The upcoming match against Nottingham Forest could be presenting Man City\u2019s manager Pep Guardiola an opportnity to rotate striker Erling Haaland with Julian Alvarez who\u2019s eagerly waiting for his chance to prove his worth, not that it is being doubted so far.<\/p>\n
Haaland has already experienced a part of Guardiola\u2019s management style, having been privy now to the City boss\u2019 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.<\/p>\n
The Norwegian wunderkind has been generously lavished with praise with Guardiola complimenting his new striker as one \u201cborn\u201d to score goals \u2013 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.<\/p>\n
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 \u2018Pep\u2019 talk to explain why they have been consigned to the bench for not reason apparent to them, at least.<\/p>\n
This might still be a bit too early in the offing for this to be Haaland\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is 22 years old, he\u2019s young and recovers well. I think he is able to play quite regularly,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t explain the reasons for my decisions because I\u2019m not going to convince them,\u201d he said. \u201cSome 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\u2019t care\u2026. I don\u2019t care.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Guardiola has frankly admitted his brutality can backfire when he sidelines the wrong players. \u201cI\u2019ve said many times I\u2019m not perfect,\u201d he added. \u201cI make mistakes and I\u2019m not perfect.\u201d<\/p>\n
All factors taken into consideration, there\u2019s also a valid reason to rest Haaland \u2013 his alternative, Julian Alvarez, eagerly awaits despite the Norwegian being City\u2019s most heralded attacking arrival this summer.<\/p>\n
Alvarez\u2019s 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\u2019s comeback win over Crystal Palace albeit Haaland\u2019s hat-trick endorsed the Norwegian as the headline act.<\/p>\n
Guardiola obviously see Alvarez as the understudy to the No. 9.<\/p>\n
\u201cDefinitely when Erling doesn\u2019t play, Julian is going to play,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m almost sure.\u201d It helps that the Argentinian has exceeded his manager\u2019s expectations. Haaland represented more of a known quantity than Alvarez.<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew him a little bit on TV and clips but I am surprised how good he is,\u201d Guardiola said. \u201cHe\u2019s so humble, always positive and every training session he gives everything. I like these type of players.\u201d If those compliments brought reminders of the sold Gabriel Jesus, another whose attitude Guardiola invariably admired, Alvarez can share his fellow South American\u2019s commitment to pressing.<\/p>\n
\u201cJulian is an exceptional player,\u201d Guardiola said. \u201cFrom day one, he\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you buy a player from another country you never know how he is going to adapt,\u201d Guardiola said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt depends a lot of the time on the mentality and Julian from day one we saw that he didn\u2019t want to miss the opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
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