Guardiola Defends Haaland After Keane’s “League Two Player” Remark
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has clashed with former player and Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane over criticism aimed at striker Erling Haaland.
Meanwhile following Manchester City’s disappointing 0-0 draw with Arsenal, Sports Buddy reported on Keane comments about Haaland’s performance, where he stated,
“In front of goal he’s the best in the world, but his general play for such a player – it is so poor. Not just today. He has to improve that.”
Keane went on to compare Haaland to a “League Two player,” suggesting the young striker needs significant improvement in his overall game.
Guardiola Dismisses Keane’s Criticism
Pep strongly defended Haaland at a press conference ahead of City’s next match against Aston Villa.
He completely disagreed with Keane’s assessment, calling Haaland “the best striker in the world” and emphasizing his contribution to last season’s success.
The City manager believes the lack of goals against Arsenal wasn’t Haaland’s fault, but rather a consequence of the team needing “more presence in the final third.”
He highlighted City’s overall performance as exceptional and pointed out Haaland’s impressive stats: nine shots and an xG (expected goals) of 1.71.
Guardiola Expresses Surprise at Keane’s Comments
According to Sky Sports; Pep expressed surprise that such criticism came from a former player. He contrasted this with journalists who haven’t played professionally.
He questioned Keane’s memory of the challenges faced by players, suggesting former players often forget the difficulties they themselves encountered during their careers.
While acknowledging that players have to accept criticism, Guardiola stated he wouldn’t criticize his colleagues upon retirement.
Guardiola Focuses on Team Performance for Haaland’s Goalscoring Woes
Haaland’s struggles against top teams this season, with only one goal in six attempts, haven’t gone unnoticed.
However, Guardiola insists it’s a team issue, not an individual problem with Haaland.
He pointed to various factors that can affect a striker’s performance, including lack of supply, tactical instructions, and strong opposition.
Guardiola emphasized that football is a team sport and achieving goals depends on collective performance, not just individual brilliance.
