Nordic Ghost Yeti | Haaland at City

[Tom Cato]

The away games he hasn't scored in all season are Liverpool, Chelsea, United and so far Spurs. Hardly that dramatic.

Kinda setting the standard when you get criticized out of the building when you fail to score in any of those away games.

Im not sure what people expect though. The guy scores a hattrick and all is well. The moment he goes goalless he is a problem. It was the same when he was playing against United: His runs get blatantly ignored by teammates who look to hold the ball in possession and play sideways instead of playing him through on goal. When City bought Haaland, Pep quite literally stated that City had to play to Haalands strengths, not the other way around.

Lately, for whatever reason, Pep has started benching the one player that actually tries to play to Haalands strengths, and City is suffering because of it. Haaland is the best in the world at creating space for himself, and makes himself available for runs all the time. Its up to City to utilize those strengths and get him through on goal.

I actually disagree with the notion that teams keep Haaland quiet. Manchester City keeps Haaland quiet. If they actually play the ball up the pitch towards him he would be plenty not-quiet.

 

[crossy1686]

Is he Ibrahimovic 2 ? Doesn't belong in Pep's system?

Scores a lot but doesn't improve the team

Reminds me a lot of Van Nistelrooy at United. He scored goals but as a team we were poorer, and the poorer we were the more we relied on him for goals. Most of the time if he didn't score we'd drop points. City recruits have been weird the last couple of seasons, Grealish isn't a good fit, Haaland isn't a good fit but in Haalands defence, he's pretty young and will come good, I just don't think he'll be the forward City or Pep want him to be in this system.

 

[sepulturite]

Technically, he may be signed up to Oil Revenue Inc. But he was created when Keane’s studs clattered off his fathers thigh, and slammed full tilt into his scrotum. This caused a massive Purple Bruise, half-Haaland, Half Cork, half Piss Blue, half-red.

You can see the print pattern on Erling’s forehead to this day. Always there’s a bit of him that wants to be plastic, and a bit of him wants to nut the manager and bring the ball home.

this is pure poetry. It should be in a frame, on a wall.

 

[Eriku]

this is pure poetry. It should be in a frame, on a wall.

Certainly making use of poetic licence, seeing as Erling was already conceived by the time Keano had a pop at his old man.

 

[Zen86]

Reminds me a lot of Van Nistelrooy at United. He scored goals but as a team we were poorer, and the poorer we were the more we relied on him for goals. Most of the time if he didn't score we'd drop points. City recruits have been weird the last couple of seasons, Grealish isn't a good fit, Haaland isn't a good fit but in Haalands defence, he's pretty young and will come good, I just don't think he'll be the forward City or Pep want him to be in this system.

We weren't a poorer team with RvN at all. He just happened to play in a relatively poor United team which were in transition, and towards the end Fergie was building something different that he didn't fit into. Ruud carried us in the years between those two great teams.

 

[crossy1686]

We weren't a poorer team with RvN at all. He just happened to play in a relatively poor United team which were in transition, and towards the end Fergie was building something different that he didn't fit into. Ruud carried us in the years between those two great teams.

How is this a poor team? We were over reliant on Ruud and some players dropped off because of that.

