Haaland vs Mbappe - Heirs Apparent

[dinostar77]

I don't agree. Obviously I would love to get Haaland. But a player who ought to be average but isn't for some inexplicable reason is a dangerous thing. For whatever reason, he's never struggled. He's never been tested by a bad spell. He's a player who seems to do what he does through absolute self-confidence but he's never undergone the thing that tests the self-confidence of a striker - a serious dry spell.

So given the choice, even for the same price, I'd take Mbappe. Even though I'll grant you an out-and-out centre-forward is what we need most right at this moment. If you're choosing between potentially this generation's two star footballers, you choose the one who doesn't look inexplicable and too good to be true.

Nailed a few points there. Need to see haaland in a dry spell.

Do you remember Cisse when he signed for Newcastle in the january window a few years back? Everything he hit was going in. He hit a few worldies as well. Then season after that magical form disappeared and he ended up a so-so striker. My point being i want to see haaland over another season repeat what hes doing this season. Maybe he really is the real thing and he'll be banging in 30 goals a season for the rest of his career or maybe not. I have my doubts.

 

[tomaldinho1]

Yeah! I remember he did bang in those 15 goals in 70 matches for Monaco, and 0 of those in the 7 CL matches he played there. Almost Haaland numbers that. How much did we pay for him? 60M. The insanity of that!

Have you replied to the right post? This was about why didn’t sign Mbappe...

 

[troylocker]

Have you replied to the right post? This was about why didn’t sign Mbappe...

I know, but Mbappe wasn’t relevant back then. I was just commenting on the sad and comical fact that we signed a 19 year old kid with nothing on his CV for 60M. When you look back at it, you could almost believe that he was signed based on a highlight video with some pacey runs and a couple of stepovers....

Mbappe moving here at 16 would not have been given the chance to develop like he did in France.

 

[tomaldinho1]

I know, but Mbappe wasn’t relevant back then. I was just commenting on the sad and comical fact that we signed a 19 year old kid with nothing on his CV for 60M. When you look back at it, you could almost believe that he was signed based on a highlight video with some pacey runs and a couple of stepovers....

Mbappe moving here at 16 would not have been given the chance to develop like he did in France.

Martial had just had a great season (for his age) and that’s why there were so many add ons when we signing him. The fact he’s hit the goal targets etc prove he’s been decent and let’s not forget how good he was first season. Raw potential that then was left to rot under Mou. If you sign someone for £35m and they achieve all the add ons, don’t then use their total fee against them.

 

[RooneyLegend]

If Haaland goes to Bayern and they win multiple CL's while he's banging in 60 goals a season he'll obviously be regarded as such. It's far from outlandish, these players are amazing and are playing in an attack friendly era in the sport.

 

[Pow]

I don't agree. Obviously I would love to get Haaland. But a player who ought to be average but isn't for some inexplicable reason is a dangerous thing. For whatever reason, he's never struggled. He's never been tested by a bad spell. He's a player who seems to do what he does through absolute self-confidence but he's never undergone the thing that tests the self-confidence of a striker - a serious dry spell.

So given the choice, even for the same price, I'd take Mbappe. Even though I'll grant you an out-and-out centre-forward is what we need most right at this moment. If you're choosing between potentially this generation's two star footballers, you choose the one who doesn't look inexplicable and too good to be true.

In what way is he supposed to be average ?
Hes not scoring goals for fun against any opposition for no reason.
Unlike the 1 hit wonders like ciise, michu, zaki etc players who had no outstanding attributes but just had a one off purple patch
this kid has outstanding qualities
hes got a ridiculous combination of pace and power you see him beat cbs with his runs just as easy as you see him hold off/body cbs out of the way
his touch is reliable his positioning and movement in the box is fantastic.
If he works on his aerial ability (being 6'4 he should naturally progress to be good in the air which is probably his weakest part of his goalscoring game)
he literally has every attribute you want in someone to score goals for fun.
And the striking thing is the confidence/arrogance he has in himself and the self belief that he knows he will score. All those tools to score and what looks like a great mentality to boot.

 

[Lord SInister]

Like Messi vs Ronaldo, and Henry vs Nistelroy before that, there will be a number of people who believe that the discussion can be had by simply referencing numbers from Wikipedia and not bothering to actually watch them play.

I haven't watched Haaland all that much, but from what I've seen, Mbappe's ceiling is higher.

Haaland reminds me a lot of Christian Vieri though and if he goes into similar beast mode without Vieri's injuries, he'll be right up there.

Haaland looks like he trains with the evil team in Karate Kid though. He'll be real easy to dislike if he ever signs for a rival.

