General Premier League Thread 2022-23 - mod note in OP 12/03/23

Haaland making a big statement.

It's interesting looking at the positioning of some of the City players while in possession.

Foden & Grealish are staying very very wide, almost playing in a wingback type position and then Walker is coming very central beside Rodri at times, with Cancelo doing pretty much the same. This allows KDB & Gundogan to push up much higher and closer to Haaland too.

It's like the midfield 3 is actually Rodri, Cancelo & Walker

Haaland has been brilliant and will be score loads but I can't help thinking City look less of a threat than usual,

Although it's 75 minutes into the first game so very hard to call ,

He makes it even less likely that opposition teams will come out at all against them.

As we saw for that 2nd, if you leave any space behind, you're done. He's a cheat code of a striker.

His running off the ball, in general, is absolutely insane.

I'm as critical of City and their ways as anyone.

But if they genuinely get another one, after their changes over the summer, including losing Sterling, Zinchenko and Jesus (key squad components for years), with Liverpool no doubt keeping them honest, and Spurs and Arsenal genuinely stronger than ever, I have to give them every plaudit from a pure team management perspective.

Yes they have a cheat code striker, but they still have big adjustments to make.

It was pretty obvious to all that Haaland would come good but christ hes found his feet fast.

Been that way got a while now, Walker and Cancelo underlapping like that. Works fine when you have 70/75% possession, if you do give away the ball, it's critical you press hard to get it back immediately, or foul before a counter attack reaches what is often a back 2 or maybe 3.

City are quite good at it

Oh yeah it was a penalty they got away with one there

Why aren’t they questioning VAR and those in Stockley Park who are supposed to spot those clear and obvious errors from the on field official.

Isn’t there supposed to be a VAR report this season for each match explaining any actions?

I’d love to hear the reason that blatant peno was ignored by VAR.

Yeah, to be fair there are a few different areas to criticize DDG these days, but he shouldn't really be blamed here. He did push that shot as far away from the danger area as best he could.

I only watched around 30 mins of the first half but I could see Brighton passing the ball into space behind the full backs and centre backs so often. And getting joy from it. That's where the ire should be IMO.