The image that Erling Haaland built at Man City is that of a striker “hung up” in the penalty area, needing only 1-2 touches to score. But at this time, the Norwegian striker also perfected his long-range shooting skills, helping him increase his damage many times.
In the goal party against Bournemouth last weekend, Haaland was either present or not. Even though his teammates scored 3 goals in the first half, the Norwegian striker did not participate in any situations before leaving the field after the break to prevent injury.
But not letting those negative memories hold him back for too long, Haaland returned to the starting lineup in the match against Young Boys and immediately “cleared the air”. Of course, the opponent was not strong, but his performance was really impressive.
The former Dortmund striker showed accuracy on the penalty spot in the first half and then a powerful swing from outside the penalty area to put the ball into the top corner in the second half. Witnessing that shot, coach Pep Guardiola was shocked. surprised.
It was not a typical Haaland tackle. Usually when he touches the ball outside the penalty area, Haaland will “turn on the radar” to look for teammates on the wings to pass the ball, then move quickly inside and wait for a cross or cross. But this time, Haaland had a ball pass and then took a decisive shot.
This was Haaland’s fourth goal from outside the penalty area this season, showing that he is gradually “evolving”, not limiting himself to just the 16m50 area. In addition to the impressive finish, the 23-year-old striker’s ability to coordinate with surrounding satellites is also highly appreciated. Haaland has perfected his skill set of pressing, building walls, and creating space for teammates to advance. The skillful combination with Kovacic in the first half showed Haaland’s very good vision.
In particular, Haaland’s Champions League charm was once again shown. This was Haaland’s 39th goal in just 34 Champions League matches. At the age of 23, he entered the Top 20 best strikers in the history of this tournament.
Haaland finding his best feeling on the ball is a great preparation for Man City before entering a series of extremely challenging matches. This weekend, The Citizens will have to visit Chelsea – the team that just defeated Tottenham.
After the national team gathering, Man City will continuously meet Liverpool, RB Leipzig, Tottenham and Aston Villa. None of the opponents on this list are easy to play, but as long as Haaland maintains his current form, Man City has the right to aim to win all of those matches.