Rory Jennings wants the football public to apologise, insisting he was ‘right’ about his controversial Erling Haaland verdict.
Jennings made headlines when, three years ago, he infamously predicted Haaland would fail to live up to expectations ahead of his move to Manchester City.
He also felt it was ‘disrespectful’ to anoint Haaland is a shoe-in for the golden boot, especially when established Premier League superstars like Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane were already competing for the honour.
“He isn’t the player everybody thinks he is,” Jennings said in 2022. “He’s profligate, he’s wasteful in front of goal at times. His build-up play isn’t good enough at the moment to play in a City team.”
However, Haaland erased any doubts about whether he’d hit the ground running in English football as he smashed in 52 goals across all competitions in his first season at the Etihad Stadium.
The Norwegian’s absurd debut season goal haul included 36 in the Premier League, earning him the golden boot award, and also set a new record for the most Premier League goals scored in a single season.
The 24-year-old followed up his sensational campaign by scoring 38 goals in 45 games across all competitions in his second season for Man City.
Although Haaland scored just 27 league goals from 31 games, it was still enough to win the Premier League golden boot for a second year running.
That all made Rory look very silly. He even admitted live on air that he ‘misjudged’ the Norwegian.
However, was Rory right all along?
It certainly looked like Haaland would be well on his way to a third-straight Premier League golden boot when he banged in ten league goals in City’s opening five games, this term.
But ever since his goal against Arsenal in a thrilling 2-2 draw in September, Haaland’s well of goals has run dry.
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Following a 1-1 draw against Newcastle on September 28, Haaland has scored just three goals in his last 13 league appearances.
What is more concerning is the fact Haaland has just one goal in his last seven league fixtures.
It’s not as if Haaland isn’t getting chances to get on the scoresheet, either.
According to WhoScored, Haaland has missed 11 clear-cut goalscoring opportunities since that wild result against Arsenal in September.
No Premier League player has missed more.
Additionally, Haaland’s expected goals figure (xG) for the last 13 league games sits at 8.2, so his three goals represents an alarming underperformance in front of goal.
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He also could – and perhaps should – have found the back of the net against Everton on Thursday, only to be denied from the penalty spot by Jordan Pickford.
With Haaland’s barren run coinciding with City’s alarming form slump that now reads as one win in their last 13 matches across all competitions, Jennings took the opportunity to remind fans about his prophetic call all those years ago.
He also went one further by insisting the Norwegian isn’t anywhere close to being the best striker in Premier League history, saying he can’t lace the boots of the division’s legendary marksmen.
“I think Haaland is a very good player,” Jenning said on talkSPORT.
“I also think he’s one of the best strikers around at the moment. But I think people have gone crazy.
“You know when people start comparing Haaland to any striker of a bygone era. There’s no way Haaland is a better striker than Alan Shearer was. There’s no way Haaland is a better striker than Robbie Fowler was. There’s no way Haaland is even a better striker than Les Ferdinand. I don’t think he’s anywhere near that.
“I think playing for a brilliant team has obviously helped. Having the likes of Kevin de Bruyne, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva putting them on a plate for you has helped. He obviously also knows where the back of the net is.
“But people have gone mad with the praise.”
When asked by talkSPORT co-host Majestic whether people should call up and apologise, Jennings replied: “I don’t hold my breath for that because one thing I’ve learned about the football-supporting public in this country is they don’t like to apologise.
“But yes, I do. I was correct, basically. I was right.”
Luckily for City and Haaland, the January transfer window may offer some reprieve for their recent struggles.
Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish, Ederson, Matheus Nunes and John Stones were all absent from the matchday squad for the 1-1 draw against Everton.
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The five omissions added to the absences of Ruben Dias, Rodri and Oscar Bobb, highlighting just how depleted City’s stocks have become.
With more players on the sidelines with every passing week, City boss Pep Guardiola confirmed he intends to bring in some fresh faces in January.
However, the Spaniard stressed getting any deals done in January is ‘not easy’.
“If we can, we have to add players, definitely,” Guardiola told Amazon Prime.
“We struggle, especially in the back, in the middle.
“Saying that, I don’t know what’s going to happen. Because in the transfer window in winter, it’s not easy. But everybody’s aware.
“I think even the players asked us, ‘We are going to add some players, please.”