Haaland is nothing like Vieri though, he is simply something else. He plays like someone playing FIFA in amateur mode. Not focusing much on skill move, but too direct and deadly.

 

[troylocker]

Like Messi vs Ronaldo, and Henry vs Nistelroy before that, there will be a number of people who believe that the discussion can be had by simply referencing numbers from Wikipedia and not bothering to actually watch them play.

I haven't watched Haaland all that much, but from what I've seen, Mbappe's ceiling is higher.

Haaland reminds me a lot of Christian Vieri though and if he goes into similar beast mode without Vieri's injuries, he'll be right up there.

Funny that you in one sentence say that people seems to discuss these players simply from Wiki/stats not bothering to actually watch them play, and then in the next sentence say that you haven't really watched Haaland, but you think Mbappes ceiling is higher. Made me laugh.

 

[Pexbo]

Funny that you in one sentence say that people seems to discuss these players simply from Wiki/stats not bothering to actually watch them play, and then in the next sentence say that you haven't really watched Haaland, but you think Mbappes ceiling is higher. Made me laugh.

B20 is naturally going to be very bias when it comes to Mbappe, considering he’s obviously going to be signing for Liverpool soon.

 

[B20]

Funny that you in one sentence say that people seems to discuss these players simply from Wiki/stats not bothering to actually watch them play, and then in the next sentence say that you haven't really watched Haaland, but you think Mbappes ceiling is higher. Made me laugh.

I am also clearly saying my opinion is a weak and poorly founded one.

There will be loads going to the mattresses for Wikipedia.

 

[B20]

B20 is naturally going to be very bias when it comes to Mbappe, considering he’s obviously going to be signing for Liverpool soon.

We'll need to convince PSG to accept a 10 year instalment plan first.

 

[B20]

Haaland is nothing like Vieri though, he is simply something else. He plays like someone playing FIFA in amateur mode. Not focusing much on skill move, but too direct and deadly.

That's what reminded me of Vieri at his very best.

 

[Pexbo]

We'll need to convince PSG to accept a 10 year instalment plan first.

You’ll need to do the same for Mbappe’s weekly wages too.

 

[Samid]

 

[B20]

You’ll need to do the same for Mbappe’s weekly wages too.

I think that's less of an issue tbh. Despite the lower numbers reported for our top earners compared to some of our peers, our wage bill is nearly as high as yours. I expect a lot of it is tied into bonus schemes moreso than weekly salary though.

 

[dinostar77]

You’ll need to do the same for Mbappe’s weekly wages too.

No one in PL is gonna give Mbappe the wages he wants. Alledgly City wont go there either. Its ridiculous. He has a €700,000 a week off from PSG on the table to extend (pay parity with neymar). Who on earth is gonna match that? Thats double what we pay De Gea (highest paid player in PL).

Mbappe maybe hier apparent to CR7/Messi, but it is going to cost you an eye watering sum of money to have him in your team.

 

[B20]

No one in PL is gonna give Mbappe the wages he wants. Alledgly City wont go there either. Its ridiculous. He has a €700,000 a week off from PSG on the table to extend (pay parity with neymar). Who on earth is gonna match that? Thats double what we pay De Gea (highest paid player in PL).

Mbappe maybe hier apparent to CR7/Messi, but it is going to cost you an eye watering sum of money to have him in your team.

Yeah, I reckon not even Madrid are going to meet PSGs offer. The question is if he wants a new league enough to turn down the more lucrative offer.

 

[Samid]

 

[FrankWhite]

Love how he refuses to pick between them. He just knows a headline would be made of it.
I think mbappe would suit us better right now because of his flexibility to play on the right wing. Imagine Rashford, Greenwood and Mbappe as a front 3 for the next 10 years.

 

[dinostar77]

Theres a chance this debate isnmissing Joao Felix. He probably needs to move away from Atletico (alledgly City are interested). But he could join these two on the regular honours lists.

 

[Dante]

Haaland reminds me of Shearer. I think that will be his ceiling (ie. the best orthodox striker in the world for a number of years). Quick, powerful, direct and unstoppable in front of goal.

Mbappe's more like a less refined version of Cristiano Ronaldo. That's no insult, by the way. It will still be enough to make him the best player in the world at some point in his career.

 

[justsomebloke]

Haaland reminds me of Shearer. I think that will be his ceiling (ie. the best orthodox striker in the world for a number of years). Quick, powerful, direct and unstoppable in front of goal.

