Haaland performed poorly in 75 minutes on the pitch in Norway’s friendly match against the Czech Republic (1-2). The 23-year-old striker had only one shot on goal out of three, did not dribble, lost two-thirds of his aerial duels, and only passed the ball accurately 13 times out of 18 (72%).
At Manchester City, Haaland’s 29 goals in 34 matches since the start of the season remain a sought number among Europe’s elite attackers. However, everybody can tell that it is no longer the “destroyer” of last season. Haaland of the 2023/24 season is no longer physically fit, misses more opportunities in front of the opponent’s goal, and is emotionally unstable.
“I am no longer seeing Haaland from last season. His style of play, running, and determination have changed from what Haaland demonstrated during his treble-winning season. Last season, Haaland sprinted and fought for the ball like a ferocious tiger, frustrating defenders. This season, that no longer happens,” said former player William Gallas.
Haaland’s statistics remain impressive. In the Premier League, this striker has 18 goals and 5 assists in 23 games, averaging one goal per game. The same thing happened in the Champions League, with six goals and one assist in seven matches. However, Haaland has had his fair share of poor performances, most notably against Chelsea, Copenhagen, and, most recently, Newcastle in the FA Cup.
It’s difficult to use the term “crisis” to describe a striker who recently scored five goals against Luton. But look at Pep Guardiola’s compassion for his favorite student. The Manchester City captain has mentioned Haaland’s deterioration several times this season, and he has even warned the Norwegian squad against overusing the Manchester City striker.
Compared to himself, Haaland is no longer the “destructive robot” from previous season. Haaland scored 13 additional goals last season, between a series of national team matches, before round 30 of the Premier League and the quarterfinals of the Champions League. Of the Norwegian striker’s 52 goals in the 2022/23 season, 42 were scored between July and March. This season, Haaland has scored only 29 goals.
Haaland has an anticipated goals index of 22.05 in the Premier League and 7.74 in the Champions League. In truth, the Manchester City striker has only 18 goals in England’s top flight this season and 6 in Europe’s most famous league. Clearly, expectations were not met, and the misses became increasingly frequent.
Haaland’s physical condition is also problematic. The Manchester City striker no longer dominates sprints and duels. In the game against Liverpool, Haaland lost both duels with Van Dijk. Last season, Haaland missed only five games due to injury. This season, Haaland had to miss 13 games due to physical issues and ailments.
What should Haaland do to recover his greatest form? Nobody will be able to answer this question while the 23-year-old striker continues to have a busy schedule at Manchester City. Haaland is still dealing with bodily ramifications from a severely sublimating season. Remember, there is only one week till the great showdown against Arsenal.