No.	Pos.	Name	League	FA Cup	League Cup	Europe	Total
Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1​	GK​	Tim Howard​	0(1)	0	2	0	3	0	0	0	5(1)	0
2​	DF​	Gary Neville (vc)​	24(1)	0	2(1)	0	5	0	3(1)	0	34(3)	0
3​	DF​	Patrice Evra​	7(4)	0	0(1)	0	1(1)	0	0	0	8(6)	0
4​	DF​	Gabriel Heinze​	2(2)	0	0	0	0	0	2	2	4(2)	2
5​	DF​	Rio Ferdinand​	37	3	1(1)	0	4(1)	0	8	0	50(2)	3
6​	DF​	Wes Brown​	17(2)	0	4	0	5	0	3	0	29(2)	0
7​	MF​	Cristiano Ronaldo​	24(9)	9	1(1)	0	4	2	8	1	37(10)	12
8​	FW​	Wayne Rooney​	34(2)	16	2(1)	0	3(1)	2	5	1	44(4)	19
9​	FW​	Louis Saha​	12(7)	7	3(1)	2	5	6	0(2)	0	20(10)	15
10​	FW​	Ruud van Nistelrooy​	28(7)	21	2	0	1(1)	1	8	2	39(8)	24
11​	MF​	Ryan Giggs​	22(5)	2	1(1)	1	3	0	4(1)	1	30(7)	4
13​	MF​	Park Ji-sung​	23(11)	1	1(1)	0	3	1	0(6)	0	27(18)	2
14​	FW​	Alan Smith​	15(6)	1	0(2)	0	1(1)	0	7(1)	0	23(10)	1
15​	DF​	Nemanja Vidić​	9(2)	0	2	0	0(2)	0	0	0	11(4)	0
16​	MF​	Roy Keane (c)​	4(1)	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	5(1)	0
17​	MF​	Liam Miller​	0(1)	0	0	0	1	1	0(1)	0	1(2)	1
18​	MF​	Paul Scholes​	18(2)	2	0	0	0	0	7	1	25(2)	3
19​	GK​	Edwin van der Sar​	38	0	2	0	3	0	8	0	51	0
20​	FW​	Ole Gunnar Solskjær​	0(3)	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2(3)	0
22​	DF​	John O'Shea​	34	1	2	0	3(1)	1	7	0	46(1)	2
23​	MF​	Kieran Richardson​	12(10)	1	4	3	4(1)	1	2(3)	1	22(14)	5
24​	MF​	Darren Fletcher​	23(4)	1	2(1)	0	4	0	7	0	36(5)	1
25​	MF​	Quinton Fortune​	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
26​	DF​	Phil Bardsley​	3(5)	0	2	0	1(1)	0	2(1)	0	8(7)	0
27​	DF​	Mikaël Silvestre​	30(3)	1	4	0	4(1)	0	6	0	44(4)	1
28​	DF​	Gerard Piqué​	1(2)	0	2	0	1(1)	0	0	0	4(3)	0
30​	GK​	Luke Steele​	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
40​	FW​	Sylvan Ebanks-Blake​	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	1	1
42​	FW​	Giuseppe Rossi​	1(4)	1	2	2	3	1	0(2)	0	6(6)	4
44​	DF​	Adam Eckersley​	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0
46​	MF​	Lee Martin​	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0
49​	MF​	Ritchie Jones​	0	0	1	0	1(2)	0	0	0	2(2)	0
50​	MF​	Darron Gibson​	0	0	0	0	0(1)	0	0	0	0(1)	0

 

[GregM40]

It’s not like he’s not making any runs, he made plenty against us and no teammate even bothered to look for him, it’s bizarre. Carragher’s comments about him picking the wrong team are interesting. Perhaps he was brought in just for the champions league, seems to be all Pep is truly bothered about now.

 

[Adisa]

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[caid]

How is this a poor team? We were over reliant on Ruud and some players dropped off because of that.

Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
No.	Pos.	Name	League	FA Cup	League Cup	Europe	Total
1​	GK​	Tim Howard​	0(1)	0	2	0	3	0	0	0	5(1)	0
2​	DF​	Gary Neville (vc)​	24(1)	0	2(1)	0	5	0	3(1)	0	34(3)	0
3​	DF​	Patrice Evra​	7(4)	0	0(1)	0	1(1)	0	0	0	8(6)	0
4​	DF​	Gabriel Heinze​	2(2)	0	0	0	0	0	2	2	4(2)	2
5​	DF​	Rio Ferdinand​	37	3	1(1)	0	4(1)	0	8	0	50(2)	3
6​	DF​	Wes Brown​	17(2)	0	4	0	5	0	3	0	29(2)	0
7​	MF​	Cristiano Ronaldo​	24(9)	9	1(1)	0	4	2	8	1	37(10)	12
8​	FW​	Wayne Rooney​	34(2)	16	2(1)	0	3(1)	2	5	1	44(4)	19
9​	FW​	Louis Saha​	12(7)	7	3(1)	2	5	6	0(2)	0	20(10)	15
10​	FW​	Ruud van Nistelrooy​	28(7)	21	2	0	1(1)	1	8	2	39(8)	24
11​	MF​	Ryan Giggs​	22(5)	2	1(1)	1	3	0	4(1)	1	30(7)	4
13​	MF​	Park Ji-sung​	23(11)	1	1(1)	0	3	1	0(6)	0	27(18)	2
14​	FW​	Alan Smith​	15(6)	1	0(2)	0	1(1)	0	7(1)	0	23(10)	1
15​	DF​	Nemanja Vidić​	9(2)	0	2	0	0(2)	0	0	0	11(4)	0
16​	MF​	Roy Keane (c)​	4(1)	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	5(1)	0
17​	MF​	Liam Miller​	0(1)	0	0	0	1	1	0(1)	0	1(2)	1
18​	MF​	Paul Scholes​	18(2)	2	0	0	0	0	7	1	25(2)	3
19​	GK​	Edwin van der Sar​	38	0	2	0	3	0	8	0	51	0
20​	FW​	Ole Gunnar Solskjær​	0(3)	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2(3)	0
22​	DF​	John O'Shea​	34	1	2	0	3(1)	1	7	0	46(1)	2
23​	MF​	Kieran Richardson​	12(10)	1	4	3	4(1)	1	2(3)	1	22(14)	5
24​	MF​	Darren Fletcher​	23(4)	1	2(1)	0	4	0	7	0	36(5)	1
25​	MF​	Quinton Fortune​	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
26​	DF​	Phil Bardsley​	3(5)	0	2	0	1(1)	0	2(1)	0	8(7)	0
27​	DF​	Mikaël Silvestre​	30(3)	1	4	0	4(1)	0	6	0	44(4)	1
28​	DF​	Gerard Piqué​	1(2)	0	2	0	1(1)	0	0	0	4(3)	0
30​	GK​	Luke Steele​	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
40​	FW​	Sylvan Ebanks-Blake​	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	1	1
42​	FW​	Giuseppe Rossi​	1(4)	1	2	2	3	1	0(2)	0	6(6)	4
44​	DF​	Adam Eckersley​	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0
46​	MF​	Lee Martin​	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0
49​	MF​	Ritchie Jones​	0	0	1	0	1(2)	0	0	0	2(2)	0
50​	MF​	Darron Gibson​	0	0	0	0	0(1)	0	0	0	0(1)	0

I mean you picked the makings of a great team right at the end of his time here. Vidic and Evra had under 10 appearances that season. And maybe I'm reading the table wrong but Rooney scored 2 goals in 34 appearances, while Roy Keane played 4 times. So both look better on paper than they were in reality. Or maybe your table is just hard work to read. Regardless Rooney and Ronaldo were teenagers at the time.
Replace Van Der Sar with Carroll / Howard / Barthez. Replace Vidic with Silvestre (the guy who started most of our matches in your table). Evra with John O'Shea (again, played far more than him that season). Ban Ferdinand for a season for good measure. Its not that great a team

 

[crossy1686]

I mean you picked the makings of a great team right at the end of his time here. Vidic and Evra had under 10 appearances that season. And maybe I'm reading the table wrong but Rooney scored 2 goals in 34 appearances, while Roy Keane played 4 times. So both look better on paper than they were in reality. Or maybe your table is just hard work to read. Regardless Rooney and Ronaldo were teenagers at the time.
Replace Van Der Sar with Carroll / Howard / Barthez. Replace Vidic with Silvestre (the guy who started most of our matches in your table). Evra with John O'Shea (again, played far more than him that season). Ban Ferdinand for a season for good measure. Its not that great a team

I'm not saying they were world class or anything, I'm saying the notion that they were a 'poor' team is not accurate. When Ruud left we became much more fluid and the likes of Evra/Vidic kicked on to become class also. The teams Ruud was in still won titles but we were over reliant on him, in the season he won golden boot, I think the whole midfield as a collective had about 10 goals between them. The squad got lazy, it happens.

