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“His General Play… Has Been Worse at Man City” Erling Haaland’s Stint With Pep Guardiola’s Side Ripped Apart With a Comparison to Former Club

Published 10/19/2023, 12:47 PM EDT

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Erling Haaland has been subpar in the past few weeks at Manchester City. People usually know him for scoring many goals, but his ability apart from scoring is often under question. The Manchester City star has been a significant addition to the team, helping them win many matches. However, a former player criticized the Norwegian for doing worse than his previous club.

Manchester City dropped from 1st to 3rd in the Premier League, drawing much attention to Haaland. Being the top scorer in the last season also made him a contender for this year’s Ballon d’Or against Lionel Messi. But experts have again questioned the star about his skills other than goal-scoring, which can affect Pep Guardiola’s team.

Haaland has been worse than Borussia Dortmund, says an expert

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By losing the firepower in the midfield, we have noticed Pep changing his formation a bit. Since Haaland is not active in the build-up, there is pressure to level up on that aspect. His main assistor, Kevin De Bruyne, and a few other players are injured, leaving Pep frustrated. In view of the team’s recent tactics, a former Premier League player criticized Haaland for not taking enough responsibility for Manchester City.

Stewart Robinson on ESPN FC Extra Time said, “Manchester City likes to play short passes, play through the lines and getting into wide areas and then get crosses in, which suits his goal-scoring, but his general play I think has been worse at Man City than it was at Borussia Dortmund.”

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A fan on Twitter asked the former Arsenal player if Haaland forced Pep Guardiola to go with five defenders and a defensive midfielder. Robinson then responded that Haaland has more potential than simply scoring goals in the box.

Robinson expects Haaland to run with the ball from deeper areas, as he is strong and well-built. The former Arsenal player felt Haaland did better at Dortmund in that way than he is at Manchester City. Stewart also said that Haaland does not go back to the defenders or the goalkeeper, which he needs to.

Haaland’s run in Manchester City

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Haaland has been in the news since his time at Dortmund. But after coming to Manchester City, he started winning major trophies.

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The 22-year-old has won the European Golden Boot and Player of the Year Awards already. Haaland is already the top scorer in the Premier League this year with eight goals.

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Manchester City won the treble last year but with injuries and a few crucial players leaving, the Guardiola-led side had a few issues. With the Champions League and Premier League set to resume this week, Haaland will look to regain his form now, especially when his team needs him the most.

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Written by:

Ruthu

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Ruthu has a deep passion for soccer, particularly for Arsenal Football Club and the legendary Lionel Messi. With a fervent interest in sports journalism, he enjoys covering soccer from around the world. Alongside his dedication to soccer, Ruthu has a professional background as a qualified Clinical Pharmacist.
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Edited by:

Abhishek Das