9 | Erling Haaland - 2023/24

[decmancity]

He doesn't ask for the ball anymore and make awful runs when he does, he's not the hungry striker from last season

At one point he just ran alongside Bernie instead of offering him a pass opportunity or to attract a defender with him

Bollocks.

Was it around 60min mark Foden just had to slip a pass through when we countered and he just smashed it against a defender.

 

[normskih]

I agree.
We all know his weaknesses, but as a team we don’t play to his strengths.
Get decent crosses in, play through balls for him to chase.
If he is man marked out of the game, which happens, get up there and support him.
Find the space or drag the defenders about to create some space.
Yeah he can do better but it’s certainly not all on him.

He also can’t help it when he‘s being crawled all over and man handled by that horrible ex Chelsea brut. Haaland has to stop being Mr Nice Guy and be a little bit more Diego Costa, especially at times when you come up against defenders like him.

 

[ShaunMCFC]

He was bought to be a monster in front of goal, if we don’t help him get in front of goal then fuck knows. He isn’t Messi, he’s not gonna drop deep and start taking 3-4 men on, he makes runs we just don’t look for him in behind. We knew what he was when we bought him.

 

[B\connellblue]

A nothing performance again. Nothing sticks to him and when you are under the cosh and need an out ball it needs to.

 

[Kazzydeyna]

Sorry mate I didn’t realise we could be critical on here.
you,re right Haaland was fucking outstanding again tonight

In order to be critical of the best striker in the world you at least need to show some minor understanding of the game.
As others have said, playing big Erl ties up two opposition defenders, releasing space for others.

How can anyone be critical of a young kid (he’s a man mountain but still a baby in football terms) who has scored so many goals in such a short time? In a team that coincidentally won the CL for the first time with him in it, to complete a treble and is in with a realistic shout of repeating the fete again this year?

I’ve said it for years but we genuinely have the very very worst fans in top flight football. I’d rather watch City amongst a pub full of United fans than City fans. They talk more sense than so many of our fans.

Admit it, you haven’t forgiven this club for becoming a giant have you? Do you pine for the halcyon days of yore, when we’d keep the ball in the corner when chasing a goal to avoid relegation? Did you cheer when Jamie Pollock juggled the ball into his own net, helping relegate us to the third tier? That was well cool. Fuck Haaland and all the trophies he’s helped us win.

 

[Txiki Txiki Bang Bang]

Just kidding but seriously that's not the Viking I ordered

 

[OrigamiNinja]

People forget, even like tonight where he's done nothing, or it appears that way to dumb cunts, he ties up 2 defenders, stops them playing how they want through fear of what he will do if not controlled, which gives much more space to the rest of the team and allows us much of the control we so desire.

Most weeks I agree with this statement. Tonight, Real were happy to leave Rudiger on him 1v1 multiple times and from what I can remember, apart from one foul in the 2nd half, Rudiger bullied him. That’s not good enough. We can’t defend Haaland every game unconditionally. I love the bloke but he is a fucking unit (admittedly so is Rudiger) and he shouldn’t be making it so easy for the CB. We need more.

 

[handsofstone]

Rudiger bullied him again, he's looking lost this season

He needs to perform on the biggest games and he hasn't done that this season, feels he's been a bit of a stat padder unlike last season

And yes there is an element that he isn't getting the service but his body language and ability to trap a ball has been so poor that its almost understandable no one is confident of playing it into him

Clealry talented, the goals don't lie but he's well off it atm and something needs to give, either he puts in more effort or the midfielders start providing more for him (or hopefully, both of those!!)

 

[Paul1970]

From Wednesday day on he needs to deliver! He has had enough bad games this season, now the crucial time has come to deliver.

But tbh he did go missing at the business end of last season didn’t he . Great striker but that’s about it in mean if you want someone to just turn up and out ball in the net then erling is your man but he doesn’t suit how we want to play and the problem we now have moving forward is we either change our style to suit Haaland if we get ready for more of the same next season. Because the premier league know how to stifle him and this will carry on. My own personal opinion is that next season we try to change our style to get the best out of him.

 

[kippax123]

In order to be critical of the best striker in the world you at least need to show some minor understanding of the game.
As others have said, playing big Erl ties up two opposition defenders, releasing space for others.

How can anyone be critical of a young kid (he’s a man mountain but still a baby in football terms) who has scored so many goals in such a short time? In a team that coincidentally won the CL for the first time with him in it, to complete a treble and is in with a realistic shout of repeating the fete again this year?

I’ve said it for years but we genuinely have the very very worst fans in top flight football. I’d rather watch City amongst a pub full of United fans than City fans. They talk more sense than so many of our fans.

Admit it, you haven’t forgiven this club for becoming a giant have you? Do you pine for the halcyon days of yore, when we’d keep the ball in the corner when chasing a goal to avoid relegation? Did you cheer when Jamie Pollock juggled the ball into his own net, helping relegate us to the third tier? That was well cool. Fuck Haaland and all the trophies he’s helped us win.

Do you feel better after that haha. Totally agree with alot you say though.