Erling Haaland / signs for Dortmund

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Handré1990

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He is definitely not slow, but using top speed as a measure of football applicable relevant pace is just plain wrong. It means practically nothing. There are very few moments in the modern game where any player runs 50-70 meters in a straight line which is what it takes to even reach your top speed.
In 2018-19 the player reaching the highest top speed in the PL was Fosu-Mensah for christ sake, not who you would classify as a high-pace merchant:
https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/premier-league-fastest-players-from-the-2018-19-season-revealed
Haaland has a very similar type of pace that Lukaku had when he burst on the scene and hadnt put on muscle yet. Haaland has physically matured already and if he is going to keep his pace he needs to not bulk up much more in the next couple of years.
To say that Haaland beats players like Salah or James, or even Rashford for pace over a 15-20 meter sprint, which is football-relevant pace, is ridicilous.
I thought we already established you don’t have a clue, you didn’t get the memo? He is more along the level of those you’ve deemed a ridiculous comparison than Lukaku (even the thin one). Where do you get this from? Just look at some of the penalties he’s won ffs, he uses the exact same trick James loves doing by beating defenders to the ball when they’ve no right to, and thus drawing fouls.
 

troylocker

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He is definitely not slow, but using top speed as a measure of football applicable relevant pace is just plain wrong. It means practically nothing. There are very few moments in the modern game where any player runs 50-70 meters in a straight line which is what it takes to even reach your top speed.
In 2018-19 the player reaching the highest top speed in the PL was Fosu-Mensah for christ sake, not who you would classify as a high-pace merchant:
https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/premier-league-fastest-players-from-the-2018-19-season-revealed
Haaland has a very similar type of pace that Lukaku had when he burst on the scene and hadnt put on muscle yet. Haaland has physically matured already and if he is going to keep his pace he needs to not bulk up much more in the next couple of years.
To say that Haaland beats players like Salah or James, or even Rashford for pace over a 15-20 meter sprint, which is football-relevant pace, is ridicilous.
Haaland is actually explosive like crazy. The sprint where he was measured at 36 km/h was a 20m run where he started from zero and had to manuever in a crowded area (low block), and ended with him winning a penalty (first penalty vs Rapid Vienna). His acceleration is insane and not a single defender in the world could have followed him there. He does 180s and leaves defenders 5m behind him all the time. I think he is just as fast or faster than players like Salah, James and Rashy.
 
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There are very few moments in the modern game where any player runs 50-70 meters in a straight line which is what it takes to even reach your top speed.
In that case 36 km/h is far from his top speed. Cause this run, that was measured to 36 km/h, is more like 20 meters, and he seems to be at top speed around half way.
 

Bilbo

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Or....

Haaland knocks them out of the CL, Liverpool goes down to the EL, Haaland joins us in January either way and then knocks Liverpool out of the EL
As unlikely as a January transfer is, I think it becomes a 0% possibility if they make it through to the knockouts.
 

Adam-Utd

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As unlikely as a January transfer is, I think it becomes a 0% possibility if they make it through to the knockouts.
We could still buy him and loan him back until the summer. Depends if they're interested to sell or not but I doubt they could reject a big offer.
 

Eriku

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What the feck is up with this Johan guy chiming in despite clearly not having watched the lad? Christ...
 

Tarrou

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What the feck is up with this Johan guy chiming in despite clearly not having watched the lad? Christ...
Pretty sure 95% of us know feck all, me included

Unless you include youtube highlights and the fact Keano ended his Dad's career :D
 

Klopper76

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Wouldn't United signing him be a negative for Rashford? He seems to be doing pretty well in a front three with Martial & James, but signing Haaland surely means one of them can't play?
 

Bwuk

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Wouldn't United signing him be a negative for Rashford? He seems to be doing pretty well in a front three with Martial & James, but signing Haaland surely means one of them can't play?
Rashford wouldn't miss out.

I think it's more likely it'd be Lingard who'd get dropped and we'd play more of a 4-2-2-2.
 

romufc

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Rashford wouldn't miss out.

I think it's more likely it'd be Lingard who'd get dropped and we'd play more of a 4-2-2-2.
So basically 4-4-2 because this isn't FIFA. We surely cannot play 2 strikers Rashford and James without 2 out and out holding midfielders
 

Klopper76

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Rashford wouldn't miss out.

