Pep Guardiola said as long ago as March that Manchester City needed a centre-forward.
Now, with Erling Haaland on his way from Borussia Dortmund this summer, the Catalan will have his man.
"You say we play fantastically well without a No.9 because we win," Guardiola told the BBC.
"When we don't, you say we're missing a striker."
Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards, who is now a pundit on TV in England, believes Haaland will take the Citizens to the next level.
"He will take City's game to another dimension," said Richards.
"He'll put pressure on defenders, he'll be a threat on crosses and he'll hold up the ball and open up gaps like no striker in the team.
"Now, they miss a lot of chances. They won't with him. I don't buy that he doesn't fit the style."
Haaland will be the front man in Guardiola's two favoured setups (4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1) and could even play in a 4-4-2 formation with Gabriel Jesus - if he stays at the club - or with new arrival Julian Alvarez.
Manchester City's top goalscorer
Alan Shearer, a legendary English forward, has nothing but praise for Haaland.
"A striker like him, with the chances City generate, will score 40 goals a season," Shearer told The Athletic.
"They are a great team without a No.9 and with one they will be almost perfect.
"They press and steal the ball high up the pitch and Erling Haaland will take advantage of that."
Haaland's numbers are frightening. He is close to the average of one goal per game at Borussia Dortmund (85 in 88), a rate he already surpassed with Red Bull Salzburg (29 in 27).
His 28 goals in 29 games this season with Dortmund, in which he has missed 16 games through injury, better the 24 of Riyad Mahrez, this season's top scorer for City.
Guardiola and the false No.9
Since he dazzled by winning the sextuple at Barcelona, Guardiola has not always been faithful to the classic centre-forwards.
Samuel Eto'o, Thierry Henry, David Villa and Zlatan Ibrahimovic were displaced from centre-forward by Lionel Messi. Robert Lewandowski was immovable from the moment he joined Bayern Munich... but before that Guardiola used Franck Ribery, Mario Gotze and Thomas Muller up front.
And at City, despite having had Sergio Aguero, he has tried a number of other options.
Phil Foden (21 appearances), Gabriel Jesus (17), Jack Grealish (16), Raheem Sterling (15), Mahrez (nine), Bernardo Silva (five), Ferran Torres (four) and Cole Palmer (one) have been his No.9s in the Premier League this year, following the departure of Aguero. They wanted to sign Harry Kane last summer.
"I've always had a striker in my teams," Guardiola said.
"Just like a goalkeeper, being a striker is a specialist job. And I always play with one."
Now, he will have one of the best in the business.
"He will come for a long time and I am sure he will fit perfectly into our team," Guardiola said of Haaland.
"He is an incredible young talent and he is at the perfect age."
In Pep's puzzle, Haaland will fit well.
Tancdilmsy
1
we need defenders
AbubakrGH
0
wait and watch... Haaland have so many assisters
Mancity will trash minimum 4 or 5 goals ahead with Haaland ...
like Everton and Brighton matches decided by one side game 10-0 and 8-0
Omg...!
πππWe'll see
SubashChandru
0
Guardiola also use Aguero and Lewandosky
what u said before... Useless and not scoring, not have technical,.... Lukaku also good player. Pulisic and Werner before think., why pass Lukaku selfish Chelsea
SubashChandru
0
Who said am doubting haaland's quality. I said he is a ruthless goal machine. And please pep don't teach players to be what they weren't. He buys those who already know how to do it. Grealish, cancelo and all those you mentioned were all wonderful before coming to city. We are talking too much let just wait and see
wait and watch... Haaland have so many assisters
Mancity will trash minimum 4 or 5 goals ahead with Haaland ...
like Everton and Brighton matches decided by one side game 10-0 and 8-0
Omg...!
AbubakrGH
0
Do u think We have produce so many crosses into the box... so many crooses cannot finished... Bylinear balls cannot convert after Aguero... we haven't regular panalty taker like Jorhinho or Salah... we haven't Header goal 6 yard box., De Bruyne and Cancelo produce inch perfect crosses who score header? this cross goes to protect by Grealish or Foden saves opponent throw... we cannot win with false 9 every games. so, Mancity trigger to get Striker last summer Kane and CR7 failed... u think only golden boot already, we haven't proper striker... every team have Strikers... 2012 somany people blame Liverpool (Luiz Suarez not a good striker, somany people doubt about Suarez) same as 2017 Aubameyang faced big transfer deal into Arsenal... now, u talk about Erling Haalands Quality ...
Believe Mancity Management and under pep everyone learn Ball control and good passing range...
Grealish learn slowly...
Even Cancelo have Poor season 2019...
Now they are work hard...
