Indonesia
Nigeria
South Africa

Haaland's self-criticism: Everything he needs to improve on at Manchester City

marca.com, 6 August 2022, 18:24
Striker explained the pressure Pep Guardiola puts on him

New Manchester City player Erling Haaland stressed the importance that his new coach Pep Guardiola places on any training session and underlined the Catalan's demands as one of the keys to signing for the reigning English champions, a club where he did not deny feeling the pressure.

"I think I'm ready," Haaland said when asked about his Premiership debut against West Ham on Sunday.

"I will develop very well in this team, that's why I'm here and I think I can improve in everything," he told The Athletic.

"I miss chances with my left foot all the time, I did it last weekend.

"If we talk about finishing, I have to improve my left foot, my right foot, my headers. There are so many things.

"That's the good thing about football, you can always improve no matter how old you are, you can bring out your full potential.

"Maybe I can bring out my full potential in 10 years.

"I'm still young. I'm still going to develop and I have to develop in the right way.

"As a striker, I think it's very important that when you're in the game you don't think too much.

"If I'm going into my next game thinking about the chance I missed last game, it's not good.

"You have to go into the game hungry. It doesn't matter what happened before, if you scored three goals, if you scored zero goals, if you haven't scored in a while.

"You have to go in with the same mentality, and then I think about not thinking too much.

"It's about using all that as motivation and not as something negative.

"Do you want to be the best in training today? This is also something that helps me a lot, this meditation off the pitch to just put negative thoughts aside."

Moreover, Haaland believes that such a mindset gives him an edge.

"Yes, I think today you have to be mentally strong with so many other things off the field," he analysed.

"You have to have an extremely good focus, you have to be strong in your head because it's not easy to be a footballer. Everybody thinks it's easy."

Haaland also added that he had no doubts about working under new coach Pep Guardiola.

"He is demanding in his messages about what to do and about doing everything 100 per cent," he insisted.

"It doesn't matter if it's a normal kind of running exercise, do it 100 per cent, like you do on the pitch. Train while you play. It's as easy as that."

This move is also a step up for the Norwegian, moving from Borussia Dortmund to a side who are favourites in many competitions.

"Pressure at City? Yes, of course there is pressure," Haaland recognised.

"I'm playing for the champions, the ones who won the Premier League, so there is pressure, but in my head, it's about trying to go out on the pitch smiling as much as I can and trying to enjoy the game."

Top News

12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Fresh from snapping a four-game winless sequence, Chelsea endeavour to get back on track in the Premier League when they square up to Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday evening. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk An extremely stern examination of Liverpool's Premier League title credentials awaits on Tuesday night, when the Reds visit high-flying Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk On the hunt for a fourth successive victory across all competitions, a rejuvenated Manchester City head down south to tackle Brentford in Tuesday's Premier League affair. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk For the first time in over 45 years, Monaco will visit Stade Auguste-Delaune for a Coupe de France fixture against Reims with a spot in the round of 16 at stake on Tuesday. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk The transfer window is open! Clubs around the UK and Europe have one final chance to strengthen their squads for the second half of the season. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Sivasspor vs. Alanyaspor (Sunday, 10.30am) Sivasspor will look to arrest their alarming slide when they host Alanyaspor in round 19 of the Turkish Super Lig on Sunday. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk FC Twente vs. Willem II (Sunday, 11.15am) FC Twente will be hoping to get 2025 off to a winning start when they face fellow top-half opponents Willem II at De Grolsch Veste in Sunday's early kickoff in the Eredivisie. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Le Havre vs. Lens (Sunday, 2.00pm) Seeking their first victory since November, Le Havre will aim to close the gap between themselves and relegation when they host Lens on Sunday at Stade Oceane. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk RB Leipzig vs. Werder Bremen (Sunday, 2.30pm) RB Leipzig boss Marco Rose will hope to leave the rumours of his potential dismissal behind in 2024 and start 2025 with a win in the Bundesliga against Werder Bremen at home on Sunday at Red Bull Arena. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Genoa vs. Parma (Sunday, 11.30am) Separated by one point in the Serie A standings, both Genoa and Parma will seek their first win of 2025 in Sunday's lunchtime kickoff, as they meet at Stadio Luigi Ferraris. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Las Palmas vs. Getafe (Sunday, 1.00pm) Las Palmas will be aiming to stretch their unbeaten run in La Liga to five matches when they welcome Getafe to Estadio Gran Canaria on Sunday afternoon. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Aberdeen vs. Hearts (Sunday, 3.00pm) Aberdeen, looking to end a horrific 10-game winless run in the Scottish Premiership, are set to welcome Hearts to the Pittodrie Stadium on Sunday afternoon. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Hull City vs. Doncaster (Sunday, 12.00pm) As part of this weekend's FA Cup Third Round action, Championship Hull City are set to host League Two Doncaster Rovers on Sunday at The MKM Stadium. 12 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Despite the financial obstacles, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has insisted that he will try to work out a way of bringing Marcus Rashford to AC Milan this season. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have reportedly suffered a blow in their pursuit of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who is said to be in advanced negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk AC Milan are reported to be talks to sign Manchester City right-back Kyle Walker after Pep Guardiola announced the defender wants to leave the club this month 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Crystal Palace have reportedly reached an agreement to sign Millwall attacker Romain Esse. 11 January 2025 talksport.com Kyle Walker is the perfect Trent Alexander-Arnold replacement - Liverpool should make a move for the Manchester City star this month. 11 January 2025 talksport.com Graham Potter has been urged to sign a striker as Darren Bent outlined what he must do to transform West Ham's fortunes. 11 January 2025 talksport.com Pep Guardiola has sensationally told talkSPORT that Kyle Walker has asked to leave Manchester City. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed that defender Kyle Walker has asked to leave the club. 11 January 2025 talksport.com Jack Grealish has finally ended his 13-month long wait for a first Manchester City goal in the club's 8-0 mauling over Salford City. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk James McAtee scored a hat-trick and Jeremy Doku produced a man-of-the-match display as Manchester City obliterated Salford City 8-0 in the third round of the FA Cup. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Villarreal will be bidding to make it successive victories in La Liga when they head to Real Sociedad on Monday evening, and this contest will represent the Yellow Submarine's first match of 2025. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid and Barcelona will lock horns in the final of the 2025 Spanish Super Cup on Sunday night. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Marcus Rashford was allegedly not with the Manchester United squad that headed down to London on Saturday afternoon for Sunday's FA Cup third-round contest with Arsenal. 11 January 2025 talksport.com Antony has reportedly filed an arbitration case against former club Ajax over fines imposed during his move to Manchester United. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool are all competing for the signature of Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Joao Gomes, according to a report. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Eintracht Frankfurt CEO Markus Krosche has confirmed that one club has "made contact" over a move to sign Omar Marmoush, amid reported interest from Manchester City. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have reportedly slapped a £40m price tag on the head of attacker Harvey Elliott, who is on the radar of Borussia Dortmund and Brighton & Hove Albion.