New heights of 'monster' Haaland

Benefiting from not participating in Euro

Even before the season started, Erling Haaland's ability to score goals in droves was predicted, as the Norwegian striker was not affected by the Euro 2024 finals. The problem is not just physical. Haaland also comfortably swallowed his own training sessions and friendlies to quickly get a feel for the ball, in order to reach his best form right when the new season starts.

Erling Haaland (left) - excellent scorer in the Premier League

A perfect result: Haaland alone has scored 9 goals for Manchester City (Man City) in just the first 4 rounds, one and a half times more than the total number of goals scored by Arsenal - the opponent that Man City will face in the "super Sunday" match this weekend. In the entire tournament, no other team (other than Man City) has scored 9 goals in the first 4 rounds. In two of the last 4 matches, Haaland scored a hat-trick. He could have scored a hat-trick in 3 consecutive matches, if his second-half shot against Brentford last weekend had gone into the net instead of hitting the post. In the entire tournament, no other player has scored exactly 9 goals since the beginning of the tournament (let alone scored).

Haaland's goal-scoring ability has long been known. The problem is that Haaland has improved his level, to a terrifying level. He may go even further, because this striker is only 24 years old.

This is just the beginning of Haaland's third season playing on English football pitches. Yet he has surpassed the total number of goals in the entire Premier League career of many great players, even legends such as Eric Cantona, Anthony Martial (MU), Luis Suarez, Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool), Gianfranco Zola, Eidur Gudjohnsen (Chelsea), Freddie Ljungberg (Arsenal), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal, Chelsea), Danny Welbeck (MU, Arsenal, Watford, Brighton), Diego Costa (Chelsea, Wolverhampton)... Again, that's just a "roll call" of famous strikers who have played for many years in the Premier League.

Haaland's Premier League goals for Man City are more than his appearances. That's a "dream ratio" in football, one that even Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo can't reach.

Haaland doesn't need to touch the ball!

The essence of the "Haaland phenomenon" is not actually the number of goals scored (although that is already a terrifying number). He scores goals with almost no preparation. No integration. No organization. That is why opponents always know the danger of conceding a goal from Haaland, but cannot stop it.

In his first season in the Premier League, Haaland scored 36 goals (in just 35 appearances). That is the record for the most goals in a season in the Premier League (this league used to have seasons of up to 42 matches, not 38 like today). The number of matches for Haaland to reach the milestone of scoring 50 goals is only 48 matches. The greatest scorer in Premier League history - Alan Shearer - needed 66 matches; Ruud Van Nistelrooy 68 matches; Mohamed Salah 72 matches.

Haaland's goals this season have also sparked a series of debates among experts, about issues surrounding the role of a striker and how to score goals.

In his first match (Man City beat Chelsea 2-0), Haaland scored despite barely participating in the build-up play. He was the first player in Pep Guardiola's entire coaching career to pass the ball just 3 times in 90 minutes. In the match against Ipswich, Haaland passed the ball as many times as he shot: 7. The result: 3 goals!

Haaland’s touch-to-goal ratio is the lowest in elite football (there’s no need to look at the numbers here). His most recent goal was assisted by… goalkeeper Ederson. Seeing Haaland move, Ederson immediately sent a long, high pass from his own penalty area. That’s never a coincidence. And it’s hardly a standard situation in Pep’s coaching style. Haaland has made the world’s most famous coach admit: Sometimes you don’t need a plan to score a goal!

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tam-cao-moi-cua-quai-vat-haaland-185240919233115635.htm