I really don't think that's a good comparison. Haaland is nothing whatsoever like Shearer physically - Shearer is stocky, and never had the sort of fluid explosiveness to his movement that Haaland does, nor anything like his sheer power. Also, he wasn't typically a player who'd drop down and get the ball, do the linkup, and then turn and beat the defence to the resulting pass or cross 20 seconds later. Haaland is not an orthodox striker. He's not an orthodox anything. For my part, I'm hard pressed to find a comparison at all. I've never seen anyone quite like him.

There are no guarantees of course, and injuries etc can take their toll. But it also seems obvious to me that you've got to assume his ceiling exceeds someone like Alan Shearer, as good as he was. Shearer was an elite goal scorer. Haaland just....dominates the final third. Not just because he's good at scoring, but in every sense - speed, power, movement, unpredictability. He carries that aura of unstoppability, a sense that you can really only hope to limit him, which I think is the thing that marks him down with the experts as a special and potentially generational talent. And he does this not just when he's having an extra special super day, and he does it at age 20 and in the CL, against the best. Arguably, he is already a more dominant player than Shearer was at his peak. This is someone who got to 20 CL goals in little more than half the games it took Harry Kane (the previous record holder) to do so, while playing for weaker teams than Kane did, and without playing in a manner that focused only on getting the goals. He's not lurking about on the offside line or in the box, he's heavily involved all over the pitch. Not that Kane does either, but the point I'm making is he's not the sort of player who gets a high goal tally because he does that single thing exceptionally well, to the detriment of other kinds of contributions.

He looks like a player you build your offensive game around, and who will work best if he's not too constrained by a firm system. That would limit one of his best traits, his unpredictability. In other words, easier to see as a United player than as a City player.

 

[Gehrman]

I found this. I guess it was for Norways youth team.

 

[thepolice123]

I really don't think that's a good comparison. Haaland is nothing whatsoever like Shearer physically - Shearer is stocky, and never had the sort of fluid explosiveness to his movement that Haaland does, nor anything like his sheer power. Also, he wasn't typically a player who'd drop down and get the ball, do the linkup, and then turn and beat the defence to the resulting pass or cross 20 seconds later. Haaland is not an orthodox striker. He's not an orthodox anything. For my part, I'm hard pressed to find a comparison at all. I've never seen anyone quite like him.

There are no guarantees of course, and injuries etc can take their toll. But it also seems obvious to me that you've got to assume his ceiling exceeds someone like Alan Shearer, as good as he was. Shearer was an elite goal scorer. Haaland just....dominates the final third. Not just because he's good at scoring, but in every sense - speed, power, movement, unpredictability. He carries that aura of unstoppability, a sense that you can really only hope to limit him, which I think is the thing that marks him down with the experts as a special and potentially generational talent. And he does this not just when he's having an extra special super day, and he does it at age 20 and in the CL, against the best. Arguably, he is already a more dominant player than Shearer was at his peak. This is someone who got to 20 CL goals in little more than half the games it took Harry Kane (the previous record holder) to do so, while playing for weaker teams than Kane did, and without playing in a manner that focussed only on getting the goals. He's not lurking about on the offside line or in the box, he's heavily involved all over the pitch.

Haaland is as orthodox as they come, its his incredible movement, finishing and desire for goals that gives him the edge. Most of his on the ball plays are simple touch, shield and lay off the ball. He actually has a dodgy first touch and average dribbling. His best work is done off the ball and finishing chances. You’re making him sound like he’s R9 at his peak which he is obviously not.

 

[Samid]

I found this. I guess it was for Norways youth team.

He was genuinely fuming in the post match interview. Didn’t focus on the 9 he scored but the 2-3 chances he missed.

 

[justsomebloke]

Haaland is as orthodox as they come, its his incredible movement, finishing and desire for goals that gives him the edge. Most of his on the ball plays are simple touch, shield and lay off the ball. He actually has a dodgy first touch and average dribbling. His best work is done off the ball and finishing chances. You’re making him sound like he’s R9 at his peak which he is obviously not.

We'll have to disagree on that. It is of course possible that you simply understand football better than I do and have a better basis for judging, I don't know anything about you. But to me it seems quite odd if you're watching Haaland and "orthodox" is a phrase that comes to mind.

And I don't think he's remotely like R9.

 

[Gehrman]

He was genuinely fuming in the post match interview. Didn’t focus on the 9 he scored but the 2-3 chances he missed.

I found out that the "SIUUU" for Haaland is is "Haalande!" from this video.

 

[BalanceUnAutreJoint]

Haaland is the better player.

