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📊 What the data says
- According to an analysis by Planet Football, if you remove Haaland’s goals from Manchester City’s league campaign this season, City would find themselves 12th on the table — with 12 points and a goal difference of –1.
- In that scenario they would be behind many other teams and far removed from title-challenger status.
- The same notion (removing his goals) had been applied in earlier seasons. For example, an analysis from 2022-23 showed that without Haaland’s goals City would have been 10th with 28 points at that stage (versus being much higher when including them).
🎯 What it means
- Dependence: The data highlights how City lean heavily on Haaland for goals. If you remove his contribution, their points tally and table position both suffer significantly.
- Vulnerability: Opponents can infer that if they can nullify or limit Haaland, they dramatically increase their chance of upsetting City. The article points out that two of City’s three league defeats this season were 1-0 losses — meaning City failed to score, and thus Haaland not scoring (or being stopped) equals big trouble.
- Squad balance concern: The numbers suggest that while Haaland is delivering, the rest of the squad may not be supplying enough goals or impact. City’s manager, Pep Guardiola, is quoted as saying that others must “make a step up”.
- Context caution: The article also warns that simply removing goals is a hypothetical exercise — in reality, game tactics would shift, players would take different roles, etc. But the “what if” provides a stark insight into how instrumental Haaland has been.
🔍 Deeper points to highlight
- Even though City still generate chances, the finishing from non-Haaland players appears less prolific. Guardiola’s comments reflect frustration: “The chances we create are so clear … they have to score.”
- The statistics show that no other player in City’s squad (at least in that season’s sample) had more than one Premier League goal, according to the article. This further underscores the goal-scoring burden falling on Haaland.
- The example from the earlier season (2022-23) where without Haaland City would’ve had 28 points and been 10th emphasises this is not a one-off scenario but a persistent pattern.
🛠 What City (or other teams) should do / what to watch
- For Man City:
- Diversify goal sources: Encourage other players to take on more goal-scoring responsibility so the team isn’t overly dependent on one forward.
- Tactical flexibility: If Haaland is unavailable or opponents manage to neutralise him, City need alternative game-plans to still create and convert chances.
- Squad reinforcement/training: Either bring in or develop players who can consistently contribute goals, especially from the wings or midfield.
- For opponents:
- Strategy to stop Haaland: Given the data, teams might prioritise strategies to stop or limit Haaland, knowing that if they succeed, City’s output drops sharply.
- Exploit moments when Haaland is neutralised: The 1-0 loss defeats hint that when City don’t score (i.e., Haaland doesn’t score) they’re beatable.
- What to watch:
- How many matches City win where Haaland doesn’t score. Is the win rate significantly lower?
- Whether non-Haaland attackers begin to step up and raise their goal totals.
- Whether City’s managerial team changes tactics when Haaland is out or off-form to compensate.
- Whether the trend continues or an adjustment is made that reduces dependence.
📝 Final thoughts
The article’s title is blunt but accurate: Without Haaland’s goals, the Premier League table becomes “brutal” for Manchester City. The hypothetical table shift is staggering. It underlines how much of City’s success — at least in the recent period — heavily depends on one player’s output.
For fans, analysts, and City themselves, this should serve as both recognition of Haaland’s extraordinary influence and a warning sign. Great teams are often defined not just by one star, but by the depth, consistency, and versatility of the whole squad. If City want to continue topping the table, they’ll need to ensure their performance remains strong even when Haaland is held in check.
Would you like me to generate some visualizations (charts/graphs) showing how City’s results differ when Haaland scores vs when he doesn’t? Or maybe compare Haaland’s contribution with top forwards in other clubs to see how unique this reliance is?
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