As England prepares to face Norway, a key challenge will be containing star striker Erling Haaland. Tactical analysis suggests specific defensive strategies can mitigate his impact, focusing on limiting his preferred methods of scoring.
Haaland’s offensive game often involves runs that pull opposition midfielders deeper, creating space for wingers to exploit. A common tactic employed by his teams is the deep, in-swinging cross to the back post, a situation where Haaland excels. This method, along with through balls on the left and cut-backs in front of a retreating defense, are among his most frequent scoring routes.
One notable instance of Haaland’s aerial prowess occurred in 2024 when he scored against Crystal Palace. In that match, Matheus Nunes delivered a cross to the back post, and Haaland managed to get past his marker, Marc Guehi, to head the ball home. This highlights the importance of preventing such deliveries.
Sources suggest that crowding Haaland out is one of the few effective ways teams have managed to limit his influence. Pep Guardiola, former Manchester City boss, once described the difficulty of marking Haaland, noting that it often requires multiple defenders and midfielders to stay close to him. In a draw against West Ham last season, the London club employed a strategy of having three central defenders and a holding midfielder closely marking Haaland, essentially man-marking him.
These defensive principles aim to deny Haaland the space and service he needs to be effective, forcing him into less dangerous areas of the pitch and reducing his opportunities to score.