Nordic Ghost Yeti | Haaland at City

Zehner

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Lucky you that you’re not Norwegian with those expectations.
You have the arguably best player of the EPL first and the arguably best player of the EPL second and in your last squad there were 12 additional players from top 5 leagues, many of them starters. That's a very good level for a national side.
 

Andrade

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I don't really get why Haaland shouldn't be able to shine on the international stage? Sure, Norway has been bad usually but they've acquired quite a team with Haaland and Ödegaard as world class players and a very solid supporting cast with Ryerson, Ajer, Berge, Elyounoussi, etc. No team with which he can realistically win a title but individually they are definitely better than many teams that made headlines in the last tournaments. I'd say it would be a disappointment if they wouldn't at least improve on their best world cup finish (last 16) during Haaland's career.
Are Norway better than Poland? Is it a Lewandowski situation or should they have greater expectations because they also have Odegaard (and also because Haaland is more prolific than Lewa)? RL has managed to help Poland get to major tournaments but that's about it.
 

Eriku

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You have the arguably best player of the EPL first and the arguably best player of the EPL second and in your last squad there were 12 additional players from top 5 leagues, many of them starters. That's a very good level for a national side.
You’ve had a bunch of Norwegians make their case for why optimism is unwise.
Ødegaard and Haaland are a cut above what we’ve had before, sure. But our overall team was stronger in the early and mid 2000s.

Also, did you see our game against Georgia? I’m gonna guess no? Ødegaard blasted the ball over from point blank range. List superficial shit that should be encouraging all you want, some of us have decades following our piece of shit team and we know we’ll fumble it at some point.
 

Zehner

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Are Norway better than Poland? Is it a Lewandowski situation or should they have greater expectations because they also have Odegaard (and also because Haaland is more prolific than Lewa)? RL has managed to help Poland get to major tournaments but that's about it.
I'd say it's a pretty similar situation. Poland probably has better supporting cast to an extent but Norway has a better co-star
 

Zehner

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You’ve had a bunch of Norwegians make their case for why optimism is unwise.
Ødegaard and Haaland are a cut above what we’ve had before, sure. But our overall team was stronger in the early and mid 2000s.

Also, did you see our game against Georgia? I’m gonna guess no? Ødegaard blasted the ball over from point blank range. List superficial shit that should be encouraging all you want, some of us have decades following our piece of shit team and we know we’ll fumble it at some point.
I'm sorry made but if your answer is "all our players will magically turn to shit when they play for Norway" then there's not really a discussion to be held, is it?

Such things aren't carved in stone. There are enough examples of historically shit teams turning it around. I get you were shit but you never had a team even remotely comparable to this one, IMO.
 

Eriku

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I'm sorry made but if your answer is "all our players will magically turn to shit when they play for Norway" then there's not really a discussion to be held, is it?

Such things aren't carved in stone. There are enough examples of historically shit teams turning it around. I get you were shit but you never had a team even remotely comparable to this one, IMO.
:lol:

We used to have:

Bjørnebye, Heggem, Berg, Johnsen, Leonhardsen, Iversen, Solskjær, Flo, Rekdal, etc. Those guys not only played regularly in teams in big leagues, they had way stronger mentality.

Have you watched much of Norway, past and present? Or are you just going by the feels you get from looking at our roster?
 

Zehner

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:lol:

We used to have:

Bjørnebye, Heggem, Berg, Johnsen, Leonhardsen, Iversen, Solskjær, Flo, Rekdal, etc. Those guys not only played regularly in teams in big leagues, they had way stronger mentality.

Have you watched much of Norway, past and present? Or are you just going by the feels you get from looking at our roster?
Those names aren't close to the team you have right now and that's although Ödegaard and Haaland haven't even entered their prime.

And no, I haven't seen much of Norway but I have seen quite a bit of Norwegian players lately.
 

Eriku

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Those names aren't close to the team you have right now and that's although Ödegaard and Haaland haven't even entered their prime.

And no, I haven't seen much of Norway but I have seen quite a bit of Norwegian players lately.
You have no clue if you think, outside Haaland and Ødegaard, we have a stronger team than the late 90s. I’m sorry but I’m sure any Norwegian who witnessed that period would agree.
 

