haaland is that he doesnt dwell on these things just gets ready for the next chance.

In the second half - he was being found as a target man a bit more and that created a couple of opportunities - the big role he plays is to create fear and that creates space for others
Foden's first goal - look at the way his position draws Varane away from a blocking position and leaves a route to goal.


Second goal - this time Dalot is marking him and Varane has been dragged away to cover Alvarez - that creates a gap for Foden and Dalot hesitates a moment unsure whether to go to Foden or stay with Haaland - that hesitation gives Foden the time to get into the gap and score the goal.

Good centre forward play is not just about goals, or even playing passes to create assists - sometimes the assist is in creating space for others - and that is what Haaland is now doing as well as scoring goals.

 

[youngbob]

He is the only player in a pep team who doesn't contribute to the build up play of the team at all, so his numbers are a certainty to happen, when all he does is wait in the six yard box waiting for a pass or a rebound to score. The other top strikers in guardiolas teams were contributing in the general play a lot more meaning the goals came from different players as his teams didn't have a focal point (an old school number 9). Pep for some reason changed his mind in his approach to the game with haaland. The treble is our biggest achievement but i don't think haaland contributed to that as a lot of other players. In the big games in my opinion he ghosted badly. You can call him a world class number 9, all i see is an inconsistent finisher of the ball, helped immensely by a superb team creating loads of chances for him, with him doing next to nothing when he has an off day in front of goal.

He had a pretty rough afternoon out there against United and he's had a bit of trouble coming back from this latest injury, but you can't say he doesn't contribute to our build-up play, or that he contributes nothing if he's not scoring, or that he's just an average striker in a great team. So far in a City shirt he's contributed 15 assists, which for a traditional target man/#9 is a sensational record, it's no coincidence that our attacking midfielders have all started notching 15/20+ G/A per season since his arrival, and how many City strikers do you know of that have scored five goals on two occasions? His record is absolutely insane. And I really don't think you can say he disappeared in big games either considering some of the huge teams he's scored against. And were it not for three world class saves from Courtois he'd have had a hat-trick that night against Madrid. Just dunno what you're talking about here at all.

 

[lasereyes]

No.. spheres SPIN on its AXIS!

For example Uranus is sidespinning which makes it roll like a ball!

Don't want to get into an extended debate but a football has no axis. Top spin would make it roll more quickly (and bounce up), not deviate to the side.

 

[Fordyboy46]

I thought besides his goal that he was very poor against the rags. It wouldn't have surprised me if he had come off for Alvarez. But you always leave him on because of our 3rd goal

 

[Sir peace frog]

He is not world class for me yet. He plays in a team that creates loads of chances so his numbers may be impressive but it could have been much more. On the other hand apart from his numbers he has been abysmal. De bruyne, Foden, rodri, stones are the best in the world at what they do, he isn't. Kun was ten times the player.

so apart from his 70 odd goals in 80ish games hes wank its like saying take kdbs assists away and what does he actually do

 

[Legal Alien]

The treble is our biggest achievement but i don't think haaland contributed to that as a lot of other players. In the big games in my opinion he ghosted badly. You can call him a world class number 9, all i see is an inconsistent finisher of the ball

Go on then i'll bite:

So his goals didn't contribute that much to the treble, yeah okay!

In what big games was he ghosted badly?
In the CL he scored against BM away and Courtois made world class saves to stop him in the RM game at home.
In his first season in the PL, he scored against everyone apart from the dippers and brentford and this in a league regarded as the toughest in the world!

He is the most dangerous player in the World, teams and opposition players are scared shitless of him and he's got two players marking him every game.
But he's still scored 80 goals in 84 games for us, yet you think he's "an inconsistent finisher of the ball"

Does he miss chances, of course, but name me a player, past or present, who doesn't!

I'm not sure who you, or some people on this thread, want or think is better, but go on see if you can name one?

 

[greek citizen]

I don't think you all get my point. Kdb works for the team, on the other hand the team works for haaland. Mbappe, kane, lewandowski are better and more complete strikers. I am not saying haaland isn't a great player, i am just saying he isn't the difference maker on our team yet. Regarding the big games last year or the current one, name me one game apart from united at home last year that he was the one that made the difference and we wouldn't win(in the league) or progress (in the champions league or fa cup) to the next round if not for him, and i will quit my case.

 

[mcfc482]

He could have another 15 goals at least with the easy chances hes missed.

Scary thing is there is obviously so much improvement to come, consistency with his finishing. For some reason he is missing so many sitters this season.

The biggest improvement will come when he improves his general game more, hold up play and bullying defenders more. Hope he stays to realise the potential

 

[Xhavenjoe]

No.. spheres SPIN on its AXIS!

For example Uranus is sidespinning which makes it roll like a ball!

Not sure if I'm interested in Uranus.

 

[chris85mcfc]

I don't think you all get my point. Kdb works for the team, on the other hand the team works for haaland. Mbappe, kane, lewandowski are better and more complete strikers. I am not saying haaland isn't a great player, i am just saying he isn't the difference maker on our team yet. Regarding the big games last year or the current one, name me one game apart from united at home last year that he was the one that made the difference and we wouldn't win(in the league) or progress (in the champions league or fa cup) to the next round if not for him, and i will quit my case.

Deep breath, here goes...

Where was Kane at 22 years old? What has Kane won? At 20, Kane was on loan at Leicester, Haaland was playing in the Champions League at Dortmund.

At 21, Lewandowski had just signed for Lech Poznan scoring 32 goals in 58 games. No disputing his career the minute he turned up at Dortmund and then Bayern. Haaland had won the Champions league by the age Lewandowski got to Dortmund.

Haaland is 23, has won the Premier League, FA cup, Champions League and super cup, as well as breaking a ridiculous amount of records.

Is there a chance, that he might even just improve those skills as he gets to the nose bleeding age of 25? That's another 2 years away.

Give the lad a break, he's won everything and is still a kid. He's the same age as Foden and has played in 3 different countries and been phenomenal in all 3.

Perspective, please.