He’s iconic.
They’re very lucky to have him.
They’re very lucky to have him.
Nordic Ghost Yeti (Scandi Carroll) | Haaland at City
- Thread starter Samid
- Start date
Total bollocksIf he didn't sub him out everytime he'd be breaking 80 goals for the season and win the balon d'or, but nooooo, can't have him take that from his precious messi. The coward
He‘s got UCL, PL, FA cup, why would Pep risk Haaland unnecessarily?
If Haaland gets injured it would most certainly feck City’s season.
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What do you think
I missed that, I hope you are right! It will be very hard for us to win the league while Haaland is playing for City.
Arsenal must have missed the memo.
They are going to miss the trophy, too. I doubt they will manage to get a draw away at City.
But the really scary thing is that Haaland is only 22 and this is his first year in the PL. He may actually get better in the next few years.
If he keeps scoring at the same rate, he'll break Shearers record in 6 more seasons.
That's a rough estimate
Did you not read "supreme goalscorer".
RB Salzburg has been the most dominant team in Austria since 2013 and remains so today.
Dortmund were the second best team in the Bundesliga when he was there and remain so today.
So, of the 2 other teams he played for, Dortmund was perhaps a little less than perfect but better than anyone else bar Bayern and he wasn't the top scorer in any of his 3 seasons there.
There is no doubting his goalscoring ability but Im very sure he wouldn't put up these numbers playing for any other side in the Premier league. He'd have nowhere near enough chances created or balls bouncing in the 6 yard box for him to score from. I mean City scored 99 goals last season without a striker.
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The bastard will break all PL goal records in his very first season, wont he?
It's over. The world of men will fall, and all will come to darkness, my city to ruin.
It's over. The world of men will fall, and all will come to darkness, my city to ruin.
I don't think its necessary for you to downplay Haaland as footballer, given that he is not your ideal type of footballer who could also dribble and pass, even though you have recognised him as top goalscorer (but not as top footballer).
As goalscorer his goalscoring record has been phenomenal in any team/competition he played for, at an unprecedented rate, and he is just 22. I have never seen anyone so dominant at his age, since probably L.Ronaldo. Even as footballer the way he bully defenders and keepers, I don't think have seen anything similar, even though he is not conventional type of elite footballers who would use his skills/tricks/dribbling/ball control/talents to win the duel against defenders, but rather he beat defenders with his unmatched pace, strength and physicality.
Age: 22
Norway - 21 goals in 23 games
Salzburg - 29 goals in 27 games
Dortmund - 86 goals in 89 games
City - 47 goals in 40 games
CL - 34 goals in 26 games
Its totally out of this world.
I mean, even you are trying to argue he is playing for dominant side, then how do you explain his record in CL?
Salzburg - 8 goals in 6 CL games
Dortmund - 15 goals in 13 CL games
City - 11 goals in 7 CL games
Its fecking extraordinary, more than a goals per game in any teams he played for in CL. Don't tell me Salzburg and Dortmund is dominant side in CL, they clearly are not, Haaland is truly generational talent with potential to reach GOAT status, but not quite in conventional way (as he is not a dribbler or playmaker).
Ahead of him is all about consistency and longevity, if he managed anything near the fitness level/consistency/longevity of Ronaldo and Messi over next decade or so, we could be witnessing the greatest goalscorer ever here, and probably the potential to become top 10 GOAT too. He is most definitely comparable to the likes of Muller and Puskas.
So lets compare him with the 2 other greatest goalscorer ever at same age:
Haaland at 22:
203+ goals in 206+ games
Muller at 22: (top 10-15 in GOAT)
150 goals in 149 games (including 51 goals in 30 games in lower league - 7th tier German league today)
Puskas at 22-23: (top 10 in GOAT)
217 goals in 191 games (assume its easier to score during 40s, as standard of football are much lower during that time)
Well, no not really. Paying him a fecktonne off the books doesn't constitute luck.