Zehner

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You have no clue if you think, outside Haaland and Ødegaard, we have a stronger team than the late 90s. I’m sorry but I’m sure any Norwegian who witnessed that period would agree.
I guss we'll find out eventually
 

Skåre Willoch

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You have no clue if you think, outside Haaland and Ødegaard, we have a stronger team than the late 90s. I’m sorry but I’m sure any Norwegian who witnessed that period would agree.
Bratseth, Johnsen, Berg vs. Ajer, Østigård, Strandberg.
Different class, nevermind the rest of the players.
 

Eriku

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Bratseth, Johnsen, Berg vs. Ajer, Østigård, Strandberg.
Different class, nevermind the rest of the players.
Right? Winds me up that people who’ve barely seen Norway games thinks that we’ve got a super strong squad right now. The goal Georgia scored would NEVER happen with those you mentioned.
 

Magz

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When the discussion is had about the greatest goalscorer of all time, his name will be brought up (if he continues in this vein). But when the discussion is had about the greatest player of all time, his name will not be brought up.
Okay, so by this logic Maldini, Puyol, Nesta etc can't be named as some of the greatest players of all time. Got it.
 

FattyFooty

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I'm sorry made but if your answer is "all our players will magically turn to shit when they play for Norway" then there's not really a discussion to be held, is it?

Such things aren't carved in stone. There are enough examples of historically shit teams turning it around. I get you were shit but you never had a team even remotely comparable to this one, IMO.
Eh...

Its getting a bit absurd...

Norway in the 90s was on another level. You cant just base football on a piece of paper.

I understand Haaland is the best Norwegian ever. But this national team is nowhere close.
 
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Gehrman

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Okay, so by this logic Maldini, Puyol, Nesta etc can't be named as some of the greatest players of all time. Got it.
I think he meant stuff like top 10 goat.
 

Skåre Willoch

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I'm sorry made but if your answer is "all our players will magically turn to shit when they play for Norway" then there's not really a discussion to be held, is it?

Such things aren't carved in stone. There are enough examples of historically shit teams turning it around. I get you were shit but you never had a team even remotely comparable to this one, IMO.
You obviously have no idea about what you’re talking about.
 

FrankFoot

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I'm sorry made but if your answer is "all our players will magically turn to shit when they play for Norway" then there's not really a discussion to be held, is it?

Such things aren't carved in stone. There are enough examples of historically shit teams turning it around. I get you were shit but you never had a team even remotely comparable to this one, IMO.
90s Norway was way better, there is no comparison.
Current Norway apart from Odegaard and Haaland, it's an average team, they aren't better than the likes of Serbia, Bosnia, Switzerland,Ukraine, etc

I'd rather have 8/11 good players than 2 great players and 9 average players.
 

Chesterlestreet

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You volunteering? :drool: :angel:
...well...I am considering taking a sabbatical, actually.

Maybe - just maybe. No promises.

(I do like the idea of doing something in the area of "important goals", I must say: because that is doable, or at least somewhat doable.)
 

Eriku

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Eh...

Its getting a bit absurd...

Norway in the 90s was on another level. You cant just base football on a piece of paper.

I understand Haaland is the best Norwegian ever. But this national team is nowhere close.
You obviously have no idea about what you’re talking about.
90s Norway was way better, there is no comparison.
Current Norway apart from Odegaard and Haaland, it's an average team, they aren't better than the likes of Serbia, Bosnia, Switzerland,Ukraine, etc

I'd rather have 8/11 good players than 2 great players and 9 average players.
Cheers fellas.
 

Son

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Huge difference, as mentioned before. Di Stefano, as a football player, played at a level few before Pele had reached. He was an insanely complete football player who ran games. Erling Haalands footballing ability is too basic to ever be considered close to the likes of Di Stefano and Cruyff. No international trophies, basic footballing ability. Top 30 of all time at best.
I’m not comparing Haaland to Di Stefano. Someone just asked if someone could be considered a GOAT without internationals.

He proved yes they can if they are talented enough and dominate club football year in year out.
 

Noot

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Eh...

Its getting a bit absurd...

Norway in the 90s was on another level. You cant just base football on a piece of paper.

I understand Haaland is the best Norwegian ever. But this national team is nowhere close.
His point is that you can't say 'Norway will continue to be bad for the rest of Haaland's career and there's no point even hoping they'll improve' which is ludicrous. You might be a few years from a couple of great defenders coming through or a new manager being appointed who works miracles. To say that it's wrong to even hope, just seems pessimistic for the sake of pessimism.
 