Mbappe is far more likely to win the ballon d'or first though, this is France Football's Ballon d'OR, they value Euro/WCs crazily high and Haaland has no chance to win either

 

[CoolDuckie]

I don't agree. Obviously I would love to get Haaland. But a player who ought to be average but isn't for some inexplicable reason is a dangerous thing. For whatever reason, he's never struggled. He's never been tested by a bad spell. He's a player who seems to do what he does through absolute self-confidence but he's never undergone the thing that tests the self-confidence of a striker - a serious dry spell.

So given the choice, even for the same price, I'd take Mbappe. Even though I'll grant you an out-and-out centre-forward is what we need most right at this moment. If you're choosing between potentially this generation's two star footballers, you choose the one who doesn't look inexplicable and too good to be true.

I see the point, but Haaland has been a success in three different leagues in a row: Norway, Austria and Germany. His stats are consistent and there is no reason to think he is some sort of one-hit wonder. There are good reasons why he is not average, such as speed, power, movement , positioning and precision in finishing. His mindset is not just self-confidence as a fickle product of cirumstance, it is a personality trait imo. He is robust!

I have only one major objection to Haaland: I think he may not have a long career. He might end up suffering from a Rooney-like decline. He is so dependent on his speed and power and once injuries accumulate- especially muscle injuries, he might begin to struggle. he already had a hamstring injury, and he would need to have Ronaldoesque self dicipline regarding diet and training to remain injury free and keep his speed intact.

CD

 

[Adam-Utd]

Theres a chance this debate isnmissing Joao Felix. He probably needs to move away from Atletico (alledgly City are interested). But he could join these two on the regular honours lists.

Felix is a great technician but lacks the physical attributes the other 2 have that make them really unstoppable.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

I really don't think that's a good comparison. Haaland is nothing whatsoever like Shearer physically - Shearer is stocky, and never had the sort of fluid explosiveness to his movement that Haaland does, nor anything like his sheer power. Also, he wasn't typically a player who'd drop down and get the ball, do the linkup, and then turn and beat the defence to the resulting pass or cross 20 seconds later. Haaland is not an orthodox striker. He's not an orthodox anything. For my part, I'm hard pressed to find a comparison at all. I've never seen anyone quite like him.

There are no guarantees of course, and injuries etc can take their toll. But it also seems obvious to me that you've got to assume his ceiling exceeds someone like Alan Shearer, as good as he was. Shearer was an elite goal scorer. Haaland just....dominates the final third. Not just because he's good at scoring, but in every sense - speed, power, movement, unpredictability. He carries that aura of unstoppability, a sense that you can really only hope to limit him, which I think is the thing that marks him down with the experts as a special and potentially generational talent. And he does this not just when he's having an extra special super day, and he does it at age 20 and in the CL, against the best. Arguably, he is already a more dominant player than Shearer was at his peak. This is someone who got to 20 CL goals in little more than half the games it took Harry Kane (the previous record holder) to do so, while playing for weaker teams than Kane did, and without playing in a manner that focused only on getting the goals. He's not lurking about on the offside line or in the box, he's heavily involved all over the pitch. Not that Kane does either, but the point I'm making is he's not the sort of player who gets a high goal tally because he does that single thing exceptionally well, to the detriment of other kinds of contributions.

He looks like a player you build your offensive game around, and who will work best if he's not too constrained by a firm system. That would limit one of his best traits, his unpredictability. In other words, easier to see as a United player than as a City player.

Sure, but at the same time he isn't quite a one man army like Ronaldo who could take on defences by himself or Henry who ran the whole show for Arsenal (20 plus assists in the league one year). From what I've seen there's a difference between seeming unstoppable (yet to be seen in an elite league) and influencing games in multiple areas. That he's exceptional as a goalscorer doesn't change the fact that based on what I've seen he is mostly a goalscorer. And that isn't a slight on him, a goalscorer is often better than an all rounder. But it's fine to acknowledge his limitations too. Gerd Muller was better than many complete players. But the greatest ever complete players were clearly better than him.

 

[laughtersassassin]

Halaand would elevate us more.

The way I see it is unless you already have top class striker then buy Halaand.

Top class strikers are too hard to come by. If there is one available you go for them.

Mbappe is class too but if you want goals Halaand is better

 

[justsomebloke]

Sure, but at the same time he isn't quite a one man army like Ronaldo who could take on defences by himself or Henry who ran the whole show for Arsenal (20 plus assists in the league one year). From what I've seen there's a difference between seeming unstoppable (yet to be seen in an elite league) and influencing games in multiple areas. That he's exceptional as a goalscorer doesn't change the fact that based on what I've seen he is mostly a goalscorer. And that isn't a slight on him, a goalscorer is often better than an all rounder. But it's fine to acknowledge his limitations too. Gerd Muller was better than many complete players. But the greatest ever complete players were clearly better than him.