And I believe there's a touch of that happening at City. They're playing the ball up to him as to say "do something" and he doesn't have the ability (yet) to craft something and I also think this type of system play frustrates players like him.

 

[Siorac]

I'm struggling to think of another player who have joined a league winning side and enjoyed tremendous personal success, but are being talked about as a hindrance to the side. It seems like quite a unique case.

I think 'hindrance' is an exaggeration, and mostly born out of the ridiculous expectations people had for him. This forum was full of posters predicting that if City sign Haaland, it's game over for everyone, they'll win the league easily every season and pretty much become an unbeatable super team. And while they still might win it, it's clear that he hasn't taken them to the next level and as such, it's all a bit underwhelming despite the insane numbers.

It should be a good lesson for those who keep going on about how Harry Kane would be a guaranteed transformative signing for us. Because it's just not that simple.

 

[Zen86]

How is this a poor team? We were over reliant on Ruud and some players dropped off because of that.

No.	Pos.	Name	League	FA Cup	League Cup	Europe	Total
Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1​	GK​	Tim Howard​	0(1)	0	2	0	3	0	0	0	5(1)	0
2​	DF​	Gary Neville (vc)​	24(1)	0	2(1)	0	5	0	3(1)	0	34(3)	0
3​	DF​	Patrice Evra​	7(4)	0	0(1)	0	1(1)	0	0	0	8(6)	0
4​	DF​	Gabriel Heinze​	2(2)	0	0	0	0	0	2	2	4(2)	2
5​	DF​	Rio Ferdinand​	37	3	1(1)	0	4(1)	0	8	0	50(2)	3
6​	DF​	Wes Brown​	17(2)	0	4	0	5	0	3	0	29(2)	0
7​	MF​	Cristiano Ronaldo​	24(9)	9	1(1)	0	4	2	8	1	37(10)	12
8​	FW​	Wayne Rooney​	34(2)	16	2(1)	0	3(1)	2	5	1	44(4)	19
9​	FW​	Louis Saha​	12(7)	7	3(1)	2	5	6	0(2)	0	20(10)	15
10​	FW​	Ruud van Nistelrooy​	28(7)	21	2	0	1(1)	1	8	2	39(8)	24
11​	MF​	Ryan Giggs​	22(5)	2	1(1)	1	3	0	4(1)	1	30(7)	4
13​	MF​	Park Ji-sung​	23(11)	1	1(1)	0	3	1	0(6)	0	27(18)	2
14​	FW​	Alan Smith​	15(6)	1	0(2)	0	1(1)	0	7(1)	0	23(10)	1
15​	DF​	Nemanja Vidić​	9(2)	0	2	0	0(2)	0	0	0	11(4)	0
16​	MF​	Roy Keane (c)​	4(1)	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	5(1)	0
17​	MF​	Liam Miller​	0(1)	0	0	0	1	1	0(1)	0	1(2)	1
18​	MF​	Paul Scholes​	18(2)	2	0	0	0	0	7	1	25(2)	3
19​	GK​	Edwin van der Sar​	38	0	2	0	3	0	8	0	51	0
20​	FW​	Ole Gunnar Solskjær​	0(3)	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2(3)	0
22​	DF​	John O'Shea​	34	1	2	0	3(1)	1	7	0	46(1)	2
23​	MF​	Kieran Richardson​	12(10)	1	4	3	4(1)	1	2(3)	1	22(14)	5
24​	MF​	Darren Fletcher​	23(4)	1	2(1)	0	4	0	7	0	36(5)	1
25​	MF​	Quinton Fortune​	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
26​	DF​	Phil Bardsley​	3(5)	0	2	0	1(1)	0	2(1)	0	8(7)	0
27​	DF​	Mikaël Silvestre​	30(3)	1	4	0	4(1)	0	6	0	44(4)	1
28​	DF​	Gerard Piqué​	1(2)	0	2	0	1(1)	0	0	0	4(3)	0
30​	GK​	Luke Steele​	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
40​	FW​	Sylvan Ebanks-Blake​	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	1	1
42​	FW​	Giuseppe Rossi​	1(4)	1	2	2	3	1	0(2)	0	6(6)	4
44​	DF​	Adam Eckersley​	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0
46​	MF​	Lee Martin​	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0
49​	MF​	Ritchie Jones​	0	0	1	0	1(2)	0	0	0	2(2)	0
50​	MF​	Darron Gibson​	0	0	0	0	0(1)	0	0	0	0(1)	0

