"After the game, City manager Pep Guardiola admitted he is still trying to find "balance" in his squad while talismanic striker Erling Haaland scrabbles for form. Not the position any major team want to find themselves in, least of all after their 30th league game."
"In his first 17 league games this season, Haaland scored 19 goals. In his past 12 matches, he has netted only three. Haaland's drop in form has coincided with the arrival of Antoine Semenyo."
"At West Ham, City lined up with Haaland and Omar Marmoush as a front two with Semenyo playing as a number 10 - and it simply did not work as they dominated possession but were shut down by the massed ranks of West Ham defenders."
Manchester City faces significant challenges in their Premier League title defense, trailing Arsenal by nine points with eight matches remaining. Despite having a game in hand, City's unconvincing draw at West Ham suggests their title hopes may be slipping away. Manager Pep Guardiola is struggling to find balance in his squad, particularly with striker Erling Haaland's dramatic loss of form. After scoring 19 goals in his first 17 league games, Haaland has managed only three goals in his past 12 matches. The arrival of Antoine Semenyo has prompted tactical changes, including a two-man attack formation rarely used previously. City's experimental 4-2-3-1 setup at West Ham failed to produce results despite dominating possession, with the team appearing mentally and physically fatigued following their Champions League defeat to Real Madrid.
Read at www.bbc.com
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