From Haaland to Pedro Raul…

The Norwegian phenomenon Erling Haaland, Manchester City’s top scorer, has 33 goals in 33 games for the English team, managed by Pep Guardiola.

But in the last six matches before last weekend’s round, he had scored just once.

And precisely in the confrontation with Arsenal, leader of the Premier League, played on the last 15th.

The low performance earned him criticism, with numbers showing his low participation in the games.

Overkill.

Haaland is a true finisher, the kind who doesn’t need many touches on the ball to get the gears going – and Guardiola knows that!

So much so that after the 1-1 with Leipzig, for the Champions, in the middle of the week, he refuted the thesis that the poor performance was a problem with the scorer.

And he was incisive when he said that at the end of a game you don’t need statistical data to know if Halland participated in the game or if he was left out.

Pep observes the movement, knows how the system works and knows the vocation of the gunner whose main characteristic is the explosion in the last 15 meters.

Haaland has scored 17 goals in the first eleven Premier League matchdays (22 goals in the first 16) – and that says it all!

Guardiola’s words help us to be more benevolent with Pedro Raul, the vice-scorer of Serie A in 2022, today Vasco’s main offensive reference.

The 2022 Serie A runner-up, scorer of 19 goals in 34 games, has been charged for wasted opportunities.

Especially in the 4-0 over Trem-AP, on Thursday (23), in Brasília, for the Copa do Brasil.

Something absolutely normal in the process of assembling a team.

The system designed by Maurício Barbieri starts from the central idea that the 1.92m goalscorer’s vocation is strategic, especially in high balls, obviously.

No wonder, the Vasco striker has four goals and two assists in seven games, numbers consistent with the working time.

And for me, for example, the ease found by the team in finding the top scorer in the area is more impressive than the chances he didn’t convert.

Because at the current stage, the important thing is to realize that there is already an offensive connection, with balls coming from the sides (more) and through the middle (less).

As it works naturally, Vasco will light up in the way idealized by Barbieri.

Until then, as Guardiola does at City, he won’t even need to pay much attention to his top scorer’s private scouts…

SUBTITLES / CREDITS:

Photo 1: Haaland scored again in City’s 4-1 rout of Bournmaouth in the Premier League this weekend – Publicity / Manchester City

Photo 2: Pedro Raul arrives late and wastes a good goal opportunity for Vasco in the 4-0 defeat of Trem-AP – Daniel Ramalho / Vasco