Not sure what that's supposed to prove?

I'm guessing you weren't watching United back then. Ruud played in the period between two great teams and carried us at a time when Arsenal were very strong. This idea that Ruud held us back is pure revisionism by those too young to have actually watched us in that period.

And I didn't say poor, I said relatively poor. And it was in comparison to the great CL winning teams that came before and after.

 

[Adisa]

I think 'hindrance' is an exaggeration, and mostly born out of the ridiculous expectations people had for him. This forum was full of posters predicting that if City sign Haaland, it's game over for everyone, they'll win the league easily every season and pretty much become an unbeatable super team. And while they still might win it, it's clear that he hasn't taken them to the next level and as such, it's all a bit underwhelming despite the insane numbers.

It should be a good lesson for those who keep going on about how Harry Kane would be a guaranteed transformative signing for us. Because it's just not that simple.

This.
I remember an article or a pundit saying, if we ever wanted to compete with City, we had to sign Mbappe.

 

[crossy1686]

Not sure what that's supposed to prove?

I'm guessing you weren't watching United back then. Ruud played in the period between two great teams and carried us at a time when Arsenal were very strong. This idea that Ruud held us back is pure revisionism by those too young to have actually watched us in that period.

And I didn't say poor, I said relatively poor. And it was in comparison to the great CL winning teams that came before and after.

I absolutely watched United back then, religiously.

I never said Ruud carried us, and I never said he held us back. I said as a team we were over reliant on his goals and we got complacent. I remember vivid games in the CL were we had no answer because Ruud was kept quiet, you've also only got to look at the next leading goalscorer behind Ruud to see that the squad weren't pitching in. This was my opinion at the time and it still is to this day. I loved him as a player and all that but he made our front line incredibly static.

 

[Mike Smalling]

I think 'hindrance' is an exaggeration, and mostly born out of the ridiculous expectations people had for him. This forum was full of posters predicting that if City sign Haaland, it's game over for everyone, they'll win the league easily every season and pretty much become an unbeatable super team. And while they still might win it, it's clear that he hasn't taken them to the next level and as such, it's all a bit underwhelming despite the insane numbers.

It should be a good lesson for those who keep going on about how Harry Kane would be a guaranteed transformative signing for us. Because it's just not that simple.

Agree, and I am not personally arguing that he is a hindrance, or even close it - just that this is a narrative that seems to be building.

 

[FootyGirl88]

I think 'hindrance' is an exaggeration, and mostly born out of the ridiculous expectations people had for him. This forum was full of posters predicting that if City sign Haaland, it's game over for everyone, they'll win the league easily every season and pretty much become an unbeatable super team. And while they still might win it, it's clear that he hasn't taken them to the next level and as such, it's all a bit underwhelming despite the insane numbers.

It should be a good lesson for those who keep going on about how Harry Kane would be a guaranteed transformative signing for us. Because it's just not that simple.

Spot on

 

[caid]

I'm not saying they were world class or anything, I'm saying the notion that they were a 'poor' team is not accurate. When Ruud left we became much more fluid and the likes of Evra/Vidic kicked on to become class also. The teams Ruud was in still won titles but we were over reliant on him, in the season he won golden boot, I think the whole midfield as a collective had about 10 goals between them. The squad got lazy, it happens.

