Are City a better all round team without Haaland?

[Del_Bosque]

There’s nobody anywhere near him he’s completely isolated

2 wingers might as well be on fucking deckchairs at the minute, not running at anyone not making crosses or through balls just standing out wide facing inwards laying it off

Kev and whoever is partnering him playing too deep.

Nobody attacking the byline, Kev did it once and we scored. I’d look at playing him just off Haaland or even out on the right. Because we might as well have no fucker out on the wings with how it is.

Also I think we are looking disjointed because The build up is all off it’s not slick at all through the middle and for me it all comes down to the center backs, Akanji and Ake just not at the required level to see games out or provide slick build up into midfield. Take longer to get the ball forward and the midfield are having to drop deeper to get it.

 

[Keeper!]

Yesterday when the Viking looked at Shaw at CB he must have thought Christmas had come again, what did we do? Nothing, never tested the stumpy fatty once, again quite incredibly naive.

 

[HolisticJim]

Think it's unfortunately a transitional season. When new players come along it takes a year to adapt to our system... I think with us changing the way we play to accommodate Haaland we have the reverse of that and it will take us a year (potentially two) to adapt - and maybe a few changes to personnel.

 

[bluesince76]

I think Haaland's pace alone, would see him running in on goal at least two or three times a game?

Remember his goals against Palace, West Ham and Wolves, all being played in over the top or space in behind.

Our ability to play quick triangles would also mean opponents being the wrong side of the man.

At the moment we have players with attributes which run completely alien to what Pep is seemingly asking from them?

If you never buy a ticket, you can never win.

Phil is no slouch and remember seeing Villa at home against us pre-Covid (I asumme) and Grealish was causing us all sorts of problems on the break with his pace.

If we're going to box teams into their own penalty area, it needs the 1-2s and ball inside the fullback that we haven't really seen since Silva left.

Part of the frustration yesterday was a few times Cancelo had the ball at you'd see Haaland make the run between the centre halves only for Laporte to turn and play it square to Ake. It didn't need to even be a great ball over the top, just something through and let Haaland race the defenders and keeper to it. Even if it didn't work the defence would drop deeper and deeper, giving room for our midfiled to play in and to take shots from distance, sorry, I meant for our midfield to pass sidewise and then back to Ederson.

 

[eastmanc]

especially you don't win the CL by not playing to your strengths

Very true.

 

[Eoiyflem]

I get what you’re saying and I know he’s deadly if it falls to him in the box but I’d have expected to see a player being touted as one of the best players in the world dribble past a player at least once in half a season
He looks like a donkey when on the ball to me
His goals are basically one touch finishes ( that’s not a criticism) but when on the few occasions he gets it in general play he looks awful

Keep with him this season and hope he gets 40 and let Madrid know we are open to offers
Use the money to get Bellingham and go back to the old system

Christ almighty

 

[Keeper!]

I get what you’re saying and I know he’s deadly if it falls to him in the box but I’d have expected to see a player being touted as one of the best players in the world dribble past a player at least once in half a season
He looks like a donkey when on the ball to me
His goals are basically one touch finishes ( that’s not a criticism) but when on the few occasions he gets it in general play he looks awful

Keep with him this season and hope he gets 40 and let Madrid know we are open to offers
Use the money to get Bellingham and go back to the old system

FFS wow, some weird stuff on here but that takes the biscuit

 

[haugemcfc]

I don't believe we need to sacrifice this season at all, that's the thing.

We can win the Prem and Champions League if we can just hang tough and luck also comes our way.

Only have to look at Chelsea against us in Champs League.

It's all still there for us and even with our struggles, no other outstanding team in our league to take proper advantage of it.

Think we have the best chance to win the Champions league this year ;-) some Big teams go out in the next round…
The Premier league is ours i Think
Win the next 2 and we’re top

 

[Eoiyflem]

Think we have the best chance to win the Champions league this year ;-) some Big teams go out in the next round…
The Premier league is ours i Think
Win the next 2 and we’re top

If we win our next 2 we also need arsenal to lose 3 games in a row to be top. Not a hope in hell.

We've dropped 8 points in 5 games and they've lost once all season and that was to another dodgy swamp decision. Time to get real chum

 

[Blu1]

If we passed him the ball & used the width of a pitch then no. For some reason pep wants us to walk the ball in the net