FattyFooty

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His point is that you can't say 'Norway will continue to be bad for the rest of Haaland's career and there's no point even hoping they'll improve' which is ludicrous. You might be a few years from a couple of great defenders coming through or a new manager being appointed who works miracles. To say that it's wrong to even hope, just seems pessimistic for the sake of pessimism.
I never said that. I said Norway was better as a team in the 90s.
 

Noot

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I never said that. I said Norway was better as a team in the 90s.
That's not the argument that's being had. All the poster is saying is that Norway could improve at some point in the next dozen or so years.
 

FattyFooty

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That's not the argument that's being had. All the poster is saying is that Norway could improve at some point in the next dozen or so years.
In the post im answering its said that Norway never had a team comperebal to this one.

That i say is wrong.

Im not answering the first part of the post. Im answering where it is said Norway never had a team comperbal to this one?
 

Andrade

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I’m not comparing Haaland to Di Stefano. Someone just asked if someone could be considered a GOAT without internationals.

He proved yes they can if they are talented enough and dominate club football year in year out.
DiStefano won the Copa America (South American championship) with Argentina as their top scorer so it's not accurate to say that he had nothing at international level. Odd circumstances and bad luck conspired to prevent him from further success in that arena.

More importantly, you say that you are not comparing EH and DiStefano but you cannot then use DiStefano as an example for a possible mark for EH to reach unless you acknowledge that it was ADS's all round performances as a player that made him arguably the GOAT, not just the fact that he scored lots of goals or won lots of trophies.
 

BlueMoonOutcast

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Erling Haaland plays for Norway who, let's be real, aren't winning anything. I don't see how this should impact Haaland's overall legacy.
 

Gehrman

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I'm sorry made but if your answer is "all our players will magically turn to shit when they play for Norway" then there's not really a discussion to be held, is it?

Such things aren't carved in stone. There are enough examples of historically shit teams turning it around. I get you were shit but you never had a team even remotely comparable to this one, IMO.
Denmark didnt even qualify for the 1992 euro's they won and their best player in Michael Laudrup didnt even join the squad because of a beef with the coach and he didnt think Denmark stood a chance.
 

Andrade

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Erling Haaland plays for Norway who, let's be real, aren't winning anything. I don't see how this should impact Haaland's overall legacy.
It won't and I don't know why people are spending so long discussing it. Norway is a country of 5 million people with little in the way of elite football history or heritage. If they manage to seriously compete in (or miraculously even win) a tournament during his career then it will be a massive bonus but it is not expected or required of him or them.
 

Libero_of_Yore

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I’m not comparing Haaland to Di Stefano. Someone just asked if someone could be considered a GOAT without internationals.

He proved yes they can if they are talented enough and dominate club football year in year out.
That's the issue. Di Stefanos talent level up until that point was arguable greatest in history. Erling Haalands talent level is arguably not even top 5 at his current club. The 2 are absolutely miles apart in natural talent. And when I mean talent, I mean basic footballing ability. Not to say his goalscoring talent isn't the best in the world mind.
 

Son

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DiStefano won the Copa America (South American championship) with Argentina as their top scorer so it's not accurate to say that he had nothing at international level. Odd circumstances and bad luck conspired to prevent him from further success in that arena.

More importantly, you say that you are not comparing EH and DiStefano but you cannot then use DiStefano as an example for a possible mark for EH to reach unless you acknowledge that it was ADS's all round performances as a player that made him arguably the GOAT, not just the fact that he scored lots of goals or won lots of trophies.
Maybe Haaland will be better than the guy regardless. We don’t know yet.

If he’s a goalscorer who breaks record after record like Ronaldo did, perhaps even surpassing Ronaldo’s goals then the conversation might be that one day.

Can he win lots of European titles at City? Yes. Haaland’s main problems are keeping fit long term and playing well into his late 30’s banging in the goals. He does that he’s in the mix,
That's the issue. Di Stefanos talent level up until that point was arguable greatest in history. Erling Haalands talent level is arguably not even top 5 at his current club. The 2 are absolutely miles apart in natural talent. And when I mean talent, I mean basic footballing ability. Not to say his goalscoring talent isn't the best in the world mind.
Why am I even replying to these when I argued the same about Muller pages back. You are literally bringing my own original point against me.