And I believe there's a touch of that happening at City. They're playing the ball up to him as to say "do something" and he doesn't have the ability (yet) to craft something and I also think this type of system play frustrates players like him.

What midfield are we talking about? Giggs, Beckham, Scholes or Liam Miller, Alan Smith and Djemba Djemba? How many matches did each start? We put out some pretty weak teams during his time here. There was an element of us being predictable and over reliant on him and an element of us having pretty ropy players in every second position and being over reliant on the good ones to carry them too.

 

[Superden]

Spot on

there were people talking of handing the title to city at the end of october, and that punidts discussing whether Haaland would get 65 or 75 or even more goals this season.
thats whats wrong with the world, anything reasonably above expectations, evne for a short period of time, and its the bestest greatest thing ever. reading about Happy Valley today, youd think it was some Kubrick / HItchock collaboration, not just a very good BBC1 sunday night drama.

 

[RuudTom83]

Haaland is the marquee big name signing. Rightly or wrongly he has to take the biggest amount of criticism.

 

[Zen86]

I absolutely watched United back then, religiously.

I never said Ruud carried us, and I never said he held us back. I said as a team we were over reliant on his goals and we got complacent. I remember vivid games in the CL were we had no answer because Ruud was kept quiet, you've also only got to look at the next leading goalscorer behind Ruud to see that the squad weren't pitching in. This was my opinion at the time and it still is to this day. I loved him as a player and all that but he made our front line incredibly static.

Fair enough if that's what you meant. We were certainly over-reliant on him, but that's because of how prolific he was in combination with the rest of the team being relatively poor in that period.

The original post was worded so as to suggest that we were a poorer team because of Ruud. If you take RvN out of that United team, we drop down the table. The suggestion with Haaland is the opposite.

 

[Giant Midget]

He’s a great player and will buckets at City, but the best version of Haaland would be in a counter-attacking team, with space to run into that his movement would absolutely destroy teams on the transition.

City pass it around so much, he’s a spectator in 95% of games and has his few fox-in-the-box moments here and there.

 

[Strelok]

I'm struggling to think of another player who have joined a league winning side and enjoyed tremendous personal success, but are being talked about as a hindrance to the side. It seems like quite a unique case.

Imo it's not really true that he's a hindrance to City. Rather it's a trade off.

He's a pure poacher someone like Pep must know the pro and cons of having him even before buying him. But he still bought Haaland imo largely for the CL. Where in the past years City were stopped mostly because of their inability to score in crucial moments.

 

[Morty_]

Imo it's not really true that he's a hindrance to City. Rather it's a trade off.

He's a pure poacher someone like Pep must know the pro and cons of having him even before buying him. But he still bought Haaland imo largely for the CL. Where in the past years City were stopped mostly because of their inability to score in crucial moments.

The problem with that thinking is Haaland has been better in smaller games, struggled more against big sides.
Why would that change in UCL, at least for this season?

 

[Solius]

He'll smash in goals in League Two.

 

[sepulturite]

Certainly making use of poetic licence, seeing as Erling was already conceived by the time Keano had a pop at his old man.

Jesus chill the hell out, you really do have a rod up your ass about this subject don't you? @Robbie Boy was right.

 

[HookedOnAPhelan]

He done goofed by choosing City.

 

[Strelok]

The problem with that thinking is Haaland has been better in smaller games, struggled more against big sides.
Why would that change in UCL, at least for this season?

Of course there's nothing sure about that would change in the CL. But at least that thinking does make sense imo. We'll see anyway.

 

[Eriku]

Jesus chill the hell out, you really do have a rod up your ass about this subject don't you? @Robbie Boy was right.

Huh? You’re reading too much into things there, bud. You’re the one being set off and clapping at me about a pun.

 

[The Urban Goose]

He done goofed by choosing City.

