Former Man City player claims ‘Pep Guardiola’s philosophy’ is hampering Haaland progression

Soccer Pundit Didi Hamann says Man City look like they’re playing with ten men because of Erling Haaland.

Haaland has been in sensational goalscoring form since arriving from Borussia Dortmund last summer.

The Norwegian has netted 31 goals in 32 games across all competitions and is on hand to break a host of scoring records before the end of the season.

Despite his prolific run of form, Hamann still remains unconvinced that Haaland is the right player in Guardiola’s fluid system.

“With Haaland in the team, they [City] don’t dominate teams as they used to do,” Hamann told talkSPORT. “They used to suffocate teams with possession, creating chances.

“The thing that worries me is that with Haaland – and the game at the weekend where they were winning and the same happened yesterday – when they play on the counter attack and are able to use his pace, they can’t get him in the game.

“That what worries me most at the moment about City.”

It is worth noting that City’s average possession in the Premier League has slightly gone down this season with Haaland in the side.

Last season they averaged 68.2% whereas this season they have averaged 64.8% – which is still the highest in the league.

“There’s a question of whether he does make the team better? He’s a brilliant player, it’s not a criticism he’s a brilliant player he already showed it,” the former Man City midfielder added.

“Last season, when everyone said he’s going to City, I said ‘he’s not going to go to City because Haaland is everything City’s not’.

“Maybe you can say he’s the missing piece of the jigsaw but he’s used to football in Salzburg and Dortmund which is so much different from the one City plays.

“It’s just not possible because Guardiola’s philosophy is he wants to pass the ball, he wants to suffocate teams with possession and dominance and they just won’t do it with him because half the time I watch him, it’s like playing with ten men.”

Jamie Carragher also shared a similar opinion about Haaland as he claimed that Man City are not getting the best out of him because of the way they play.

“I think we’re only seeing 60 per cent of Erling Haaland,” Carragher said on Sky Sports. “He’s come from Borussia Dormund and a counter-attacking league where it’s end-to-end, you see that blistering pace he’s got, but we don’t see it [now].

“He may have actually picked the wrong club to get the best out of him. We’re not seeing everything of Erling Haaland.”

Next up for Guardiola’s side is a Premier League fixture against Bournemouth where they will be keen on returning to winning ways.

In the Premier League, they currently sit two points behind Arsenal, with the Gunners holding a game in hand over them.