Are City a better all round team without Haaland?

[HelloCity]

The team are more fluid without Haaland. Like we used to be with a false 9.

Managers and teams have worked Haaland out a bit, bar those moments of pure striker instinct that he will always have. 2 centre halfs doubling up on Haaland. And when Kev get’s the ball on the right to cross over to Haaland, teams are doubling up on Kev to stop those crosses that have led to so many goals for Haaland at the start of the season.

Pep needs to tweak his Haaland tactics a bit, just to mix up his movement and the teams movement around him.

But Haaland will always be one of the first names on the team sheet.

What is this based on? There’s barely any evidence to support this apart from a couple of cup games where the opposition mixed up their line up. We struggled against Fulham and Leicester quiet badly to create chances when he was out injured and only won both games due to set pieces - one of which Haaland converted as a late sub.

That team which started against Chelsea yesterday wouldn’t come close to winning the league if it was our regular XI. It would actually struggle to get top 4.

 

[HelloCity]

I wouldn't want to find out!!

It's clear we are now without Kev, sadly.

Haaland has scored 27 goals in a slow build-up, so imagine how many he would get if we move the ball quicker like yesterday!

Not even close, although you’ve been writing him off for about 2-3 years now and each time he comes back with an incredible run of form.

I certainly wouldn’t have Foden, Bernardo and Gundogan ahead of him. Even on current form those 3 aren’t any better even now when Kev is on a dip.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

I think the simple way of looking at it is that we perfected the way we played with smaller technically good intricate passing players, to a Europe leading level… we simply haven’t perfected playing with Haaland yet.

 

[Blu3m00n91]

I wouldn't want to find out!!

It's clear we are now without Kev, sadly.

Haaland has scored 27 goals in a slow build-up, so imagine how many he would get if we move the ball quicker like yesterday!

You mean like the derby also? Kev was brilliant that day along with the rest. It’s about tempo not Necesarrily who’s on the pitch

 

[eastmanc]

On the basis that you opened the thread with an oasis rather than a smiths lyric I think your on the wum.

Or on the Oasis.

 

[eastmanc]

The team are more fluid without Haaland. Like we used to be with a false 9.

Managers and teams have worked Haaland out a bit, bar those moments of pure striker instinct that he will always have. 2 centre halfs doubling up on Haaland. And when Kev get’s the ball on the right to cross over to Haaland, teams are doubling up on Kev to stop those crosses that have led to so many goals for Haaland at the start of the season.

Pep needs to tweak his Haaland tactics a bit, just to mix up his movement and the teams movement around him.

But Haaland will always be one of the first names on the team sheet.

I agree with a lot of your post but he has still scored 4 in 4 after the world cup.

 

[Blue Feather]

We just need to get better service from wide areas when he is playing. The Everton game was shite as we had no overlapping or underlapping full backs and Mahrez and Grealish didn't have great individual games. Haaland has to start in every big game for me so we need to get the balance right elsewhere

 

[MarsLlama]

Haaland has 27 goals in 22 goals in all comps this season and broke multiple goalscoring records this season. The man is on track to score 40 goals in Premier League, which no player came close to do so before. Let's also not forget Haaland's outrageous stats in UCL as well as for Norway.

Aguero was a great striker, but he has never been on Haaland's level if we keep it real.

I don't think someone who has 'Haaland' under Team Supported could possibly claim to be objective in this discussion.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Not even close, although you’ve been writing him off for about 2-3 years now and each time he comes back with an incredible run of form.

I certainly wouldn’t have Foden, Bernardo and Gundogan ahead of him. Even on current form those 3 aren’t any better even now when Kev is on a dip.

I've been saying for nigh on a year that he is physically degrading, his talent for the exceptional will always be with him.

The extra legs yesterday of Bernie and Foden in the middle were telling. Kev's high-risk reward can only be supplemented by high energy in the middle of the pitch to account for the turnover he gives up.

Kev would be perfect in a team that passes far quicker, but we don't, and it's even more required if Kev is playing.

Even when Kev was at his peak, we looked a very different animal winning the title when he was out injured and Bernardo was filling the role.

Perhaps that's why we are in for Bellingham?

 

[HelloCity]

I've been saying for nigh on a year that he is physically degrading, his talent for the exceptional will always be with him.

The extra legs yesterday of Bernie and Foden in the middle were telling. Kev's high-risk reward can only be supplemented by high energy in the middle of the pitch to account for the turnover he gives up.

Kev would be perfect in a team that passes far quicker, but we don't, and it's even more required if Kev is playing.

Even when Kev was at his peak, we looked a very different animal winning the title when he was out injured and Bernardo was filling the role.

Perhaps that's why we are in for Bellingham?

I don’t think we can judge anything based on yesterday. Both teams had makeshift teams out and no one matches up to us in terms of being able to make such changes. Not only that but they are badly out of form as well. I wouldn’t be surprised if we beat Arsenal in the cup comfortably by a couple of goals due to changes being made then as well.

Kev is still the best creative midfielder in the world and certainly the best in our side. Foden and Bernardo might have extra legs but they’re also very quiet in terms of dictating play and controlling the tempo. Kev, even on his very worst days, is always there trying to make things happen. This is one of the best attributes a player can ever have. His form in the second half of last season was also arguably his best ever and played a huge part in us winning the league, something we wouldn’t have done without him. He’ll be back to his best again soon enough, just as he always is.