Haaland will be hardworker regular goals scorer.
Haaland Have is a Aguerooo successor...
we need someone help .. our wingers and full backs produce crossing but we haven't Proper no.9
Who said am doubting haaland's quality. I said he is a ruthless goal machine. And please pep don't teach players to be what they weren't. He buys those who already know how to do it. Grealish, cancelo and all those you mentioned were all wonderful before coming to city. We are talking too much let just wait and see
reublmost
1
next season π₯
Blissking001
0
This is Pep we're talking about, He already has his plans on how to play HALAND in DIFFERENT WAYS before requesting for him...
Sane was an ego player go and read the news bro.....please We all know pep doesn't like players who feel bossy that's why he benched him Sane won the PFA young player award in 2017/18 season, so how can he win that when he's always benched?
SubashChandru
0
That's exactly what am saying, haaland wants to be the scorer. He is useless on the field if he is not scoring, he is not a technically gifted player. He is a goal machine, a ruthless one. But if city plays the same way as they are doing now,he MIGHT be the next Lukaku at city. He might score few though but he will not be in the top 3 in Europe.
Go-to see YouTube Haaland goal scoring Videos...
SubashChandru
0
That's exactly what am saying, haaland wants to be the scorer. He is useless on the field if he is not scoring, he is not a technically gifted player. He is a goal machine, a ruthless one. But if city plays the same way as they are doing now,he MIGHT be the next Lukaku at city. He might score few though but he will not be in the top 3 in Europe.
my ID changed
SubashChandru
1
That's exactly what am saying, haaland wants to be the scorer. He is useless on the field if he is not scoring, he is not a technically gifted player. He is a goal machine, a ruthless one. But if city plays the same way as they are doing now,he MIGHT be the next Lukaku at city. He might score few though but he will not be in the top 3 in Europe.
Do u think We have produce so many crosses into the box... so many crooses cannot finished... Bylinear balls cannot convert after Aguero... we haven't regular panalty taker like Jorhinho or Salah... we haven't Header goal 6 yard box., De Bruyne and Cancelo produce inch perfect crosses who score header? this cross goes to protect by Grealish or Foden saves opponent throw... we cannot win with false 9 every games. so, Mancity trigger to get Striker last summer Kane and CR7 failed... u think only golden boot already, we haven't proper striker... every team have Strikers... 2012 somany people blame Liverpool (Luiz Suarez not a good striker, somany people doubt about Suarez) same as 2017 Aubameyang faced big transfer deal into Arsenal... now, u talk about Erling Haalands Quality ...
Believe Mancity Management and under pep everyone learn Ball control and good passing range...
Grealish learn slowly...
Even Cancelo have Poor season 2019...
Now they are work hard...
Haaland will be hardworker regular goals scorer.
Haaland Have is a Aguerooo successor...
we need someone help .. our wingers and full backs produce crossing but we haven't Proper no.9
AbubakrGH
0
That started when he had issues with pep just the way your Bale is having issues with Carlo, do you know understand?
Bale don't have issue with carlo. He had fitness issues at Zidane's time and he started benching him, and when Ronaldo and Zidane left every Madrid fan expected him to lead the team because perez chose him over Ronaldo because he thought bale was younger. But he failed. And started faking injuries, he was no longer committed to the team paying him,you remember the Wales flag scandal, so the fans obviously turned on him. Nothing to do with carlo
AbubakrGH
0
That started when he had issues with pep just the way your Bale is having issues with Carlo, do you know understand?
Tell us, what issue did the player who according to you was well used had with pep.
Blissking001
0
He was a bench warmer
That started when he had issues with pep just the way your Bale is having issues with Carlo, do you know understand?
AbubakrGH
0
Sane was used very well, check his stats before arguing! He was Liverpool's kryptonite, always scoring against them that's why they don't like him
He was a bench warmer
AbubakrGH
0
Golden Boot not a matter.... Pep Guardiola players 7 to 8 players score 15+.... Gundogan scores 17 last summer... other than which CM score like 15+.... one and only Pep Guardiola
That's exactly what am saying, haaland wants to be the scorer. He is useless on the field if he is not scoring, he is not a technically gifted player. He is a goal machine, a ruthless one. But if city plays the same way as they are doing now,he MIGHT be the next Lukaku at city. He might score few though but he will not be in the top 3 in Europe.
Blissking001
0
Like he requested for leroy sane?
