Nordic Ghost Yeti | Haaland at City

Chief123

Full Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2013
Messages
12,787
Bournemouth defenders must feel like golden balls right now knowing they are the only defence to stop Haaland scoring this season. Who cares about the other 4 goals they let in.
 

troylocker

Full Member
Joined
May 2, 2019
Messages
2,596
Your post is bollocks, to be fair. We aren't talking about flavour. Their scoring averages are available online, and Messi was simply a better scorer. Opinion doesn't come into it.
Ronaldo's two peak seasons :

13/14 - 1,14 G/90 & 1,52 G+A/90
14/15 - 1,19 G/90 & 1,63 G+A/90

Messi's two peak seasons:
11/12 - 1,25 G/90 & 1,81 G+A/90
12/13 - 1,32 G/90 & 1,70 G+A/90

Haaland for City so far:
22/23 - 1,67 G/90 & 1,97 G+A/90 (Sustainable? We'll find out soon enough)

Unless he breaks his legs, he will break their scoring records. If not this season, then sometime the next 10 seasons.
 

sphagnum

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jun 18, 2022
Messages
34
He's a great in the making for sure but he's never going to reach the level of the greatest footballers to play the game even if he can hurt you in a different way (movement and poaching).
Yep, I agree. Which is why I think - in an alternate reality where he signed for us - he wouldn’t have quite the stats he’s getting for City. The teams he’s played for are well-organised and know how to use him. We have fundamental issues elsewhere on the pitch that need resolving before we can get the best out of someone like Haaland.

As much as I hate to admit it, City are incredibly well-organised. All they’ve been missing, the last couple of years, is a finisher. And they’ve just added the best finisher in the world to their team. What I’m trying to say, is that I don’t think Haaland can join a poor team and make them good, on his own. He’ll always score, but would he achieve his potential? i don’t think he would make a poor team good, but I’m convinced he can make a good team great. He’s the icing on the cake, when you’ve established a solid team behind him.
 

Polar

Full Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2020
Messages
1,424
It’s also a chance it happens after next season if RM becomes desperate about replacing Benzema.
The information I have is that there is an exit clause in Haaland's second contract year, and the strange thing is that there are very favorable conditions for one club. which is Real Madrid, says Fernando Sanz according to Marca.:eek:
 

GatoLoco

Full Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2018
Messages
3,326
Supports
Real Madrid
The information I have is that there is an exit clause in Haaland's second contract year, and the strange thing is that there are very favorable conditions for one club. which is Real Madrid, says Fernando Sanz according to Marca.:eek:
Somehow it is hard to believe City would accept to let Haaland leave easily after only two years.
 

Ollie Derbyshire

Full Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2016
Messages
2,310
He’s a great player and will break all sorts of records I’m sure but I don’t think he’s any different to other great forwards in the past. Imagine Van Nistelrooy or Henry for example playing now for this City team in an era where defending has seemingly taken a nose dive of a cliff and it’s all just about open expansive football.
 

padr81

Full Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2015
Messages
12,011
Supports
Man City
He’s a great player and will break all sorts of records I’m sure but I don’t think he’s any different to other great forwards in the past. Imagine Van Nistelrooy or Henry for example playing now for this City team in an era where defending has seemingly taken a nose dive of a cliff and it’s all just about open expansive football.
Don't people on here often say that Arsenal invincibles and the United team RVN played in were better than current City.
 

Ollie Derbyshire

Full Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2016
Messages
2,310
Don't people on here often say that Arsenal invincibles and the United team RVN played in were better than current City.
They were great teams in their own right but right now this city side is above them in terms of how football is played nowadays I think. It’s just so easy for them 95% of the time.
 

Lee565

Full Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2019
Messages
5,097
Don't people on here often say that Arsenal invincibles and the United team RVN played in were better than current City.
Different times when defenders were defenders, teams were tactically more cautious, grounds were not as easy to play at and refs were a lot more lenient with fouls
 

troylocker

Full Member
Joined
May 2, 2019
Messages
2,596
He’s a great player and will break all sorts of records I’m sure but I don’t think he’s any different to other great forwards in the past. Imagine Van Nistelrooy or Henry for example playing now for this City team in an era where defending has seemingly taken a nose dive of a cliff and it’s all just about open expansive football.
No one has ever done what Haaland is doing at City before, so the mental gymnastics to try to make what he's doing less impressive is just silly.