It's a bizarre situation where a phenomenon is in the league and at a club illegally, but is doing his bit to secure his own legend... albeit in a team that should never have been assembled and whose achievements this - and any other - season should be struck off.
There were pages upon pages of posts in this thread stating Haaland is holding City back or that he doesn't fit in. Without doing a Wumminator billion multi-quotes thing, do those same posters uphold their view?
In recent weeks, City have snatched the mantle of playing the best football in Europe from Napoli... all with Haaland leading the charge. How, Sway?
In recent weeks, City have snatched the mantle of playing the best football in Europe from Napoli... all with Haaland leading the charge. How, Sway?
If Gerd Muller, one of the greatest goalscorers of all time can't get into the top tier GOAT convos, despite his achievements, Haaland will not either. Muller top scored at the 70 World Cup with 10, top scored at the 72 Euros as Germany won, and scored the winning goal in 74 World Cup Final against Cruyffs Oranje. Add to this 3 European cups, over 700 career goals and a Balon Dor. Haaland will not surpass this. He can perhaps squeeze into the the top 20 of all time convo but he'll have to keep this up for a mighty few years yet. All this comparison talk with ll phenomeno is just silly, Ronaldo was on a different planet as a footballer.
Norway has two w
This is just bullshit. Total bullshit.
He has been scoring everywhere. Hes goals to minutes been remarkable all the way.
He was killing it against the big clubs when he already was Salsburg. Even then the big clubs wanted him.
Hes soon to be Norways top scorer of all time, and that is not close to the best teams Norway had.
Just accept there is possible to be a great football player that dont need your "footballer" atributes.
Haaland gives you alot to think about?
This is just bullshit. Total bullshit.
He has been scoring everywhere. Hes goals to minutes been remarkable all the way.
He was killing it against the big clubs when he already was Salsburg. Even then the big clubs wanted him.
Hes soon to be Norways top scorer of all time, and that is not close to the best teams Norway had.
Just accept there is possible to be a great football player that dont need your "footballer" atributes.
Yes, but you’re making it sound like rebounds and half-chances in the 6 yard box are something only top teams get a lot of. Kevin Phillips and Jamie Vardy are some of many examples who prove that’s not true. Those are the kinds of chances that require the least amount of skill to create. Potshots from distance, crossed fired into the area, long balls bouncing around; that’s how Phillips got his goals. That’s what’s so valuable about that kind of skill.
Teams like Bournemouth create those half-chances game after game but have no-one to finish them. If Haaland finish them they’d be dismissed as just tap-ins, as if just about anyone could do that if they were presented the same chances, but most players don’t manage to meet those chances. Bournemouth not having anyone there to finish those chances makes a huge difference. Haaland would score a boatload of goals for a team like Bournemouth, that’s obvious. Downplaying his record is incredibly childish.
That is smart though. Pep is managing him well I think, because at Dortmund he was often picking up muscle injuries that would sideline him for periods. Which is why you can't be sure that if he played 90 minutes once or twice a week every single week that he would have this or that amount of goals because he probably would be getting injured more often, given his history. What people forget about the success of his predecessors in outrageous scoring (Messi and Ronaldo) is that when they got going, they were almost never injured (especially Ronaldo).
Yeah because Norway are an all-dominating footballing nation.
You can try and minimise his achievements until you go blind but it won’t change anything. He will score goals at any level for any team.
This thread is a painful (and somewhat bemusing) reminder of the muppetry we had going when we were hoping Haaland would choose to play for United under Ole.
This season for City, he's already featured in almost half of the total number of games that he played in during his entire time at Dortmund (3 years) and the season isn't even close to being over yet.
He's going to break ever post WW2 goalscoring record in England. Makes Van Nistelrooy's 2003 and Ronaldo's 2008 look so pedestrian in comparison
He's tied Rush's 47 goal mark and is 2 away from Allen's 49. I wonder whether he has a chance to get 62 (which would put him second most to Messi's 73) in the modern era.