Sane was used very well, check his stats before arguing! He was Liverpool's kryptonite, always scoring against them that's why they don't like him
Fidleo2
1
lets hope that pep can do great with halland and he can score that's for sure
SeblonEmbula
1
you have no idea but Pep himself already know how Halaand gonna fit in
soldierzway
1
IAMJUNGKOOK
2
Benzema told u Hat trick
oil your own failures
IAMJUNGKOOK
2
League cups won in last 20 years Liverpool: 1
what is league cup doing here
TiyanjaneChalamwendo
3
don't listen to Liverpool reporters lol
ChiloWest
7
Because they didn't get him now they give you disadvantages if they got him we could be hearing them say man City is in trouble.
eferihoemmanuel9876
2
they are scared of us that's why
TOOTMANCITY
0
best formation with the right players in the team...meaning Walker is always welcome in CB Zinchenko in the Middlefield
jasondrx77
0
Harland will be the flop of the century under Fraudiola.He thrives when there is space to run into,but Pep's opponents tend to play with a low block.Epl defenders won't give him space and he will become an injury prone bottler.πππππ
like Lukaku(twice π€£), Werner, Batsuhi.... or what ever π€£π€£π€£ππ
zeoackosz
0
How many golden boots under pep
Golden Boot not a matter.... Pep Guardiola players 7 to 8 players score 15+.... Gundogan scores 17 last summer... other than which CM score like 15+.... one and only Pep Guardiola
Yupadiopu
1
4'1'2'1'2 is the best formation for man city in next season rodri on DM debruyne and silva on LM and RM Foden on AM Haaland and jesus on CF
zeoackosz
0
How many golden boots under pep
ask How many Trophy won pep ? Pep Won CL against Sir Alex Ferguson... He won life time achievement with 7 academy Barca Players
zeoackosz
0
oil money won't buy you glory Everytime
[image]
Benzema told u Hat trick
zeoackosz
0
Harland will be the flop of the century under Fraudiola.He thrives when there is space to run into,but Pep's opponents tend to play with a low block.Epl defenders won't give him space and he will become an injury prone bottler.πππππ
Like Lukaku ??? Haaland cannot play Arsenal FC .... Haaland have Assist comes to every angle
Jon_262
1
oil money won't buy you glory Everytime
[image]
League cups won in last 20 years Liverpool: 1
jeyaipsu
1
oil money won't buy you glory Everytime
[image]
We all know that this signing hurts Liverpool alot
Ikm33
1
Harland will be the flop of the century under Fraudiola.He thrives when there is space to run into,but Pep's opponents tend to play with a low block.Epl defenders won't give him space and he will become an injury prone bottler.πππππ
Is that Lakaka there?? Oh hi friendπ€£π€£
Bigsam11628
1
Like he requested for leroy sane?
And he used him well
kayapeople
5
hope he play's better than Aguero
Kbhcityfan
0
You personally didn't want, buh pep liked.
If he liked him we wouldβve signed him. His agent offered him and it was considered but in the end nothing more. Most likely the club had a slight interest because of his commercial value
SserunjojiJohnjovan
0
We didnβt want CR7, United didnβt and canβt stop us signing anyone π
You personally didn't want, buh pep liked.
joaacdiop
2
true they guy will change our dreams
Zakclmpuz
3
Harland will be the flop of the century under Fraudiola.He thrives when there is space to run into,but Pep's opponents tend to play with a low block.Epl defenders won't give him space and he will become an injury prone bottler.πππππ
IAMJUNGKOOK
2
oil money won't buy you glory Everytime
maddymadrid
0
it is up for the argument already , we have already seen the fate of players who don't have style matching with that of pep . gotze , grelish and soon will be haalaand there
AbubakrGH
0
[image]
How many golden boots under pep
Kbhcityfan
0
United stopped Man city from signing cr7, Now they signed his idolised.(Halland) Hate if you want to, But cr7 is the goat. π.
We didnβt want CR7, United didnβt and canβt stop us signing anyone π
zeoackosz
0
Talking about lewandosky (striker) not messi.
Khlassic_Newton
0
United stopped Man city from signing cr7, Now they signed his idolised.(Halland) Hate if you want to, But cr7 is the goat. π.
Bcos of likes youβre talking bullshit!
AbubakrGH
0
of course yes...! Messi also scores 91 goals one calender year (pep manager) and won 1st Balloon d or
Talking about lewandosky (striker) not messi.
DanielObioh
0
The problem he will face is that, city midfielders go all the way to opposition's 18 yard, they don't send the ball forward quickly and they don't cross the ball much. Unless something changes.
I know Pep, things will definitely change.
zeoackosz
0
And won the European golden boot right?
of course yes...! Messi also scores 91 goals one calender year (pep manager) and won 1st Balloon d or
AbubakrGH
0
Lewandowsy Score 5 goals with in 9 minutes (substitute player) in Bayern Pep Guardiola Manager of Bayern Munich
[image]
And won the European golden boot right?