Erling Haaland analysis; Five Reasons he’s the best player in the world today

“My super strength is scoring” – Erling Haaland

Erling Haaland just wrapped up one of the most dominant individual seasons in modern history.

The Nordic Viking half man, half human, scored 58 goals in 59 games in all competitions for Manchester City and Norway.

Breaking the single season goalscoring record in the Premier League with 36 goals and finishing top scorer in the Champions League with 12 goals.

He’s now the joint favourite to win the 2023 Ballon D’or.

Historically the award goes to the best player on the planet.

In this video I’ve analysed 5 aspects Haaland’s game and asked is he the worlds best player right now?

#1 Old fashioned #9

In the last decade modern football has moved away from the classic number nines and instead we’ve seen false-nines and wide-forwards be the foundation of elite teams offenses.

Haaland is a throwback to the days of big, strong, physically imposing centre-forwards.

He has given Guradiola the option to go long and use his physicality – holding up the ball, while also being a terrifying box presence for defenders to deal with.

Haaland scored 7 headers in the league was 2nd to only Harry Kane for headed goals.

At 6 foot 5, he has the athleticism, size and. strength to win any 1 v 1 duels.

He also scored 10 penalties in all competitions and is Manchester City best penalty taker since Yaya Toure.

Penalties are something all the great #9s need the likes of Ronaldo, Lewandowski, Shearer, all take penalties.

#2 Tap ins – Poacher goals

One of Haaland’s most memorable games of the season, came against RB Leipzig in the Champions League, where he matched Messi record of 5 goals in Champions League match, doing so in 57 minutes, all goals were inside the box, two-inside the six-yard box.

It was a performance that reminded me of a Rudd Van-Nistelrooy, Pippo Inzaghi – the ultimate goal poachers performance.

Haaland does not need to be involved in the build up to score goals – he scored back to back hat-tricks earlier this season verse C. Palace and N.Forest having a grand total of 32 touches in both games.

Some use his lack of touches as a stick to beat him with, critiquing his game for being two one-dimensional.

I disagree Haaland for this City side simply is not needed in the build-up, for Dortmund and Salzburg he was a lot more involved, because the team played through Haaland on the counter-attack.

A look at Haaland’s goal map and you can see it’s not a coincidence where he scores his goals – he is a devastatingly effective box poacher who despite being the subject of every teams scouting report finds space to score.

Scoring Tap-ins might not be sexy but it’s in and of itself an art form.

Being in the right place at the right time is no coincidence.

Haaland puts himself in the position to score and then reacts quicker than anybody when the chance arrives.

He has that predatory instinct of knowing where the ball is going to fall.

#3 Power Runs in behind defensive lines / Sprints in the box

A foundational piece of Haaland game are his sprints in the final third over 5-yards.

According to Opta Joe; Haaland led the Premier league in off-ball sprints into the penalty box with 349.

If he has space to run into he’s more than capable of blasting past multiple defenders or shrugging them off and getting through on goal .

I call them power runs, they are the foundation of Haaland’s game – watch Manchester City play and Haaland is constantly on the shoulders of defenders getting ready to run through teams like a gazelle. His speed over 5-yards is video game level.

He offers a City a devastating counter attacking threat with his pace.

#4 DeBruyne x Haaland combo

The DeBruyne x Haaland combo was City’s ultimate weapon.

DeBruyne the best individual creator in the league and Haaland the best individual scorer, meant it was always a partnership that was destined to flourish.

DeBruyne between the lines with Haaland running into space (like this against West Ham) on that opening day of the season showed how devastating the combination can be.

With Haaland, DeBruyne has a a direct target for his delicious deliveries.

KDB creating – Haaland finishing.

Manchester City 4–1 mauling of Arsenal saw Haaland turn provider – holding the ball up and finding DeBruyne charging into space, it was the big man x little man combo that links back to Haaland as a dominant #9 and brings me to my fifth and final factor of Haaland’s game.

#5 Playmaking

Haaland had 7 assists in all competitions a solid number for a player whose whole game is built around scoring.

But I’d argue his playmaking abilities come more from the fact he is a decoy for the opposition defense, drawing centre-backs to him, forcing double teams, bringing players out of position and opening up passing lanes. for Jack Grealish or Bernardo Silva.

Guradiola compared Haaland to hybird of Zlatan Ibrahimovic/Johan Cruyff earlier in the season and his ability to blend his size and athleticism with touch and composure is part of what makes Haaland such a unique talent.

Conclusion

The final piece of Haaland’s game is his confidence, his mentality, the unnerving self-belief.

Watching Haaland aged 22, you feel he can go on to achieve every goal scoring feat a – 7 goal game, a 5 minute hat-trick, 50 league goals.

How can you put a ceiling a player whose already broke so many records?

The single season scoring record, 4 PL hat-tricks, fasted player to score 30 goals in CL history.

We’re talking about a player who at age 22 is one of one – a generational talent who has the chance to be one of the best players of all-time.

Ballon D’or or no Ballon D’or – the Erling Haaland era has arrived.