Erling Haaland has enjoyed almost unprecedented success since moving to Borussia Dortmund in the January transfer window. The Norwegian wunderkind notably scored a hat-trick on his debut. And now, having played seven games for his new club, he has netted 11 goals in all competitions, two of which came in the recent win over Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League.
Here, at the 4th Official, we will take a deep dive into his numbers at Borussia Dortmund and discuss whether or not he is really the next big thing in European football.
All about speed, maturity and positioning
What makes Haaland such an exceptional striker is his ability to sense a scoring opportunity. He has developed a sense of positioning that is well beyond his years. Indeed, the Norwegian has scored eight goals in the Bundesliga so far, three of which were scored from inside the six-yard area.
The remaining five were all scored from inside the penalty box, which indicates his ability to position himself at the right place at the right time. But, another key aspect of Haaland’s overall game is his pace.
Standing at 1.94m, one would not expect the Norwegian to be the most mobile centre forward. But, in reality, the 19-year-old is one of the fastest strikers in European football. And Dortmund have been quick to realise that, moulding him into a counter-attacking weapon.
This is why three of Haaland’s eight goals have originated from counter-attackers. And against PSG, the youngster set an astounding record of covering 60 metres in just 6.64 seconds, which would make him one of the fastest players on the planet.
Shying from headers
Haaland’s tall 1.94m frame makes him an intimidating figure for the opposing defenders. It gives him a significant advantage in physical duels, which he uses quite wisely to keep hold of the ball in the final third. But, due to his height, the Norwegian is also perceived as someone quite strong in the air.
In reality, however, Haaland naturally shies away from headers. He has taken part in only three headers per game in the Bundesliga this year, which is considerably low for a player of his stature. And while his aerial success rate of 53% is decent, the youngster is not exactly an aerial threat.
Is Erling Haaland Superman?
Haaland has a lot of traits up his sleeves. Yet, his most prominent feature is his ability to find the back of the net. The Dortmund striker has taken eight shots on goal since arriving in the Bundesliga. All of the eight shots have been on target, and sensationally, all of them have found the back of the net.
This crazy conversion rate has made the Black and Yellows much more effective going forward. As a result, they have netted 22 goals in five matches in the Ruckrunde. Therefore, Haaland is indeed a superman, whose incredible skills have made Dortmund one of the most dangerous sides in Europe. Having already secured a 2-1 advantage against PSG, they might make a significant impact in the Champions League this season while the Bundesliga title is also very much on the scope.
All statistics were taken from Whoscored.