Do you rate a guy like Aguero? He played 10 seasons in this team and maxed on 26 league goals in a single season.
Henry for Arsenal: 0,67 goals/90
RVN for United: 0,76 goals/90
Haaland for City: 1,67 goals/90
RVN and Henry had multiple seasons in dominating teams creating tons of chances for them and they were never even a little close to this level of goalscoring. United and Arsenal had 130 goals seasons with peak RVN and Henry in them. Haaland needs 11 goals in the next 30 PL games to top RVN best PL season in goals and he's already equalled his best PL season in assists. Henry had 31 goals to his name over 5 seasons (140 games) in France and Italy when he was Haalands age and came to Arsenal, while Haaland has 132 goals since the start of the 19/20 season in just 122 games for Salzburg, Dormund and City.
To put this in a little more perspective: Messi and Ronaldo both played for superdominant teams that scored 95-130 goals in the league and 130-180 goals total every season they played there. In Messi's record 11/12 season (73 goals in all comps for Barca) Barcelona scored 180 goals! City scored 148 last season. So far this season Haaland's been scoring 0,42 goals more per 90 minutes than Messi did that season (1,67 vs. 1,26 G/90). That means, if Haaland plays the same amount of minutes for City this season as Messi did in 11/12 and keeps up this scoringrate, he'll score 97 goals for City this season. 23 PL goals won you the golden boot last 3 seasons. The season before that you needed 22 goals to win it. Haaland has 14 goals now in his first 8 games in this league.....That's the level he's performing at right now. If you imagine RVN or Henry would do the same, I guess you are more creative than me.

Just find peace with the fact that we are witnessing something very special and hate/enjoy the ride. Pains me as a Man United fan, but as a football fan it's hard not to get exited by watching him play.
 
Last edited:

Chief123

Full Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2013
Messages
12,787
Don't people on here often say that Arsenal invincibles and the United team RVN played in were better than current City.
I actually think City a few years ago were a better team than the current one. The current team has a freak in the team.

Zabaleta, Kompany, Fernandinho, KDB, David Silva, Sane, Aguero, Sterling was a hell of a team.
 

Anderson_7_

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Mar 30, 2022
Messages
181
Baldy, the voice of reason. :lol:

Pep Guardiola:"The difference, Erling needs maybe all his mates, you know to do it. Messi had the ability for himself to do it."
 

mu4c_20le

Full Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2013
Messages
44,191
No one has ever done what Haaland is doing at City before, so the mental gymnastics to try to make what he's doing less impressive is just silly.
No one has ever done what city did before, period. You are starting to sound like a fanboy, gushing over him when the season has barely started.
 

Luka Mora

New Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2022
Messages
496
No one has ever done what city did before, period. You are starting to sound like a fanboy, gushing over him when the season has barely started.
You sound bitter. The fact is Haaland is destroying the EPL, 17 goals in 11 games and is on course to shatter Man City's legendary striker Aguero's record by the time the WC comes around.
 
Last edited:

Ollie Derbyshire

Full Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2016
Messages
2,310
Haha I have no issue with how good he is or what he’s doing now and will probably do I just don’t think he’s the greatest thing since sliced bread.

@troylocker
 

mu4c_20le

Full Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2013
Messages
44,191
You sound bitter. The fact is Haaland is destroying the EPL, 17 goals in 11 games and is on course to shatter Man City's legendary striker Aguero's record by the time the WC comes around.
Yeah he's great. Calm down.
 

ThierryHenry14

Full Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2015
Messages
4,275
Supports
Arsenal
But conquering every league boils down to wanting to challenge yourself and also create a legacy. He will want to play for historical great clubs. City don’t have a global appeal and likely never will. Winning the league every year with them ultimately means nothing.
In the end it is the number of trophies, record, and personal honors counts when a footballer retires. Every club starts from somewhere so I am not sure if City never be a global appeal, and I don't believe playing for a "historical great clubs" such as Notthingham Forest, Aston Villa, or Everton means anything. Winning the league every year with Man City to me has the same meaning as winning with Real Madrid. A league title in the end, is a league title. Also City's salary and transfer net spend is not bigger than Man Utd.

