KDB or Haaland?

[BrianW]

I would say KDB, because (in my opinion) a top-top midfielder is more valuable than a top-top striker.

Given the right service, the likes of Shaun Goater would score a hatful. Without the right service, even the best striker in the world can struggle to score.

 

[Dr Jacoby]

Peak De Bruyne vs peak David Silva or peak Haaland (have we even seen this yet?!) vs peak Aguero would have made more sense to me.

 

[domalino]

I would say KDB, because (in my opinion) a top-top midfielder is more valuable than a top-top striker.

Given the right service, the likes of Shaun Goater would score a hatful. Without the right service, even the best striker in the world can struggle to score.

I'm going with Haaland for the opposite reason.

The number of 1 goal per game strikers in history is tiny. There will always be a few world class playmakers you can get to create chances for them.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Haaland, no question. Creative midfield players of KDB's level are rare, but not so rare. We could replace KDB without someone not quite as good, but still good enough in that role. Foden or Berni could do a job. Haaland is on a completely different level. There's no-one in world football you could credibly replace him with and it not be a huge downgrade.

 

[Chippy_boy]

I'm going to the opposite.

The number of 1 goal per game strikers in history is tiny. There will always be a few world class playmakers you can get to create chances for them.

I just read the above. I think you said rather more succinctly what I said :-)

 

[Crooked_rain]

Love Haaland's flair, power, strength, inuition, passion for the club, he makes us all feel good, but we do not know yet if he will be as versatile a player as KDB is. And as much as he's a delight to watch and has brought us some fantastic moments, are we better than we were this time last season? More exciting (in some ways) but better?

Don't get me wrong I wouldn't trade Haaland for the world, we wanted him a long time, we got him, the boy came home...but... roughly this time last year we had no Haaland and goals coming from all over the field, people were saying the season was already over and we had killed football. This year we have Haaland and while he has brought us a lot of joy, we have Arsenal five points clear, have shown a lot of vulnerabilities, perhaps relied on him too much, started him when we might have given Alvarez a chance...yes Haaland is wonderful, entertaining, already talismanic... but not yet proven himself to be indispensable. KDB, imo, is.

Well a lot of that doesn’t make much sense because after 14 games last season, we weren’t “destroying football”. we were behind Chelsea in the league. We had exactly the same amount of points as we doing right now.

Also after 14 games last season we had scored 5 less league goals than we have after 14 games this season. So obviously the “goals coming from all over the pitch” doesn’t mean more goals.

But maybe part of the reason we are behind Arsenal and not destroying the league is because the likes of De Bruyne are not looking as “indispensable” as before too.

But statistically, we are actually doing better than last season in terms of goals , so we just have to give credit to Arsenal for having an excellent start to the season.

 

[Jazzyblue]

Well a lot of that doesn’t make much sense because after 14 games last season, we weren’t “destroying football”. we were behind Chelsea in the league. We had exactly the same amount of points as we doing right now.

Also after 14 games last season we had scored 5 less league goals than we have after 14 games this season. So obviously the “goals coming from all over the pitch” doesn’t mean more goals.

But maybe part of the reason we are behind Arsenal and not destroying the league is because the likes of De Bruyne are not looking as “indispensable” as before too.

But statistically, we are actually doing better than last season in terms of goals , so we just have to give credit to Arsenal for having an excellent start to the season.

You're talking sense on the numbers. But if we are in the same place than we were this time last season, are we a better team for having Haaland in it? If there had been no World Cup, do you think, judging by the performances we've had this season, we would be 13 points clear by mid-Jan like we were last season?

My feeling is at the moment we are more exciting team for having Haaland (and I reiterate I wouldn't change him for the world) but not yet a better team. I think we will be...but we haven't seen it yet. At the same time, KDB has proved over a long period that we are a better team with him in it. Haaland hasn't had long enough to do that, so on the evidence we have, it still has to be KDB. So not a fair fight, as Kev has the advantage of a longer time to prove his case, but there you go.

 

[Crooked_rain]

You're talking sense on the numbers. But if we are in the same place than we were this time last season, are we a better team for having Haaland in it? If there had been no World Cup, do you think, judging by the performances we've had this season, we would be 13 points clear by mid-Jan like we were last season?

My feeling is at the moment we are more exciting team for having Haaland (and I reiterate I wouldn't change him for the world) but not yet a better team. I think we will be...but we haven't seen it yet. At the same time, KDB has proved over a long period that we are a better team with him in it. Haaland hasn't had long enough to do that, so on the evidence we have, it still has to be KDB. So not a fair fight, as Kev has the advantage of a longer time to prove his case, but there you go.

It’s too early to say, but we’re pretty much on a similar track as last season in terms of last season in terms of points and got more goals so far, and second in the league, so I suppose we’re in a similar position.

I’m terms of being 13 points clear in Jan, that’s not something we can’t control, a lot of that depends on other sides and their results.

But in terms of points, position and goals scored, we are in an identical position as last year after 14 games but with more goals scored. The only difference is it was Chelsea ahead of us instead of arsenal but Chelsea went went on a run of bad results after this point. Arsenal could too.

Anyway we were 13 points clear or something but we weren’t by the end of the season. Why not compare the side that lost the huge advantage to this one, you can’t just pick a very select period.

 

[Jazzyblue]

It’s too early to say, but we’re pretty much on a similar track as last season in terms of last season in terms of points and got more goals so far, and second in the league, so I suppose we’re in a similar position.

I’m terms of being 13 points clear in Jan, that’s not something we can’t control, a lot of that depends on other sides and their results.

But in terms of points, position and goals scored, we are in an identical position as last year after 14 games but with more goals scored. The only difference is it was Chelsea ahead of us instead of arsenal but Chelsea went went on a run of bad results after this point. Arsenal could too.

Anyway we were 13 points clear or something but we weren’t by the end of the season. Why not compare the side that lost the huge advantage to this one, you can’t just pick a very select period.

Stats aside - and I'll concede you're well on top of them - for me it comes down to whether you think a creative player who can also score adds more value than an exciting player who scores, but plays in a more dependent role. @BrianW puts it better than me when he says:

Without the right service, even the best striker in the world can struggle to score.

We saw that at Brentford. Then you've got to consider whether the games we've won this season could've/should've been won by a pre-Haaland side - I'd argue yes. Perhaps in a less exciting, less emphatic way, but ultimately yes. Then you've got to throw in KDB's record - whether he's getting a bit older or not. So far, I'd say Haaland is the icing on the cake, he's not yet the cake. Kev is a big part of the cake - for me anyway - but like you say, too early to say, really.

 

[Blue Pete]

David Silva