The upcoming match against Nottingham Forest could be presenting Man City’s manager Pep Guardiola an opportnity to rotate striker Erling Haaland with Julian Alvarez who’s eagerly waiting for his chance to prove his worth, not that it is being doubted so far.
Haaland has already experienced a part of Guardiola’s management style, having been privy now to the City boss’ way of customising his tactics to suit a particular new signing, from even abandoning the use of a false nine that had propelled his side to successive titles, to bringing in a conventional centre-forward like Haaland, enabling the Norwegian to score six goals in four games.
The Norwegian wunderkind has been generously lavished with praise with Guardiola complimenting his new striker as one “born” to score goals – albeit with inferences, deliberate, one suspects, he still has lots of room for improvement. Obviously, having been spoiled loads in the past by his all-time pet striker Lionel Messi, the Catalonian strategist is well aware that Haaland definitely has a lot to catch up on to be not only a goalscorer but also a well-rounded footballer.
So now after having afforded the young lad the opportunities to strut his stuff, he could begin to see a different side of Guardiola: the cold, clinical strategist who can, sans sentiments, objectively deny anyone who thinks he has a right to be a regular starter even a courtesy ‘Pep’ talk to explain why they have been consigned to the bench for not reason apparent to them, at least.
This might still be a bit too early in the offing for this to be Haaland’s fate yet, as the City manager did hint that his new recruit might be able to plough on until the World Cup gives him a break.
“He is 22 years old, he’s young and recovers well. I think he is able to play quite regularly,” he said.
Yet, be that as it may, a home game against promoted opposition like Nottingham Forest, does offer an opportunity to rotate ahead of potentially tougher tests against Sevilla and Tottenham next week.
It’s all up to the Catalan to plan his moves on his chessboard. He can be ruthless depending on his gameplan with different matches needing different tactical approaches, and has no qualms about leaving high-class footballers out of his team and keeping them in the dark.
“I don’t explain the reasons for my decisions because I’m not going to convince them,” he said. “Some players understand it is part of it for everyone and the other ones never understand me. I know them all quite well and I can tell them of the reasons but the other ones I couldn’t care…. I don’t care.”
The last remark could well have been a reference to the departed Raheem Sterling, who went public with his frustrations after being dropped on numerous occasions despite still being in form. And this should serve as a note of caution to Haaland not to let his guard drop and take things for granted.
Guardiola has frankly admitted his brutality can backfire when he sidelines the wrong players. “I’ve said many times I’m not perfect,” he added. “I make mistakes and I’m not perfect.”
All factors taken into consideration, there’s also a valid reason to rest Haaland – his alternative, Julian Alvarez, eagerly awaits despite the Norwegian being City’s most heralded attacking arrival this summer.
Alvarez’s move from River Plate was agreed in January and, unlike Haaland, he was the newcomer to score on taking his City bow, finding the net as a substitute in the Community Shield. Despite his introduction to the Premier League being gradual, with 57 minutes in three cameos, he has already contributed to two goals in Saturday’s comeback win over Crystal Palace albeit Haaland’s hat-trick endorsed the Norwegian as the headline act.
Guardiola obviously see Alvarez as the understudy to the No. 9.
“Definitely when Erling doesn’t play, Julian is going to play,” he said.
“I’m almost sure.” It helps that the Argentinian has exceeded his manager’s expectations. Haaland represented more of a known quantity than Alvarez.
“I knew him a little bit on TV and clips but I am surprised how good he is,” Guardiola said. “He’s so humble, always positive and every training session he gives everything. I like these type of players.” If those compliments brought reminders of the sold Gabriel Jesus, another whose attitude Guardiola invariably admired, Alvarez can share his fellow South American’s commitment to pressing.
“Julian is an exceptional player,” Guardiola said. “From day one, he’s wanted to do it well. We are all impressed for his pace, for his sense of goal, for his work ethic. He is so strong, fast, and has an incredible sense of goal, he reads the game really well and he has a margin to improve.”
Perhaps that margin for improvement is greater because Alvarez was not tested in the major European leagues. Haaland came from Borussia Dortmund, which can be a path to the Premier League. It is altogether rarer that players come straight from South America.
“When you buy a player from another country you never know how he is going to adapt,” Guardiola said.
“It depends a lot of the time on the mentality and Julian from day one we saw that he didn’t want to miss the opportunity.”