It's hilarious. He's not going to win anything this season, his reputation has taken a hit as people are questioning whether he has improved or hindered the team, and there's a strong possiblity Pep will be off soon.

Oh Erling Haaland, went to cheating City and he won feck all.

 

[croadyman]

It's hilarious. He's not going to win anything this season, his reputation has taken a hit as people are questioning whether he has improved or hindered the team, and there's a strong possiblity Pep will be off soon.

Oh Erling Haaland, went to cheating City and he won feck all.

Fancy a move across the city Erling IF by some utter miracle your current team rightfully get the book thrown at them

 

[Gazza]

Certainly making use of poetic licence, seeing as Erling was already conceived by the time Keano had a pop at his old man.

I am pretty sure it wasn’t a serious post

 

[troylocker]

So, have teams figured out a way to cut supply to Haaland, essentially rendering him ineffective? Haaland's record since restart is 6 goals in 10 games, 3 of those coming against Wolves. His record seems to be undergoing some sort of mean reversion.

The record is 8 goals in 10 games (7 in 7 in the league. Why quote wrong numbers?) while City're playing some horrendous football and looks to be doing their best not to set him up in good positions. Since the Everton game he's scored 5 goals from a total of 14 shots (2,33 shots/game) in 6 games in the league. In those 6 matches City's had 74 shots total and only 14 (19%) from Haaland, but he's still scored half their goals in those matches. He's still very much supereffective, he's just litterally being starved to death by the way they've played lately. City playing with Grealish/Ake (instead of Foden/Cancelo) and Mahrez/Rico (instead of Bernardo/KDB/Walker) where the fullbacks never overlap and cross and both wingers go inwards almost 100% of the time and can't cross with their "wrong" foot, while never playing balls into space have just completely shut down the supply to Haaland since the restart. I really don't get why Grealish's gotten praise lately, all he brings is predictability, freekicks and very little endproduct. They are pretty much playing to the opposite of his strenghts at the moment and it looks like that is their plan at the moment too. To me, by far best striker in the world. Really strange stuff from Pep.
Long may it continue.

Watching MOTD2 last night and they were making the comparison to Kane getting the ball with a straight face. Spurs wanted to find Kane because he can do something on the ball. City didn’t try to find Haaland 35 yards out because he can do feck all with the ball that far out.

By comparison since the restart, Kane for a team in just as bad form: Kane is on 6 goals in 9 games since the restart (5 in 7 the league) with Kane getting excellent service, loads of space to work with and Spurs taking their transitions every time they win the ball.
In the last 6 games he's scored 4 goals in a total of 24 shots (4 shots/game). In those 6 matches Spurs has taken 68 shots total and Kane's taken 24 of them (35%), while Kane's scored half of their goals in those matches.
Thinking Kane would score close to Haaland amounts in that City team is just silly, they play against packed defenses with 11 men behind the ball for 89 minutes every game. Kane wouldn't be half as talismanic in that City side as he is for Spurs.

 

[Zen86]

We dodged a bullet, Haaland is a poor man's Weg with a ponytail.

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

Lot of reports he is looking for an exit.

 

[HookedOnAPhelan]

Lot of reports he is looking for an exit.

Maybe link to them then.

 

[calodo2003]

Lot of reports he is looking for an exit.

Because of the allegations presumably?

 

[Pexbo]

I’d take him here in a heartbeat

 

[Tom Cato]

Maybe link to them then.

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/haaland-looking-immediate-man-city-180159515.html

https://www.teamtalk.com/manchester...ce-scandal-erupts-rift-with-guardiola-emerges

https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/ma...report-transfers-rumours-gossip-signings-mcfc

https://www.football365.com/news/haaland-hatches-man-city-escape-surprise-destination-guardiola

Just throw the bank at Haaland and get him here. What a ridiculous prospect it would be with someone like that on the break from Bruno.

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

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[Dempsey19]

He hasn't made them worse, its just he doesn't suit their style of play. Put him in a counter attacking team and see how many times per game he gets 1v1 against their GK.