On August 27 2022 20:25 DropBear wrote:
Be interesting to see how Shakhtar go. Will the desire to fight overcome the player drain and lack of home ground advantage?

If it is anything close to what dinamo kiev did against Benfica, then is pretty much a walkover. Obviously its not their fault, but the whole situation has crippled the teams too much to expect anything out of them.

It was pretty much a free 3rd team in CL for Portugal.

gTank

Austria2666 Posts

August 28 2022 15:36 GMT

#374

Wonder what all the haters say now, after bashing Haaland that he is not good enough for the premier league ^^

Pandemona

Charlie Sheens House51493 Posts

August 28 2022 16:57 GMT

#375

On August 29 2022 00:36 gTank wrote:
Wonder what all the haters say now, after bashing Haaland that he is not good enough for the premier league ^^

Don't think they really existed. Was more Liverpool fans after everyone was bashing Nunez for looking weak and missing sitters in pre season.

His 3rd goal yesterday was perfection for a premier league striker, was reminding me of Drogba, being strong to hold off two players, technically sound to take the touch and get through the two players, then the composure to slot the ball home, was brilliant.

Haaland's only question mark is if his body can hold up.

Bacillus

Finland2110 Posts

August 28 2022 17:13 GMT

#376

Yeah, apart from the injury record, there has not really been much to worry about.

I don't think his profile looks like a typical City or Guardiola player, but I don't think it really was going to be any long term issue with the ability he had already demonstrated in Dortmund years. It felt like he might need a bit more time to get going - and he may still hit some quiet stints - but the overall ability seemed pretty undeniable already before the transfer.

Deleted User 173346

16169 Posts

August 28 2022 17:25 GMT

#377

--- Nuked ---

sharkie

Austria18748 Posts

August 28 2022 18:06 GMT

#378

I dont think anyone underrates Haaland, hes done it in champions league and for his national team.

Liquid`Drone

Norway28894 Posts

August 28 2022 18:30 GMT

#379

Ya, since he turned 18, he's been doing just about 1 goal per game everywhere -
for national teams, U18 he's 6 in 6, U19 6 in 6, u20 11 in 5, senior team 20 goals in 21 games. (That one is kinda absurd for Norway - in modern times, our second best average goal per game is Solskjær with 0.34.)

For club teams he's at 17 goals in 16 league games for Salzburg, 62 goals in 68 league games for Dortmund, and 23 goals in 19 appearances in the Champions league.

Injuries are indeed a question mark - but if you've watched City squander chance after chance last season and you've watched any amount of Haaland these past years, his start with City shouldn't be much of a surprise to anyone.

WombaT

Northern Ireland27381 Posts

August 28 2022 19:09 GMT

#380

Guy is just absurd and every step up in level he makes he keeps basically the same numbers. He was going a goal a game even with Salzburg in the Champion’s League.

Aside from ‘how do City fit him in?’ and his injury record not being amazing, most doubts I’ve seen expressed about him come from the rather ridiculous assessment of the Bundesliga as a ‘farmer’s league’, a phrase I really have grown to loathe.