9 | Erling Haaland - 2025/26

Earlyriser said:
As some ex-pro commented the other day a great goal scorer but not a great footballer
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I genuinely don’t see how anyone who watches him regularly can even dispute that. On yesterday though he did 2 very good bits of play that should have lead to a goal or 2.
 
Saddleworth2 said:
True. He also missed two great headed chances and mucked up a simple pass to Cherki for a tap in.
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Just said in the post match thread that Cherki (if it was him) suddenly stopped his movement and couldn't reach Erling's pass. The pass was fine.

Otherwise I agree that Erling's touch is quite poor. We simply don't play to his strengths, he needs more space up front to shine but Pep does the contrary. Wolves away we scored on the counter, surprise surprise.
 
Gabriel said:
Problem is he put a later one off the dinner table entirely…

On form, a great player, but out of form and with nobody breathing down his neck, he can be inconsistent.
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He’s not inconsistent, he’s just consistently shit against good defences or big games. FA Cup final 23 shit, Fa Cup final 24 shit, FA Cup Final 25 shit, UCL final shit, vs Inter Milan, PSG, Liverpool shit, important games for Norway shit, at Old Trafford shit, at Anfield shit, bernebau shit, he literally has gone from being the Balondor favourite in 2023, to not mentioned at all, and all he does is laugh. We have a huge issue now when it comes to big games, KDB, Gundogan and Bernardo really stepped up in these games, I genuinely don’t know who’s gonna score these goals now to win trophies . It ain’t gonna be this lad. Marmoush looks like he has personality so MAYBE him?
 
domalino said:
And yet anyone who watched the game yesterday knows that’s bullshit because he wriggled past 2 players and played the pass of the game into Marmoush.

Or anyone who watched the past 3 years of football would see that just his presence in the box is enough to take defenders away from other players and create goals.

So yeah, other than being the best finisher in the world, an increasingly good passer and creating goals for others with his movement and occupying defenders….hes rubbish.
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Is he the best finisher in the world?
 
He created a wonderful chance for Omar which Marmoush unfotunately didn't finish. Reminded me somehow of Aguero's ability to be a creator in addition to being a deadly striker. Erling did score a brace a week ago, but Wolves seem to be sh1te this season. Was that 10-year contract given to Håland a mistake? His scoring numbers are unbelievable, yet he vanishes during matches quite often. For me, it will always be Sergio > Erling. Rant over.
 
Bluewonder said:
His second against Wolves was a function of his imperious reading of the game. He didn't need to sprint to the front post because he knew the space was on the edge for the cut back.

I think this misunderstanding makes the rest of your post redundant.
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my opinion on his wolves goal makes my opinion on the marmoush situation yesterday redundant ?
How?
How is him lazily plodding up field whilst marmoush chases down an under headed back pass related ?

Silly
 
Bluesince1979 said:
Is he the best finisher in the world?
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He is.

But on defense and on offense - he's a carry. We need to compensate for Haaland's lack of defensive pressure and Haaland isn't great at hold up play - winning a long ball - keeping possession and then passing to a team mate.

Whereas our side is built on possession and winning the ball back as quickly as possible. We can carry Haaland or some other single player in this tactical scheme - but we don't have the players (Lewis, Cherki, Haaland, etc.) to do so.
 
KDBPLGOAT said:
He’s not inconsistent, he’s just consistently shit against good defences or big games. FA Cup final 23 shit, Fa Cup final 24 shit, FA Cup Final 25 shit, UCL final shit, vs Inter Milan, PSG, Liverpool shit, important games for Norway shit, at Old Trafford shit, at Anfield shit, bernebau shit, he literally has gone from being the Balondor favourite in 2023, to not mentioned at all, and all he does is laugh. We have a huge issue now when it comes to big games, KDB, Gundogan and Bernardo really stepped up in these games, I genuinely don’t know who’s gonna score these goals now to win trophies . It ain’t gonna be this lad. Marmoush looks like he has personality so MAYBE him?
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I've noticed that, not sure what his stats are v "big six" but he always seems to get on the score sheet outside of them like last week.

Is it the set up, the quality he's against. I'm not sure.
 
He did very well on that Marmoush chance, but early in the game he failed to hold it up deep in our half and lost possession and spurs had a chance. His missed header was garbage and what was an easy pass for an open net for his team mate he somehow messed up.
 
