9 | Erling Haaland - 2023/24

[donsmoke]

And yet we won nothing that season while Aguero finished with a massive 17 goals.

Mate, your striker turning up in big games does not guarantee that you'll win anything but puts your team in the best position to do so.

That's all we ask from our key players

 

[IrishBlueSince92]

His touch and link up play is a lot better than he's been showing the past few weeks. Thinking back to last season it was good at times.

He's had injuries and is in a bit of a lull in form, there's been some shite talked about him which will make people look stupid as usual once he regains his form.

 

[youngbob]

So Haaland has a better manager with players more capable of bailing out his poor performances? Yes Aguero could have scored more against the likes of QPR and Reading. Not sure what your point is.

That, by his standards, Aguero's second season was below par. A bit like Haaland's this year. It's fair enough to point out that Haaland could be doing better but this idea that we need to go back to playing with a false nine or even let Haaland go, as some in here have suggested, is insane.

 

[Keeper!]

I am getting sick of hearing about teams when playing us come to defend, park the bus or low block (generational terms).

Football is a simple game, the best teams will ALWAYS have to face opponents that defend in numbers, that's just how it is and how it always will be.

It's up to us to find a way around it, we used to be amazing at it, this year far less so.

Possession is all well and good but if you don't put the ball in the back of the net it does not work.

We have crazy possession stats but again this season considering those we create very few clear cut chances.

 

[Paulmcfc2703]

That, by his standards, Aguero's second season was below par. A bit like Haaland's this year. It's fair enough to point out that Haaland could be doing better but this idea that we need to go back to playing with a false nine or even let Haaland go, as some in here have suggested, is insane.

Both second seasons are below par but Aguero turned up in the big game. Has Haaland turned up against a top team at all since he scored his hat trick against United last season? All he seems to do is be anonymous and score our 3rd or 4th late on.

Bringing up Aguero is madness

 

[IrishBlueSince92]

Also think we looked a better team last night when he was on, despite him not being involved much.
In extra time with Alvarez on we lost all shape. Could have been down to player exhaustion of course

 

[youngbob]

Both second seasons are below par but Aguero turned up in the big game. Has Haaland turned up against a top team at all since he scored his hat trick against United last season? All he seems to do is be anonymous and score our 3rd or 4th late on.

Bringing up Aguero is madness

Conversely, you could argue that if Aguero had "stat-padded" in the lesser games of the 12/13 season, against the likes of Everton, Sunderland, QPR, and Southampton, when we dropped stupid points, we might have pushed United a bit closer that year. And if he'd turned up in the FA Cup final against bloody Wigan we might not have embarrassed ourselves at Wembley.

 

[Paulmcfc2703]

Conversely, you could argue that if Aguero had "stat-padded" in the lesser games of the 12/13 season, against the likes of Everton, Sunderland, QPR, and Southampton, when we dropped stupid points, we might have pushed United a bit closer that year. And if he'd turned up in the FA Cup final against bloody Wigan we might not have embarrassed ourselves at Wembley.

If Aguero did a Haaland we wouldn't have got to that FA Cup final anyway.

Like comparing apples and oranges

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Or is Haaland carrying a bigger injury that the club are keeping under wraps?

He had a broken foot, probably the dreaded metatarsal that multiple players have struggled with.

 

[youngbob]

If Aguero did a Haaland we wouldn't have got to that FA Cup final anyway.

Like comparing apples and oranges

No it isn't. My point is that you can pick holes in basically any player's performances over the course of a season. It's fair enough to criticise Haaland at the moment but acting like the most revered strikers in the club's history haven't also had under-par seasons is ludicrous.

The same thing will happen again in 5-10 years when Haaland's gone and the new striker we have isn't performing to the same level - we'll all basically pretend this season didn't happen because Haaland will have played about 300 games and scored over 200 goals for the club.

"Haaland had that slightly underwhelming second season, though, you remember?" someone will ask, and the response will be "Are you joking, he scored 35 goals in his second season, we'd kill for those kinds of numbers now", etc. It's like how people pretend they always thought Mahrez and Gundogan were perfect.

Typical football fans who always want what they don't have and are convinced the grass is greener, or that the grass used to be greener and now it's shit brown.