Manager blames congested calendar for striker’s poor scoring form
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola wants the media to stop laying into striker Erling Haaland about his goalscoring form.
Haaland has one of the most impressive goal-return rates the Premier League has ever seen but the Norwegian has also become a victim of his success, judged by his extraordinarily high standards.
His non-penalty goal drought has drawn attention. Haaland has scored only once from open play since 20 December, a run of 13 games. He has scored three goals in that period but two of those have come from the penalty spot.
“We cannot forget he’s not 29, 30 years old,” said Guardiola. “He’s young and it’s part of the process. Every season he lives, he’s a better player for the next one. How he knows his body better, how he knows what it means to play every day.
“We cannot forget the last games. Maybe he doesn’t have the numbers that he wants, but we are in the position that we are thanks to him.
“For three-quarters of the season, if he didn’t score, I don’t know who’s going to score. We are in the position in the Champions League, and especially in the Premier League, without Erling it would not be possible.”
Haaland essentially dragged City through all competitions for the first half of the season, scoring 25 goals in 23 appearances. Despite a tougher time in front of goal in recent weeks, he was the match winner last weekend, his coolly taken penalty handing City a comeback win at Anfield.
“It’s not easy; Anfield, 91, 92 minutes, and the situation that we have, taken there and taken with this composure, his body language,” Guardiola said.
“In his eyes there was fire there, and it’s not easy. That defines the good players. Hopefully he can be lifted. And the reason why he is tired, a little bit down, it’s down to one reason – the calendar. So no more than that.”
Haaland has played 36 games in all competitions so far, nearly 3,000 minutes, and is understandably exhausted. But the Norwegian has also held himself to his very high standards.
“I haven’t scored enough goals since the start of this year and I know that I need to improve,” Haaland said last weekend. “I know I need to be more sharp, better at all of this and this is something that I have to work on. I have to keep going because this is what everyone deserves and expects.
“I don’t want to speak about why I haven’t performed. I don’t think there’s any excuse. Fatigue is a lot in the head. It is a lot of games. Look at the schedule: it’s not easy. For me, it’s about staying fit, don’t get injured. That’s the most important thing. And try to be ready to help the team.”