Look...

Haaland is the best striker in world football. But he doesn't fit our system.

Donnarumma on current form is one of the best - or arguably the best - keeper in world football. But he doesn't fit our system.

WTF is going on?!?!

Under Pep our system is high press, win the ball back quickly as a main means of defense.

Instead we have Haaland who absolutely doesn't fit this mould.

And we're after Donnarumma who absolutely doesn't fit this mould.

I've no clue about City's recruitment staff... and Pep's interaction with such... but given Pep's preferred tactics... there's a massive disconnect somewhere.
 
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BlueMoonAcrossThePond said:
Look...

Haaland is the best striker in world football. But he doesn't fit our system.

Donnarumma on current form is one of the best - or arguably the best - keeper in world football. But he doesn't fit our system.

WTF is going on?!?!

Under Pep our system is high press, win the ball back quickly as a main means of defense.

Instead we have Haaland who absolutely doesn't fit this mould.

And we're after Donnarumma who absolutely doesn't fit this mould.

I've not clue about City's recruitment staff... and Pep's interaction with such... but given Pep's preferred tactics... there's a massive disconnect somewhere.
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Get a manager that will change a system and stop trying to show horn plates into a system that doesn’t work anymore
 
Got to be honest, I think he's shit.
We don't play to his strengths either and so it's like playing with ten men.

Any decent defender dosnt fear him and for a big man he's easily out muscled.
 
CheshireExpat said:
I've noticed that, not sure what his stats are v "big six" but he always seems to get on the score sheet outside of them like last week.

Is it the set up, the quality he's against. I'm not sure.
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United 6 goals in 8 Appearances
Tottenham 4 goals in 7 Appearances
Chelsea 4 goals in 6 Appearances
Arsenal 4 goals in 8 Appearances
Liverpool 2 goals in 6 Appearances
 
Bluesince1979 said:
Is he the best finisher in the world?
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Scored under his xg 2 seasons running after 4 in a row significantly over.

Gets better opportunities than anyone else and scores more goals than anyone else.

Definitely not lethal in terms of over-performing the chances he has.

I don't like the fact he has no competition, never gets taken off and has a contract for life personally and wish he'd actually make a near post run. I've no idea what's he hoping for skulking off to the back post every attack (where the farside winger should actually be like Sterling or Sane).
 
Goater101 said:
Why can’t he head a ball? I really wish he would be more aggressive upfront. He needs to demand more service in the way he can thrive on. I’m sorry but he’s on a 9 year 400k per week contract. We can’t afford for him to be passive
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I got pelters in his first season with us when I said that Haaland 'couldn't jump his height'. His timing is poor and he almost always gets underneath the ball.

I stand by that view... 6'5", jumps 6'2".
 
NQCitizen said:
Scored under his xg 2 seasons running after 4 in a row significantly over.

Gets better opportunities than anyone else and scores more goals than anyone else.

Definitely not lethal in terms of over-performing the chances he has.

I don't like the fact he has no competition, never gets taken off and has a contract for life personally and wish he'd actually make a near post run. I've no idea what's he hoping for skulking off to the back post every attack (where the farside winger should actually be like Sterling or Sane).
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He does get taken off, though admittedly it never seems to happen when he’s playing poorly. In that respect, his staying on is connected to your first point about his not having direct competition. However, it’s troubling when you hear Guardiola say that he has to play to find rhythm and form, as I doubt such leeway would be afforded to other players.
 
Gabriel said:
He does get taken off, though admittedly it never seems to happen when he’s playing poorly. In that respect, his staying on is connected to your first point about his not having direct competition. However, it’s troubling when you hear Guardiola say that he has to play to find rhythm and form, as I doubt such leeway would be afforded to other players.
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Yeah feels like he gets the odd rest when we're 3-0 up but when we're compressing teams into a packed box (as we seem to aim to) and the game passes him by we never seem to bring him off for a nimble, agile option.

I do like Haaland, but I always wonder with the quality of chances we create for him would other top strikers score the same record-breaking amount of goals.

I always thought our all out best football came under the false 9 years when Pep's tactics seem to be most cohesive. But then of course winning a treble the next year makes that look a bit of a foolhardy view to have.
 
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