He's tied Rush's 47 goal mark and is 2 away from Allen's 49. I wonder whether he has a chance to get 62 (which would put him second most to Messi's 73) in the modern era.
I am happy the day he transfer away from them.
Sure, but even becoming top 10 GOAT in this coming era would be great achievement. Why should people expecting him to challenge Pele, Messi as top 1 GOAT? He doesn't really have to. He could win 30+ trophies with City, won a few CL, broke many many goalscoring scoring records, that alone would be quite extraordinary. Who knows, he might even become the first ever player to reach 1000 goals milestone (from real games, not including pre-seasons friendlies of course), if he could keep this up over next decades+ or so, and avoid any major injuries. I think that could give him a chance to challenge for top 10 GOAT spots.
And no I don't think it is silly to compare him with L.Ronaldo. At their age, they are both unstoppable. Apparently L.Ronaldo is far more talented as a footballer, but in terms of impact on the pitch, they are both same dominant at similar age, but in a different way.
And at end of the day L.Ronaldo wasn't even widely regarded as top 10 GOAT due to his very short peak and bad injuries.
Not sure about any of this…. “paying him off the books” ….“at a club illegally” ….”a team that should never have been assembled”.
You‘re assuming a hell of a lot, based on what evidence?
Huh? He's averaged a goal a game throughout his career even for Norway, how the hell did you come to this conclusion?
Yes he was. He is always in the top few when it comes to these goat conversations and just about any greatest ever team features him as the number 9. Haaland could do similar. He's not as talented but if he keeps this scoring rate up and doesn't get injured...
No it isn't Bullshit. He is undoubtedly a great goalscorer (I don't dispute that he may go on to set multiple scoring tecords) but as I said playing for City who scored 99 without a striker last season is absolutely elevating his numbers, a reflection of their dominance. At Dortmund, his numbers were great but he was never top scorer in the 3 seasons he played for them. As for Norway, he has played and scored mostly vs weak opponents.
Of the 25 goals in the champions league, 14 are vs teams outside the top 6 (including Portuguese) leagues. And 4 vs what I'd call good sides (2 vs PSG, 1 vs Liverpool, 1 vs Dortmund) depending on the time he played against those teams. You can make it 6 goals if you add Napoli. The rest have come against average to poor sides.
My take on Haaland is quite simply that he'd be amazing interms of goals for sides that are much better than the opponent as City are pretty much every match. The reason is because he is not the type to create his own goals unlike someone like Henry or Luis Ronaldo (pre injury). In addition, he doesn't create for others or bring others into the game.
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Well most likely its recency bias with nostalgia reason (as L.Ronaldo could have been the greatest without injuries).
But I really think Haaland, if he could keep that up for another decade or so, could replace L.Ronaldo as number 9 in greatest ever team discussion. A no.9/striker who managed to score 800+ career goals (my expectation on Haaland), should always be better than a striker with just 414 career goals.
Then in that case, why is Gerd Muller not considered greater than Ronaldo? Haaland will likely never achieve what Muller achieved (can you see him do what Mullerdid in WC70 for example?). Regardless of goals and trophies, Haaland will likely never be considered greater than Ronaldo. He doesn't have the raw ability, skillset and game to sit in a worlds best ever 11 alongside Pele, Diego, Messi et al. He would look like a fish out of water next to them. By 1998, and aged 21, II Phenomeno had already reached a level on the football pitch only touched by a handful in the previous 30 years, he was truly incredible. Haaland at the same age isn't even considered better than his contemporary Mbappe, a world cup winner at 19 and top 10 in the Balon Dor in the last 5 years, not to mention what he did at the last World Cup.
Top 10 to 20 GOAT might be possible if he keeps up his trajectory. I can't ever imagine him in the GOAT 5 - 10 tier alongside the Cruyffs, Beckenbauers and Di Stefanos. They were truly revolutionary.