Haaland's camp has been saying he wants to try all the top leagues in Europe. So after EPL then Li Liga is the next logical destination. Only Real Madrid and Barcelona can provide the service and support that Haaland needs in the field.
 

Red the Bear

Something less generic
Joined
Aug 26, 2021
Messages
9,152
He's too good :(

I guess that's how the other teams in Spain felt when the big two had Messi and Ronaldo at the same time.
 

Yakuza_devils

Full Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2016
Messages
3,112
I thought no one could surpass Messi and Ronaldo. Haaland looks like he is on another level and will go on to break all the records in world football. He is so scary to play against, basically unplayable.
 

troylocker

Full Member
Joined
May 2, 2019
Messages
2,596
No one has ever done what city did before, period. You are starting to sound like a fanboy, gushing over him when the season has barely started.
City's been doing it for more than 5 years now and Liverpools been up there a couple of them as well. Real Madrid and Barca did it for a decade or more. PSG and Bayern are doing it in weaker leagues.
He didn't start playing football in August.

I was a 6'3'' striker my entire football career myself, and I must admit I have never seen a better pure striker than him the 40+ years I've been watching football, so yeah! I'm very fascinated to say the least. I knew he was special as soon as I saw him singlehandedly destroy Brann for Molde (scored 4 in 21 minutes) when he was 17. I didn't think he was gonna become this good then, but when he exploded at Salzburg there was no doubt. I've never seen a striker move like him, dominate defenders so physically and produce this kind of endproduct, and he's so young. Quite unique. R9 did the same to me back in the mid/late 90s, but they were quite different players besides being physical aliens. R9 was more complete, but Haaland is even more deadly. I would choose Haaland over any other striker in the world to lead our line any day of the week.
I've been a Man United fan all my life, but I can still enjoy watching great football and great players from other teams as well. I've loved watching players like Platini, Maradona, Van Basten, Romario, R9, Zidane, Ronaldinho, Messi and Cristiano through the years. This guy will be up there or above when he puts his boot up on the shelf. The perfect wrecking ball of a striker.
 

mu4c_20le

Full Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2013
Messages
44,191
City's been doing it for more than 5 years now and Liverpools been up there a couple of them as well. Real Madrid and Barca did it for a decade or more. PSG and Bayern are doing it in weaker leagues.
He didn't start playing football in August.

I was a 6'3'' striker my entire football career myself, and I must admit I have never seen a better pure striker than him the 40+ years I've been watching football, so yeah! I'm very fascinated to say the least. I knew he was special as soon as I saw him singlehandedly destroy Brann for Molde (scored 4 in 21 minutes) when he was 17. I didn't think he was gonna become this good then, but when he exploded at Salzburg there was no doubt. I've never seen a striker move like him, dominate defenders so physically and produce this kind of endproduct, and he's so young. Quite unique. R9 did the same to me back in the mid/late 90s, but they were quite different players besides being physical aliens. R9 was more complete, but Haaland is even more deadly. I would choose Haaland over any other striker in the world to lead our line any day of the week.
I've been a Man United fan all my life, but I can still enjoy watching great football and great players from other teams as well. I've loved watching players like Platini, Maradona, Van Basten, Romario, R9, Zidane, Ronaldinho, Messi and Cristiano through the years. This guy will be up there or above when he puts his boot up on the shelf. The perfect wrecking ball of a striker.
Yeah i remember that, and felt something similar. I remember that he still moved really awkwardly at that age, but even then there was talk that if he ever grew into his body and gain full control of it, he could be deadly. Personally I have no problems with anyone threatening messi ronaldo lewa aguero records, records are meant to be broken anyway. Thing is, city are very well run and pep has them setup like prime barca. Liverpool was great for two maybe the years but city are a machine. Best environment for him to succeed, and worse for everyone else obviously.
 

keithsingleton

Full Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2012
Messages
1,365
Location
Salford
Everything about City is hollow. It’s a soulless and plastic club. Their success means nothing. The Haalands are well aware of this and no wonder they are already thinking about the next step.
Very true but how do we go forward if we’re to catch them? Get similar owners which many fans would disagree on. The way things stand City are going to dominate for years and do what we did with the class of 92. That would be my worse nightmare.
 

padr81

Full Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2015
Messages
12,011
Supports
Man City
I actually think City a few years ago were a better team than the current one. The current team has a freak in the team.