I think it's more likely it'd be Lingard who'd get dropped and we'd play more of a 4-2-2-2.
Do teams really play that formation much any more? Seems like everyone is playing a 4-2-3-1, a 4-3-3 or some variation of a 3-5-2. You don't see teams line up with a 4-2-2-2/4-4-2 very often unless it's a tactical switch during a game.
 

Gasolin

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Wouldn't United signing him be a negative for Rashford? He seems to be doing pretty well in a front three with Martial & James, but signing Haaland surely means one of them can't play?
But that’s the competition we want for that team! And Haaland is young. I think he would be in competition with everyone, 5 players for 3 spots:

Rashford
Martial
James
Greenwood
Haaland

in no particular order. For me, that’s good. That’s actually excellent upfront.
 

Gasolin

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Do teams really play that formation much any more? Seems like everyone is playing a 4-2-3-1, a 4-3-3 or some variation of a 3-5-2. You don't see teams line up with a 4-2-2-2/4-4-2 very often unless it's a tactical switch during a game.
We played 4 2 4 with both Lingard and Martial positioning themselves very upfront or in the middle to allow for James and Rashford to get into forward positions, especially during offensive phases. During defensive phases we go back into a traditional shaped team. I think we like being offensive.
 

Eriku

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Hah, it comes through.

Pretty sure 95% of us know feck all, me included

Unless you include youtube highlights and the fact Keano ended his Dad's career :D
Yeah, but he’s the only one saying his pace is like Lukaku’s. Any highlight video will show that Haaland’s pretty quick on the turn. And people have been correcting him on that point a ton, and yet he keeps trotting it out. Absolutely bewildering.
 

Klopper76

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We played 4 2 4 with both Lingard and Martial positioning themselves very upfront or in the middle to allow for James and Rashford to get into forward positions, especially during offensive phases. During defensive phases we go back into a traditional shaped team. I think we like being offensive.
You seem to be better off with less of the ball and a counter attacking set up though. You had very little possession against City but tore them apart in the first half. Maybe Solskjaer will try and develop his style so that you're more effective when playing against a low block, and he sees Haaland as part of that?
 

Gasolin

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You seem to be better off with less of the ball and a counter attacking set up though. You had very little possession against City but tore them apart in the first half. Maybe Solskjaer will try and develop his style so that you're more effective when playing against a low block, and he sees Haaland as part of that?
Haaland played in the Molde side of Ole that was setup to be possession oriented but still with a direct phase when possible so maybe

However I don’t think that is critical. Look at yourself. You don’t play with possession, in fact you play a lot similarly to us but it’s just that with the fear right now other teams give away the ball. So I’m not worried about possession at all. We need a better mental setup, mind and additional players to maintain that mental strength along the season. I think in that sense Haaland isa good option if he comes to us.
 

Bwuk

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Do teams really play that formation much any more? Seems like everyone is playing a 4-2-3-1, a 4-3-3 or some variation of a 3-5-2. You don't see teams line up with a 4-2-2-2/4-4-2 very often unless it's a tactical switch during a game.
Rashford and Martial are both capable of floating in and around as a #10 just off of a #9.

Whether we go for Haaland or not, we need another option. We have 3 forwards, and Greenwood who is still too young to rely on.
 

Klopper76

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Haaland played in the Molde side of Ole that was setup to be possession oriented but still with a direct phase when possible so maybe

However I don’t think that is critical. Look at yourself. You don’t play with possession, in fact you play a lot similarly to us but it’s just that with the fear right now other teams give away the ball. So I’m not worried about possession at all. We need a better mental setup, mind and additional players to maintain that mental strength along the season. I think in that sense Haaland isa good option if he comes to us.
I actually think we're a lot more possession based against the lower down sides in the league. We had 74% against Bournemouth on the weekend. We've gradually improved under Klopp at breaking those teams down. Maybe United will go through a similar improvement under Solskjaer.
 

