Haaland solves all City's problems

Straight

Erling Haaland is a physical wonder.

But his great power lies in his brain.

Few players this powerful have been able to record more data in less time when it comes to attacking space.

He had time to look twice at Gundogan and twice at the central defenders and the goalkeeper, while he turned to start his race towards the heart of the area.

When the midfielder gave him the pass, the striker was already launched, out of the reach of his markers, and ready to reach the ball in a timely manner with all the information in his head.

His master touch anticipated Areola and the goalkeeper gave him a penalty.

Haaland had just received the first pass into space from his teammates.

It was enough for him to scrap West Ham's iron defense and completely change the landscape of Manchester City's debut match in the Premier.

WHAWest Ham

0

Fabianski (Areola, min. 28), Ben Johnson, Cresswell, Zouma, Coufal, Jarrod Bowen (Flynn Downes, min. 91), Declan Rice, Tomas Soucek, Fornals (Conor Coventry, min. 91), Lanzini (Benrahma, min. . 56) and Michail Antonio (Gianluca Scamacca, min. 56)

MNC M. City

two

Ederson Moraes, Cancelo, Aké, Rúben Dias, Walker, Rodrigo (Kalvin Phillips, min. 88), Gündogan (Bernardo Silva, min. 77), De Bruyne (Cole Palmer, min. 87), Grealish, Foden (Mahrez, min. . 87) and Erling Braut Haaland (Julián Álvarez, min. 77)

Goals

0-1 min.

35: Erling Braut Haland.

0-2 min.

64: Erling Braut Haland.

Referee

Michael Oliver

Yellow cards I cancel (min. 47)

The play of the 0-1 penalty, which he himself executed, defines Haaland's relief in this City.

His action meant much more than a goal.

He solved a few problems with a stroke of the pen.

If there is a sticky opponent in their field, it is West Ham, perhaps the only team in the English championship that is capable of giving up the ball without embarrassment and maintaining competitive tension without fainting.

A bad client to start the season.

Bad rival for City, who arrived in London with a few mismatched pieces.

The substitution of Bernardo Silva, his most frequent accomplice in training, was bad news for the Norwegian.

Haaland can do everything well on a football pitch, but to be unbalanced he needs partners.

Silva is the first, but his discontent seems manifest since Guardiola started putting him off in 2020. The manager's choices favored Grealish, who does not have much vision, Gundogan, who is out of shape, and De Bruyne, who lacks physical background has reduced its radius of action to the second point.

As if realizing that his midfield lacked elasticity, Guardiola deployed his two full-backs on Rodri's flanks, and City gained control while thickening their circulation.

West Ham's counterattacks fizzled out but when City had the ball they lacked lucidity.

It cannot be otherwise if the player who touches her the most is Cancelo.

The game progressed at a snail's pace when after half an hour Gundogan received time between the lines and Haaland sniffed the gap.

The goal was a prodigy within the reach of a unique striker.

“When he attacks space he is like Ronaldo Nazario,” said Roy Keane, United's old midfielder, stationed in the stands of the Olympic Stadium.

The 0-1 unblocked the match.

With spaces, in the second part, West Ham had no choice but to open up.

With the lanes open, Haaland sharpened his fang, which took off with a pass from De Bruyne to the back of the center-backs.

They didn't find him anymore.

His one-touch definition was so fast, after changing the profile in the run, that neither the goalkeeper nor the defenders had time to react.

The first game of the championship is always crucial.

City put him on track with difficulties thanks to two appearances by Haaland, the first 'crack' that Guardiola signed in his career as coach.

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