The Manchester City manager convinced Erling Haaland to play with the same passion against the Blues that the striker showed in the Citizens’ draw with the Toffees.
What did Guardiola say?
Erling Haaland was involved in a spirited battle with Manchester City centre-back Ben Godfrey throughout the New Year’s Eve contest. Ben seemingly got under Erling’s skin as the striker was seen whipping up the crowd after winning the freekick and continued to party in front of the defender after scoring his 21st Premier League goal of the season. The Norwegian player was also cautioned after lunging tackle on Mykolenko before he caught Tarkovsky with a spread hand. Subsequently, Pep revealed that he actually talked to Erling Haaland about controlling his emotions.
The City manager had said before the game that he wanted to see the same passion in Manchester City’s decisive clash with the Blues, as he told the pre-match press conference that he liked it, the extra limit. Not just him, everyone. According to Pep Guardiola, his conduct, they should always use. But playing with that passion. It’s necessary. Pep prefers this to being flat. Strikers have to handle tough, tough centre-backs. It’s necessary. Gurdiola says it’s always a challenge and that’s why the Premier League is so special.
A little about the topic
Pep anticipated another tough test against Chelsea and admitted that Man City could no longer afford to be wrong in their pursuit of league leaders the Gunners. The Spanish coach added that it will be a tough game, a tough team, well managed, Stamford Bridge, what can I say, always tough, he is looking forward to this week, the various competitions and the next three games.
According to him, they should decrease the gap by playing good and winning games, but they could make more than 100 points if they keep this average and they don’t catch them, they should be almost perfect and hope they go down as then against the Magpies they were excellent.
Bernardo Silva says Norway national team striker Erling Haaland doesn’t care about touching the ball, with that good thinking of Man City’s creative strikers.
How was everything?
While Argentine former footballer Sergio Aguero starred as a striking center during his record-breaking spell with Chelsea, Guardiola was glad to do without the notorious scorer for much of his reign at the Etihad Stadium. That approach has changed, lashing out at prolific Norwegian leader Erling with the 22-year-old – who has found a goal on 27 occasions this season – allowing false nine experiments to be shelved as he focuses only on putting the ball behind the net.
Bernardo Silva talks about Erling Haaland
The Portugal international said of the Norwegian player’s mindset and how it stands to further benefit Manchester City as an attacking force that the thing about Haaland is that he doesn’t care about touching the ball. According to Bernardo Silva, Erling Haaland is one of those players that, for example, if they play him as a false nine or Foden after playing in that position, it’s not easy because they don’t touch the ball many times and they get frustrated because they have to touch the ball to feel part of the game.
Silva says the good thing about Haaland is that he is there and if he doesn’t touch the ball within 30 minutes but he touches it once and he scores he is happy and glad. To have a player that is so focused on just the end of the product is great because Erling Haaland knows what he’s there for and he does it perfectly.
Just hunger, which he must win more and more, etc. They saw Erling Haaland win two against the Peacocks and he wasn’t happy because he could have won more in that game. Bernardo thinks it’s just crazy, because any other player, if they scored two goals, would be on the moon, but Erling was happy and not completely happy, because he felt that he could have won more, what shows, how ambitious he is, how focused he is to help the team and be better every day. According to the Portuguese, he is very happy that they have such a player.