Are City a better all round team without Haaland?

Blue Maverick said:
Been saying all season that’s the ball that hurts defences, run in from the wing onto a ball in between fullback and centre half, then get to the byline pull back or cross in. There were loads of runs totally ignored due to the fear of losing possession, it’s so predictable now, you can only play a system so long before everyone susses it out, if us idiots can see sure as shit professional coaches can. The issues we have against lesser teams is breaking down 11 in the box, against more expansive teams is the unwillingness to take a chance in a run, fucked if I know what’s going to happen but if we win fuck all this season it wouldn’t surprise me, but then again if we win 3 trophies that wouldn’t either.
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Yeah exactly. Against Everton, Foden came on and ran at Iwobi and we started to have some half chances. Against Chelsea, Jack came on and went at Azpilicueta. The one time Foden did, he turned him and got a free kick. Those passing triangles are fine, but it relies on a sudden burst of movement and a ball into space at some point. We're just not looking to do that. It's all pass-pass-pass and then it's back to Rodri and we try the other side. Our improvement in the second half on Saturday came from Mahrez facing up Malacia, De Bruyne could then face their goal and Walker was an option on the overlap. It tied them in knots. The other side, Foden would have been more effective if Cancelo didn't seem to think he was the winger and always look to be creator. Maybe it's an issue born out of constant changes. Grealish wants it to feet every time. Foden is more likely to move in behind.
 
Are we better off without Haaland - the (or one of the) world's best footballers right now? - absolutely not! We simply need to adjust our tactics to best utilize Haaland - and Pep is doing so.

IMO our downturn in form is not at all due to Haaland - it's rather due to the lack of ambition and drive in the rest of the squad. Our press hasn't been good enough when we lose the ball; our passing has been sloppy with needless giveaways. And we've been unable to pass to Haaland on numerous occasions when he makes excellent runs.
 
Think the biggest decision do we play to Hallands strengths or continue a possession based game where we compress the 18yard box. On many occasions on Saturday Hallend made runs but the through ball or the ball over the top wasn't played. If we compress the 18 yard box the space isn't there for him to run through. Do we play deeper? It's a big decision.
 
Damanino said:
our workrate is very bad this season. watch Haaland, KDB, Mahrez, Grealish, Foden, Bernardo off the ball. are they all press like mad /track back to help to get the ball back?
not at all in most games.

no urgency in our attacks and neither aggressive enough off the ball.

we should win the ball back high up the pitch a lot and use those as quick counter attacks. but apart from Alvarez none has the appetite and or energy levels/fitness for good pressing.

so we end up playing this slower, controlling football, better not to take extra risks and lose the ball if aint gonna fight hard to win it back. this comes at a price of parked buses with very small spaces to exploit if any.
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Not sure we have players that are physicaly capable of that anymore.
 
brewboy said:
Think the biggest decision do we play to Hallands strengths or continue a possession based game where we compress the 18yard box. On many occasions on Saturday Hallend made runs but the through ball or the ball over the top wasn't played. If we compress the 18 yard box the space isn't there for him to run through. Do we play deeper? It's a big decision.
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Not sure we have players to play any other way. Gone are the days of fast explosive wingers getting behind defenses. We may have better luck playing more direct ie hoof it up to the big man but we all know that’s never going to happen.
 
I think the best performance I saw this season was against Chelsea last week, and that was without Haaland & Kevin.
 
supercity88 said:
Yeah exactly. Against Everton, Foden came on and ran at Iwobi and we started to have some half chances. Against Chelsea, Jack came on and went at Azpilicueta. The one time Foden did, he turned him and got a free kick. Those passing triangles are fine, but it relies on a sudden burst of movement and a ball into space at some point. We're just not looking to do that. It's all pass-pass-pass and then it's back to Rodri and we try the other side. Our improvement in the second half on Saturday came from Mahrez facing up Malacia, De Bruyne could then face their goal and Walker was an option on the overlap. It tied them in knots. The other side, Foden would have been more effective if Cancelo didn't seem to think he was the winger and always look to be creator. Maybe it's an issue born out of constant changes. Grealish wants it to feet every time. Foden is more likely to move in behind.
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Agree with pretty much all you’re saying. The one player who could get in behind out of our wingers is Foden and he’s barely been showing any aggression with the ball (barring them few minutes against Everton) for months.
 
Tevez City said:
I think the best performance I saw this season was against Chelsea last week, and that was without Haaland & Kevin.
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I’d say the utd game at was but take your point we were very good. With Chelsea’s results though you have to factor in how bad they were. Yes you could say Alvarez presses better than Haaland but i think the bigger reason was we weren’t completely reliant on KDB to create and for weeks he’s been the only way we look to create. When he’s playing badly the whole team is off it.
 
Tevez City said:
I think the best performance I saw this season was against Chelsea last week, and that was without Haaland & Kevin.
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A bit of both, to be fair Chelsea were terrible, we played ok against the rags, especially second half but still no where near our true level.
 
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