Zabaleta, Kompany, Fernandinho, KDB, David Silva, Sane, Aguero, Sterling was a hell of a team.
Me too, I'm always argue our best team was the one with ederson, walker, kompany/otamendi laporte and zinchenko/delph in defence, fernandinho, kdb and David Silva in midfield with sterling, Sane and Kun up top. Mostly cause of the midfield and frightening pace.
 

croadyman

Full Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2018
Messages
34,932
Maybe, and that’s why when he moved to Dortmund I didn’t agree with those who said “we should not sign players with release clauses”, because 2-3 years is a long time in football and players might actually decide to stay and extend their contracts.

But conquering every league boils down to wanting to challenge yourself and also create a legacy. He will want to play for historical great clubs. City don’t have a global appeal and likely never will. Winning the league every year with them ultimately means nothing.
Yeah this is the point that Utd's recruitment people clearly seemed to have missed and now we are having to see him make us suffer every single week in the Premier League, sometimes principles and we are too good for release clauses thinking needs to straight out of the window because some players are special cases.
 

Gazza

Full Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2000
Messages
32,644
Location
'tis a silly place
Don't people on here often say that Arsenal invincibles and the United team RVN played in were better than current City.
Almost no one on here has ever said that about the teams RvN played in, I can assure you of that! It’s widely accepted that Ruud played for us during our not too successful bridge between the 1999 team and the 2006 team.
 

croadyman

Full Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2018
Messages
34,932
Pep’s contract ends after this season, and I think he leaves if City wins both PL and CL. I assume Haaland’s plan is to stay 3y before he moves on to RM or Barca and replace Lew or Benzema. It’s also a chance it happens after next season if RM becomes desperate about replacing Benzema.
Yeah FFS Guardiola leave this league in the summer and Real please make that need to replace Benzema more urgent
 

Chief123

Full Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2013
Messages
12,787
Just realised he’s only 9 goals away from the premier league golden boot tally from last year.

He’s currently got more goals than the 2nd and 3rd leading scorers in the league put together (Kane & Mitrovic) :lol:
 

That_Bloke

Full Member
Joined
May 28, 2019
Messages
2,885
Location
Cologne
Supports
Leicester City
It's hard to know what kind of a player he would be now if he went here from Molde though. Somehow I doubt Mourinho and Ole would give him the same amount of minutes he got in Austria and Germany. I think Haaland and his team has managed his career to perfection for his development so far to be fair. Story would probably be very different if he came here at 18.
Still hurts that we didn't get him from Salzburg though.
You'd absolutely have ruined him.

No offense but since SAF left, none of your managers has ever improved any of your players. If any, they go downhill as soon as they play for you. Ten Hag might very well be the (very) first decent one in this matter.
 

That_Bloke

Full Member
Joined
May 28, 2019
Messages
2,885
Location
Cologne
Supports
Leicester City
Stop spamming my notifications. He hasn't done shit yet. Any decent striker (including Nunez) would feast in that team. Give Alvarez more gametime and he would score tons of goals too.

If Haaland shows up in the CL knockouts and helps them win the whole thing, I'll give him some credit.
Trolling got a bit obvious. I'm sure you could do a bit better.
 

croadyman

Full Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2018
Messages
34,932
You'd absolutely have ruined him.

No offense but since SAF left, none of your managers has ever improved any of your players. If any, they go downhill as soon as they play for you. Ten Hag might very well be the (very) first decent one in this matter.
Well hoping these beatings we have taken are a bit like the 4-2 at Leicester and 4-0 at Everton in Guardiola's first season while he tried to change their style from Pellegrini to his.
 

calodo2003

Flaming Full Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2014
Messages
41,913
Location
Florida
Stop spamming my notifications. He hasn't done shit yet. Any decent striker (including Nunez) would feast in that team. Give Alvarez more gametime and he would score tons of goals too.

If Haaland shows up in the CL knockouts and helps them win the whole thing, I'll give him some credit.
:lol: