Jamie Carragher: Erling Haaland is a world-class finisher but not a world-class player; the ultimate luxury player

by TheBiasedSportsLover

27 comments

  1. 55 goals and 13 assists in 60 appearanced in the premier League. I agree he’s a luxury player in the sense that it’s a luxury for whichever team to have him.

    I don’t think City plays to his strengths either. Haaland would’ve suited Bayern more while Kane would’ve been perfect for City.

  2. Spitty Jamie spitting straight shite lmfao. What a fucking gimp.

  4. This is skysports being it’s most skysports. Saying shit just to create headlines for them to argue about on air.

    I hate the cunt, but Haaland is world class. Only player I’d rather have is that other cunt DeBruyne, but if I’m building a team I’d probably start with Haaland with his age.

  5. Well as a Liverpool fan I’d love this “not world class player” at my club. I bet we wouldn’t have lost 3-0 to Atalanta with him.

  8. He’s a player with a few great strengths, arguably the best in the world in certain aspects and a few weaknesses. Can we move on already?

  9. City are still insanely good and Haaland is a freak but in the big games I’d be way more scared of them if they got Kane instead

  11. Haaland isn’t a bad player. His role is a specialist. If you watch his passes he’s not terrible but he definitely doesn’t hold onto the ball as he tries to pass wide so he can run into the box and get the ball back to finish. Plus the way City plays he doesn’t need to be heavily involved in the build as the rest of the players take care of this and he has to make sure he finds enough space to put chances away.

    At Dortmund he’d break away on the counter and outrun the defenders and slot them into either corner. This was his best trait; being a bull on the break away and finish the ball. He can’t do that at City because of how they dominate possession and the play in the opponents half. This is why it appears he’s not contributing enough but you have to be able to consider everything about the team and the system they play. If he were at United you’d see a lot more involvement because of how much they are on the ropes and have to make chances on the counter.

  12. That’s not what a luxury player is. 

    He is very much a player with a role in a team and he posts ridiculous numbers. Thats not a luxury player. Luxury players are players who look good and get fans on their feet but don’t contribute in terms of numbers, or defensive work rate. 

    Hes possibly a one dimensional player, but I’m not sure I buy that either. 

    I’m not a City fan, but I feel like everyone is just jumping on the bandwagon, just like they did calling him a “robot” or a “killer” last season. Hes s 23 year old with 52 goals last season and 30 so far this season. If you say you wouldn’t take him in your team, that’s he a “luxury” in some way, you’re a liar. 

  15. Now imagine how different his tune would be if he played for Liverpool

  16. Stupid as hell because name one team in the world that wouldn’t want him as their main striker if he was available for free.

    That’s not luxury, that’s excellence. The flaw in his game is that he’s only suited to one position. Boohoo he’s not a winger or a midfielder. He gives you 50 goals.

  18. 1. That’s not what a luxury player is
    2. He’s just phenominal for someone of his age, heck even being that good at your peak would be amazing
    3. If he was English, he’d be considered the second coming of a footballing Jesus

    He and Mbappe are the two players of the generation.

    I am utterly sick of the boomer takes from former Man U and Liverpool players (I respect Keane, but that’s it). Nobody cares, your fanboy is showing, literal nobodies from Arsenal TV are more interesting to listen to, I switch off after the game anyway and I don’t watch half time.

     ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) MFW a former Liverpool stalwart actually writes articles in Tory rags ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) 

  19. Yeah, that’s not true at all. He may not be the best outside the box, but his inclusion in the side most certainly forces teams to adapt tactically.

    Luxury Players are gifted at X/Y/Z, but go missing in big games. Haaland draws tactical nullification by opposition sides.

    …. And the fact he’s a striker, and has contributed 30 goals in 37 games during a challenge on all fronts this year.

  21. It’s a debatable stat but all the top scorers in the prem have about 1 more goal than expected.

    Bellingham and Kane have 2-3 more. Kane’s premier league difference was greater than that in previous two seasons.

    Even Ronaldos last season scored more than expected.

    I’d bet on haaland to score in a game because he’s at man city. But he’s not one that I’d be turning to if I really wanted someone to finish that one chance.

  22. He’s not a world class finisher though. He misses so many chances.

    He’s a world class position player. He can get into the right area at the right time but this has seen to be countered by defenders blocking the space he uses to run into.

  23. If you look at City, their main flaw and why they couldn’t win the CL was that they would build up so many chances they couldn’t get a boot on the end of. They’d get really frustrated, especially after conceding, and they’d lose games because of that.

    City didn’t and don’t need 11 world class playmakers, they need ten playmakers and a player who can do a lot with that. A player who can finish those chances who doesn’t fall to the pressure of being down. The problem with that is they’ve had, especially De Bruyne, some of those playmakers go missing. That’s the problem they’re facing right now, not Haaland, and their system still needs him. It’s like Ederson, he’s not the best keeper in the world, but he’s the one City need. Although Ortega is still the better option there IMO, but the point stands.

  24. Back in my day we used to call players like this ‘strikers’. It seems that today every player must be a complete player or they’re a liability. 

  25. I’ve said for years his link up play is terrible, it’s obvious if you watch him don’t know why everyone’s getting their knickers in a twist about it now that a few pundits have called it out. The man struggles to make 5 yard passes but when you’re scoring every game it gets overlooked.

  26. Carragher with the hot take a few months after Keane said it…what bravery

  27. I dont see how you can disagree with the basic point. Calling him a luxury player or a league 2 player is wrong and unnecessarily provocative but he isnt a well rounded striker.

    He is like a power punching boxer who isnt great at boxing skills. These guys can and do become world champions. George Forman probably wasnt as great skill wise as other all time great boxers but his power and toughness were amazing. the man was a heavyweight world champion in his late 40s. He just had that much power.

    Haaland is all time great at getting into the box and very good at finishing in the box. He gets into position in front of goal a lot.

    Is he great on the ball, does he have great touch, is his link up play elite, can he provide anything else, can he pick up the ball deep and dribble past defenders? He isnt great at these things.

    To be clear the ability to get hat tricks against mid table and lower competition is extremely valuable. Leagues are won based on who has the most points. 3 points is the same whether you win it off of arsenal or Sheffield united.

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