Pep Guardiola has explained how Manchester City will adapt to having an out-and-out striker in the team.
City won the Premier League last season and scored 99 goals along the way, more than any other team. Meanwhile, the 150 goals they scored in all competitions was more than any other club from Europe's top five leagues.
However, one of the main criticisms levelled at the Blues was that in certain games they were not clinical enough in-front of goal. As Guardiola admitted after his side drew 2-2 with Liverpool in April, the Blues had a tendency to 'leave teams alive'.
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That, along with the failure to sign Harry Kane last summer, prompted City to take control of the race to sign Erling Haaland. City activated the £51m release clause in his Borussia Dortmund contract and last month agreed personal terms.
One of the big questions surrounding the signing has been how the 21-year-old striker will fit into a side that played so well without a striker last season. Playing with a false-nine almost became part of City's identity, but Guardiola is confident that both the player and team will adapt to make things work.
"His [Haaland's] numbers are unbelievable, but he has to adapt to our play and of course we are going to adapt [to him]," Guardiola told reporters on Tuesday ahead of City's pre-season clash with Club America.
"With his movements and quality in the box we are going to try to put as much balls as possible in the box to have more chances of scoring goals."
However, the manager was keen to point out that City's fortunes this season will not solely come down to the output of their new front-man.
"But we are going to win and lose as a team, and this is important. So if you have to think about it... we buy a striker, we bought a striker because we didn't score goals - this is not the reality, it didn't happen last season."
Aside from on-field configurations and systems, Guardiola seemed happy with how his new recruits have already settled in to the City dressing room.
"The first impressions of Julian [Alvarez], Kalvin [Phillips], Erling [Haaland], and Stefan [Ortega] were really good – they seem like good people. Having good vibes in the locker room is more important than tactics."
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