Lubhalwe nguDylan Bettencourt
Ngesikhathi i-Manchester City ilahlekelwa umgadli owumpetha uSergio Aguero kwakucacile ukuthi idinga ukuthola umuntu ozongena esikhundleni sakhe.
Lokhu sekwenzekile noma umqeqeshi uPep Guardiola wayekhala izinyembezi ethi “Ngeke sikwazi ukuvala isikhundla sakhe.
Kodwa-ke, kuGuardiola asikho isixazululo esisheshayo futhi i-City idlale isizini ka-2021/22 ngaphandle komgadli, obevame ukudlala njengomdlali wasesiswini endimeni eyaziwa nge-false nine.
Yize abaningi babenomuzwa wokuthi i-City izothwala kanzima ngokungabi nomgadli ongumpetha, iqembu lakwazi ukunqoba i-Premier League ngosuku lokugcina lwesizini.
Yize iphumelele kweminye imidlalo, kodwa umdlalo wayo we-Champions League awuzange ube impumelelo, i-City ibisamdinga ngokusobala umgadli futhi ubengekho umdlali ongcono njengo-Erling Haaland.
Lo mdlali wase-Norway uzamazamise umhlaba wonke ngesikhathi eshaya amagoli e-Germany edlalela i-Borussia Dortmund.
I-City iphushe kakhulu ukwenza lo mdlali osemncane ukuthi asayine eqenjini labo futhi kusobala bathole umgadli omangalisayo kwiligi.
UHaaland usize i-City, yashaya amagoli angu-20 kwi-Premier League emidlalweni engu-14 kuphela futhi yephula irekhodi kule midlalo.
Abanye basanomuzwa wokuthi uHaaland angase aqhubeke nokuphula irekhodi lamagoli njengoba kungu-Alan Shearer ophethe irekhodi lamagoli angu-260.
Kodwa isimo sesiphenduke saba sibi kakhulu, i-City ibingadlali ngokuzimisela emasontweni asanda kwedlula futhi lokho kungamlimaza uHaaland uqobo.
Ukuhlulwa emdlalweni owodwa akujwayelekile kwi-City, ingasaphathwa eyokuhlulwa kwemibili ngesonto elilodwa. Bahlulwe iqembu elisemsileni i-Southampton eNdebeni ye-FA ngaphambi kokushaywa i-Man United kowe-Manchester Derby.
Isizathu esenza ukuthi uHaaland abe inkinga ukuthi kungenzeka angahambisani nendlela uGuardiola aqeqesha ngayo.
UHaaland ungumgadli okhaliphile, ohlezi egijima ungumdlali ongalibheki ipali uhlezi elindele ukushaya amagoli.
Yize engenawo amandla kangako uHaaland akajwayele ukumelana nabadlali ababili noma abathathu, noma ukuzibandakanya emdlalweni yeqembu eyakhayo.
UHaaland akavamile ukuthinta ibhola ngesikhathi kuqhubeka imidlalo, kangangoba lo oneminyaka engu-22 wathi uma engathinta ibhola amahlandla amahlanu futhi ashaye kahlanu, lokho kungaba kuhle.
Kodwa i-City ingase idinge uHaaland ukuthi abambe iqhaza kakhulu emdlalweni yokwakha iqembu ukuze akwazi ukusizana neqembu kwizimbangi zalo.
“Okwamanje sinalolo hlelo ngoba uma amaqembu ehlezi endaweni ka-18 kuba nzima kakhulu. Kusafanele simfunde kancane,” kusho uGuardiola ekhuluma ngokubandakanyeka kukaHaaland kulandela ukuhlulwa kwi-derby.
Akungabazeki ukuthi uHaaland ungomunye wabadlali abahamba phambili emhlabeni, useshaye amagoli angu-26 emidlalweni engu-21 kuphela kule sizini, kodwa ukulungiswa okuncane kwendlela yakhe yokudlala kungase kube isimanga kwimpumelelo ye-City kule sizini.
Isithombe esingenhla: U-Erling Haaland
Umthombo wesithombe: The Athletic