Haaland Overplayed?! Is This Brutal Schedule Destroying His Career?!

Erling Haaland, the man who seemed destined to rewrite the Premier League record books, has hit a snag. The goals have dried up, and suddenly, the whispers about "overplaying" are getting louder. After a blistering start to the season, the Manchester City striker has only found the net once in his last eight appearances – a far cry from the goal machine we've come to expect.

Haaland Overplayed?! Is This Brutal Schedule Destr...

It's hard to ignore the timing. Haaland's dip coincides with a wobbly patch for City. They're losing ground in the Premier League title race and, shockingly, succumbed to a defeat against Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League. Coincidence? Maybe. But Pep Guardiola's assessment after the Manchester United derby loss, citing a lack of energy, has definitely fuelled the debate about Haaland's workload.

I watched Tuesday's game against Bodo/Glimt, and you could see the frustration etched on Haaland's face. City were desperate for a goal, trailing 2-0, and Haaland had a golden opportunity right before halftime. Eight yards out, clear sight of goal… and he shanked it wide. That moment perfectly summed up his current form – or lack thereof. He hasn't scored from open play in eight games; his longest drought for both Dortmund and City. It's almost unbelievable.

"I don't have the answers," a visibly dejected Haaland told TNT Sports after the match. "I take full responsibility for not being able to score the goals I should do, so I apologise to everyone and every single Manchester City supporter that travelled today." Credit to him for taking responsibility, but it does make you wonder what's going on behind the scenes.

Let's look at the numbers. Haaland has clocked up 2,568 minutes across 31 games for City this season. That's a lot of football. And with 16 league games still to play, plus the potential for deep runs in every cup competition, not to mention international duties with Norway, he could theoretically play another 33 matches! That's potentially 69 games before the summer. Sixty-nine! Even for a physical specimen like Haaland, that's a ridiculous amount of football.

Since his last open-play goal against West Ham, his attacking stats have taken a nosedive. Shots per 90 minutes are down, touches in the opposition box have decreased, and his expected goals (xG) have nearly halved. The number of big chances he's getting has also plummeted. It's a worrying trend.

While Haaland is shouldering the blame, Guardiola needs to take a long, hard look at how he's managing his star striker. Rest is crucial, even for the most prolific players. Maybe it's time to give Haaland a breather before this dry spell turns into something more serious. The title race, and City's European ambitions, could depend on it.