From my research his goals for Norway have come against Austria, Northern Ireland, Netherlands, Latvia, Gibraltar, Slovakia, Armenia, Serbia, Sweden, Slovenia. Of these, only Netherlands and Serbia qualified for the World Cup.
You know Norway hasn’t qualified for shit in 23 years? In other words, we’re not smacking minnows, we’re playing against teams that will give us a match.
And as has been pointed out, Ronaldo’s tally would be less pretty for Portugal without the likes of Liechtenstein… so what?
It is silly to compare Ronaldo and Haaland. Ronaldo to Messi would be a better comparison than that.
He's first class. My only consolation is he isn't with The Mickey's tbh.
Did I say he won't?. He has the instincts of a goalscorer and he will go on to set records but undoubtedly playing for City is elevating his numbers by quite abit. That is my argument.
There is some degree of nostalgia when it comes to L. Ronaldo, but it's impossible to accept that Haaland is the better footballer at 22.
Total bollocks
He‘s got UCL, PL, FA cup, why would Pep risk Haaland unnecessarily?
If Haaland gets injured it would most certainly feck City’s season.
I read yesterday that Man City have a team of people on him 24/7 - Drs, nutritionists, physios and general 'minders' to safeguard their asset and ensure he is fit to play as much as possible.
I think Man Utd should do likewise with Martial.
I think people are being overly critical. Failing to become the single greatest footballer ever isn't a failure. He's never going to be Messi or Maradona, but what's wrong with breaking into the top 10.
I think the comparison with Muller is a little off-base because Muller was playing with someone who was clearly a better footballer in the same time period, which "hurt" his legacy. With Haaland, there's no teammate of his who is regarded as a better player (and probably no other player on the planet besides possibly Mbappe as we move forward. This will in all likelihood by Messi's last great year).
So Haaland has a good chance of getting multiple balon dor's and that will help his legacy.
I think the comparison with Muller is a little off-base because Muller was playing with someone who was clearly a better footballer in the same time period, which "hurt" his legacy. With Haaland, there's no teammate of his who is regarded as a better player (and probably no other player on the planet besides possibly Mbappe as we move forward. This will in all likelihood by Messi's last great year).
So Haaland has a good chance of getting multiple balon dor's and that will help his legacy.
Just like Lewandowski when he joined Bayern, Mbappe when he joined PSG etc. Obviously a great player is going to post their best scores in the dominating teams.
I agree but there's a plethora of footballers who have Ronaldo Nazario as a top 4-5 player all time. Saying that Haaland isn't Brazilian Ronaldo isn't really a criticism. He doesn't have to be as good as Ronaldo (he isnt) to be an all time great.
Well as I've said, there's recency bias there as most people today wouldn't have chance to watch Muller play week in week out. Plus there's also nostalgia reason, as peak L.Ronaldo, in most people's mind, could have the talent/career to match that of Pele. Its a pity he was badly injured for years, and never the same player again. And thirdly, the fact that Cruyff and Beckenbauer were playing in the same era as Muller, means that he wasn't even considered the best player during his time (early mid 70s), while L.Ronaldo was clearly the best player during his time (mid late 90s during his very peak, before his injuries).
Should there be no real challenge for best players title during Haaland time (Well Mbappe could be his challenge though), he could be regarded as the best player in mid late 2020s, that would give him big advantage over L.Ronaldo to be regarded as best no.9 ever should he score insane no. of goals over next decades or so.
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This is just dumb, you can't say a player is worse than the other because he's Norwegian and not German.
Playing for Man City is obviously a good spot for a striker but I don't see any significant elevation in his numbers due to that. He scored 13 in 15, 27 in 28 and 22 in 24 in Bundesliga, now he's at 32 in 28 this season. He's also so young that he can naturally improve and probably hasn't reached his ceiling yet. He's not very elegant to watch but he doesn't have to be, he's a ruthless goalscorer. He's a legend in the making and if he can stay fit he will absolutely be one of the best footballers to have ever played the game.