Bobcat

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I actually think we're a lot more possession based against the lower down sides in the league. We had 74% against Bournemouth on the weekend. We've gradually improved under Klopp at breaking those teams down. Maybe United will go through a similar improvement under Solskjaer.
The thing you have we dont (yet) is fear. I saw the Bournemouth game and they were scared shitless of pressing you because they knew you could punish them hard if they allowed you any space
 

Oldyella

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So basically 4-4-2 because this isn't FIFA. We surely cannot play 2 strikers Rashford and James without 2 out and out holding midfielders
Reckon you could get away with two workers like Fred and Mctominay. Rashford and James aren't scared of putting a shift in to help out. Problem is you then have all those runners and no Pogba type to play balls onto them.
 

romufc

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Reckon you could get away with two workers like Fred and Mctominay. Rashford and James aren't scared of putting a shift in to help out. Problem is you then have all those runners and no Pogba type to play balls onto them.
I get that but you dont want Rashford and James putting in defensive shifts every game, some games there will be required to cheat. Mainly rashford and have someone cover.

I just think with 2 in Midfield we will get over run, people talk about Lingard played in a 424 V City but he tracked back as well the way I do not see Haland or Martial doing so, and this also will take up spaces which Rashford likes getting into inside the left channel.
 

Oldyella

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I get that but you dont want Rashford and James putting in defensive shifts every game, some games there will be required to cheat. Mainly rashford and have someone cover.

I just think with 2 in Midfield we will get over run, people talk about Lingard played in a 424 V City but he tracked back as well the way I do not see Haland or Martial doing so, and this also will take up spaces which Rashford likes getting into inside the left channel.
Honestly don't know enough about Haaland and his work rate but agreed on Martial. And your right about Lingard, hes the obvious player we can upgrade in attack but whoever comes in will need to show the same work rate. For all his faults he does help balance the side.
 

romufc

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Honestly don't know enough about Haaland and his work rate but agreed on Martial. And your right about Lingard, hes the obvious player we can upgrade in attack but whoever comes in will need to show the same work rate. For all his faults he does help balance the side.
Exactly that, 90% on here want us to sign Haland but out of that how many have watched 90 mins of this guy? If you watch Lukaku's best highlights he is a World Class player. But watch him for 90 mins and you will know why he frustrates fans.

Watching a strikers goals will prove nothing, they are meant to stick it in the back of the net. What we need to see is his workrate, positional play, can he hold the ball?, how quick is he? whats his passing like?
 

mav_9me

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I get that but you dont want Rashford and James putting in defensive shifts every game, some games there will be required to cheat. Mainly rashford and have someone cover.

I just think with 2 in Midfield we will get over run, people talk about Lingard played in a 424 V City but he tracked back as well the way I do not see Haland or Martial doing so, and this also will take up spaces which Rashford likes getting into inside the left channel.
yeah, we are not going to play Haalad/Martial/Rashford/James against City. That combination is for playing against Newcastle at home as an example. Or giving the manager more options to rotate upfront
 

Rob Bowman

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Wouldn't United signing him be a negative for Rashford? He seems to be doing pretty well in a front three with Martial & James, but signing Haaland surely means one of them can't play?
But that’s the competition we want for that team! And Haaland is young. I think he would be in competition with everyone, 5 players for 3 spots:

Rashford
Martial
James
Greenwood
Haaland

in no particular order. For me, that’s good. That’s actually excellent upfront.
Think it would be more Martial that gets impacted as Rashford seems to thrive out wider.

But I totally agree those 5 competing for three spots would be... :drool:
 

Buchan

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And knock us out the CL? You don't want to meet us in the EL
:lol:

Says who?

You lot are gash. United nullified you quite handily earlier this season and we were missing half of our team. Ditto last season when we suffered four injuries in the first half and basically played with ten men for the majority of the game.
 

AltiUn

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Wouldn't United signing him be a negative for Rashford? He seems to be doing pretty well in a front three with Martial & James, but signing Haaland surely means one of them can't play?
This is a reason I'm against his signing. If you look at our goalscoring this season with Martial compared to without, I think it's obvious we need a more experienced link up striker with the ability to hold up the ball who wouldn't mind being a bench warmer until Martial does get injured rather than a hot prospect who'd probably demand a lot of playing time and, in my opinion, could potentially disrupt squad harmony if one of the front three were to get benched for him. Martial's skill set is an important component of our attacking play at the moment.

Lately, we've actually had quite a good run of scoring goals starting with our game against Norwich. Since then we've only failed to score in 1 game and in the games we have scored we've scored 2 or more. Even when Martial was missing against Aston Villa we still managed to score 2 largely because Greenwood played an identical role to the one Martial usually does which benefits our style.
 
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