9 | Erling Haaland - 2023/24

[Jezza11]

Hasn’t won the treble has he?

Has he f**k!

 

[Paul1970]

And i didn't call you a fuckwit directly, either. "you're" was used collectively for anyone who shared that opinion.

I disagree that the best response to Haaland's current plight is to sell him. He needs an attitude adjustment, sure, but you could say that about a number of players in this team currently. The belief has gone from a lot of them. Couple of months ago it was Foden we should cash in on. Weeks ago it was Doku. Guess now it's Haaland's turn. Soon it'll be Jack's.

Point taken . I’ll be honest now I wanted Kane over Haaland because I like the style better not because he is a better finisher because they are both top drawer on there day but I don’t like what I’m seeing with the big guy and maybe he is carrying an injury of his heads been turned j suppose he’s the only one who knows the truth . Was never going to be any easy season after coming off the treble and in was ok with not winning the title but I’m not on with the lack of effort and going through. The motions . As for jack grealish he will be fine once he gets back to full strength but he needs to shoot more often instead of the side pass .

 

[warringtonblue]

I get that although a defender should still be able to put a decent ball in. Besides Bernardo had upteen opportunities to cross yesterday and held onto the ball instead. Can't recall him putting a cross in it's that infrequent. I'm sure Phil is capable of putting a decent ball in too.

I genuinely believe they've been told not to and retain possession instead. Only player that hits it first time when running onto it is KDB. Hitting an early cross when a defence is not fully organised is far more dangerous than stroking it around a packed 18 yard box. Either they're not intelligent enough to realise this (which I highly doubt), they've been told not to and retain the ball or they don't back themselves and are terrified of giving the ball away. As I say I think they've been instructed not to.

when these players have the ball wide in decent positions, 90% of the time it’s passed back to Phil or Bernardo between the point of the penalty area and the touch line, if they do cross (which doesn’t happen very often) it’s so much easier to defend from that angle. Most of the time it’s squared to Rodri and it’s passed across the area to the opposite wing. No one is looking to shoot, Phil shown against united that shots from there can go in, that what Arsenal did at their place and got the deflection for a win.
it looks more like it’s Peps tactics

 

[Edghill OG]

when these players have the ball wide in decent positions, 90% of the time it’s passed back to Phil or Bernardo between the point of the penalty area and the touch line, if they do cross (which doesn’t happen very often) it’s so much easier to defend from that angle. Most of the time it’s squared to Rodri and it’s passed across the area to the opposite wing. No one is looking to shoot, Phil shown against united that shots from there can go in, that what Arsenal did at their place and got the deflection for a win.
it looks more like it’s Peps tactics

Agreed. Bernardo and Phil do the same though. Hold onto it and the majority of the time pass it back.

I can only think Pep's concerned about being caught on the break. Invariably we pass it around the box until we misplace a pass and potentially get caught on the break anyway. One shot on target yesterday with 70 odd percent possession is evidence of this. So I don't really get this way of thinking at all.

 

[Damanino]

there need to be lot of runs into the box. when 1/2 CBs are busy with Haaland and my s well completely mark him out of the game we need to use that to our advantage of making nice runs into the box and also play the ball in there accurately. unfortunately we dont have a fullback able to make some magic around the box , quick 1-2, etc.
someone like Cancelo would have a field day in current set up, as teams usually happy to give up some space on the wide areas as very often we push up Walker and Gvardiol to provide width compared to last season when Mahrez, Grealish was stuck on the sideline. which then made the opponent defence to stretch their line wider (leaving bit more space) allowing likes of KDB, Gundo to punish them with some real clever passing...
rather than this season when they can concentrate front of box to close space there and allow some time on the ball to Walker, Gvardiol who rarely will use that ball well enough in an attacking situation. Walker's crosses likely to end up a throw in on the other side...



Cancelo or fullback in similar style could deliver some killer crosses, or try to get into the box and shoot/pass, none of these are happening with Gvardiol and Walker (or Akanji) or maybe once/twice every 10 games, rather than 2/3 times a game.

having said that it still feels Haaland aint causing as much problem with his presence to CB's as he could. not capable of great pressing neither is KDB anymore, so defenders dont feel harassed that much.

 

[clarion]

We definitely need more crosses from our full backs. Playing with 4 central defenders is not going to bring it. Pep will stuck with this formation cause it brought us the treble. There are so much problems this season. I just hope everyone stays fit from this week.

Still think we will win the league. It wont be the first time other clubs find it difficult to handle the pressure of the first place in last 1/4 of the season.

 

[cleavers]

I thought he played OK yesterday, he worked hard for the most part, but putting the ball to his chest with 2 good CB's up his backside, and facing his own defenders, 20 times in a game, isn't going to produce much, we need to be putting the ball over those CB's and getting him to run onto it.

Needs to work on his headers (or get the edges on his forhead shaved smooth), and missing the sitters from 3 feet.

 

[Lavinda Past]

We are short of bodies, I think a few are playing because they have to.

Ake and De Bruyne definitely fall into that category. Haaland doesn't. Alvarez should be playing if Haaland isn't 100%.

 

[MillisleBlue]

Just needs fed some more raw meat...

 

[madloaf]

We're simply not using him properly this year. He's a generational talent.

Our reluctance to risk giving the ball away, (while I'll be sad when it goes), means the guy is making runs that go constantly ignored.

He works hard, tries to hold up play, press when he can, but other than a couple of glaring misses when he gets a chance it's going in. He's just not getting those chances....and still has 29 goals.