Yes well, but the point here is that he is not someone who is a goalscorer in the way you'd say that about Gerd Müller, whom he does not resemble at all. That's exactly what I was trying to emphasise. He fundamentally impacts the whole offensive game in the final third, not exactly in the way that Bruno or Ronaldo does, but far beyond his direct goalscoring threat. He does influence th egame in multiple areas, and he makes defences behave differently. Not because he's an elite dribbler or playmaker, but because of the totality of his movement, finishing ability, use of teammates, pace, power and often unconventional decisions. Which again brings me back to the fundamental point about being unorthodox - he's not put together from the usual pieces, and he doesn't fit well into pre-defined categories.

 

[CoolDuckie]

Yes well, but the point here is that he is not someone who is a goalscorer in the way you'd say that about Gerd Müller, whom he does not resemble at all. That's exactly what I was trying to emphasise. He fundamentally impacts the whole offensive game in the final third, not exactly in the way that Bruno or Ronaldo does, but far beyond his direct goalscoring threat. He does influence th egame in multiple areas, and he makes defences behave differently. Not because he's an elite dribbler or playmaker, but because of the totality of his movement, finishing ability, use of teammates, pace, power and often unconventional decisions. Which again brings me back to the fundamental point about being unorthodox - he's not put together from the usual pieces, and he doesn't fit well into pre-defined categories.

I agree with what you are saying. He is something new indeed and that's what makes it so exciting to watch him. I think he would fit perfectly in United's style of playing and would be a huge success. Having Haaland on the team would force a change of opponent tactics. BTW, there is one player that reminds me of some aspects of Haaland: Ruud Gullit !

 

[laughtersassassin]

I found this. I guess it was for Norways youth team.

I don't think that goalkeeper is going to make it

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Yes well, but the point here is that he is not someone who is a goalscorer in the way you'd say that about Gerd Müller, whom he does not resemble at all. That's exactly what I was trying to emphasise. He fundamentally impacts the whole offensive game in the final third, not exactly in the way that Bruno or Ronaldo does, but far beyond his direct goalscoring threat. He does influence th egame in multiple areas, and he makes defences behave differently. Not because he's an elite dribbler or playmaker, but because of the totality of his movement, finishing ability, use of teammates, pace, power and often unconventional decisions. Which again brings me back to the fundamental point about being unorthodox - he's not put together from the usual pieces, and he doesn't fit well into pre-defined categories.

Great goalscorers also put together a lot of things to ensure their top class goalscorer. They didnt just hang around doing feck all until they got the ball. All of these attributes are to do with goalscoring. Most of them at least. How's his weight of pass? How's his playmaking? How easily does he beat a man? How's is hold up play? How many assists does he have? Chance creation? A player fundamentally impacts the whole offensive game should be great at those things too. Like for example, Henry at Arsenal at his peak. It's not a slight on Haaland, just don't think he is complete. He is brilliant like Robben, does a thing teams struggle to contain.

 

[Gehrman]

I think the thing with great players is that they all have their unique playstyle and attributes. Mpabbe's idol might be Ronaldo, but they still have very different playstyles. Mpabbe doesn't excatly remind me of anyone I've seen before despite being awesome for his age. Haaland is also unique doesn't excatly remind of a certain player either. Messi obviously had his tag as Maradonna's heir, and is probably closer to Maradonna's qualities than anyone else, but still I'd say he's a fairly different player. Someone once said that Messi is what you get if Maradonna had grown up in La Mazia and I think that's a fairly accurate assesment. C. Ronaldo is also a fairly unique footballer. He's changed his game over the years and he doesn't remind me of any of the greats that went before him.

Still, I have no doubt that Haaland and Mpbabbe might scoop loads of Ballon D'ors in the years ahead and perhaps even this year if Lewandowski doesn't get it, but I can't imagine either of them ever achieving the full set of skills that Ronaldo and Messi have had through their years.

 

[Siezard]

Haaland is probably better than Mbappe. He reminds me of a faster Harry Kane.

Even if we made Mbappe 1.5 years younger so they are of the same age, I will still take Haaland in almost any team. Haaland shows great hunger and speed in his movement. And he had the skills to show for. The greatest danger to Haaland's career is he may suffer more injuries due to his more lanky frame.

Mbappe may be less injury-prone like that of Messi and CR7.

 

[dinostar77]

This thread is delusional at times when Haaland is being rated as better than Mbappe.

 

[Schneckerl]

This thread is delusional at times when Haaland is being rated as better than Mbappe.

Mbappe had about one great performance in a big game in the last twelve months and barely progressed as a player recently.