Haaland is a great player and goalscorer for his age let’s leave it at that :lol:
 

troylocker

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That's the issue. Di Stefanos talent level up until that point was arguable greatest in history. Erling Haalands talent level is arguably not even top 5 at his current club. The 2 are absolutely miles apart in natural talent. And when I mean talent, I mean basic footballing ability. Not to say his goalscoring talent isn't the best in the world mind.
So that’s settled then. Since you have followed and watched Di Stefano so closely, can you give us a thorough and more in detail description of his skillset from what you have seen with your own eyes and tell us why the best strikers in todays football ain’t fit to lace his shoes, talent wise?
These bold statements about footballers none of us had seen live outside maybe a couple of bad footage highlight reels on YouTube really grinds my balls….
 
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BlueMoonOutcast

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That's the issue. Di Stefanos talent level up until that point was arguable greatest in history. Erling Haalands talent level is arguably not even top 5 at his current club.
Well if Di Stefano had been born after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo that wouldn't be the case now, would it? That's not Haaland's fault.
 

The Irish Connection

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Yeah, Haaland could score 1000 goals and I still wouldn’t put him above any of the greats because of his all round technique and skill.
Same reason Messi was always better than Ronaldo for me.

Still would love to have him in our side!
 

Andrade

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Maybe Haaland will be better than the guy regardless. We don’t know yet.

If he’s a goalscorer who breaks record after record like Ronaldo did, perhaps even surpassing Ronaldo’s goals then the conversation might be that one day.

Can he win lots of European titles at City? Yes. Haaland’s main problems are keeping fit long term and playing well into his late 30’s banging in the goals. He does that he’s in the mix,

Why am I even replying to these when I argued the same about Muller pages back. You are literally bringing my own original point against me.

Haaland is a great player and goalscorer for his age let’s leave it at that :lol:
Haaland will never be better than DiStefano. I mean people might consider him such because by the time Haaland's career finishes it will be nearly 100 years since DiStefano's peak so people mostly won't have a clue how to even begin a comparison like that. But as things stand now, when there are still people alive from DiStefano's generation, there is a gulf between them as footballers. Ronaldo is different because he at least demonstrated the abilities of a varied attacker before becoming more of a penalty box player. Haaland has not demonstrated that and never will. He is built to do one thing and he does it exceptionally well. But he (IMO) can never be comparable to players like Pele, DiStefano etc. who have demonstrated the ability to do many things. No matter how many goals he scores or what he wins.
 

Andrade

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Yeah, Haaland could score 1000 goals and I still wouldn’t put him above any of the greats because of his all round technique and skill.
Same reason Messi was always better than Ronaldo for me.

Still would love to have him in our side!
I don't think it is out of the question for Haaland to score 1000 goals at all, it's certainly possible. But if people think that makes him the greatest player ever then the fandom of this sport is in serious trouble.
 

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He is 22 years old. If his numbers were just good you'd have a point, but they are not only good. They are the best we've seen in European football post WW2.
Even compared to Messi's11/22 season (73 goals for Barca in all comps) the numbers are insane:

Messi 11/12 - 72 miunutes per goal
Haaland 22/23 - 65 minutes per goal

Since he joined Dortmund at 19, he's scored a goal every 77 minutes on the pitch for Dortmund and City. (Messi: every 95 minutes for barca, CR7: every 84 minutes for Real Madrid and R9: every 90 minutes for Barca 96/97)

Champions league/European champions club cup (all time list):

#1 Haaland: 1,56 minutes/goal
#2 Gerd Muller: 0,97 minutes/goal
#3 Lewandowski: 0,86 minutes/goal
#3 Altafini: 0,86 minutes/goal
#3 Messi: 0,86 minutes/goal
#6 Puskas: 0,85 minutes/goal
#7 Di Stefano: 0,84 minutes/goal
#8 Aguas: 0,82 minutes/goal
#9 CR7: 0,79 minutes/goal
#10 Papin: 0,76 minutes/goal
#11 Eusebio: 0,75 minutes/goal

R9: 0,43 minutes/goal

That list is complete madness. His job isn't to go deep and pick up the ball, it isn't to dribble past defenders or distribute from the circle.
There hasn't been strikers like him before, so there hasn't been debates about strikers like him before. There has been built superteams around great players (like Lewa, Messi, CR7 etc.) in the past as well, it's not like he's a first in that department. Either you don't understand the numbers or you're extremely biased against #9's for some reason.
You might find it annoying that people compare the greatness of a specialist to an allrounder, but as long as he puts up numbers like this, it will not go away. And no, it's not ignorant.
Some of those players create goals for themselves and lay chances on the plate for other
 

BlueMoonOutcast

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He now holds the Premier League goal record for a 38-game season with 33 goals.

We still have seven games remaining too...