The mind games have begun. And they are coming from a man whose only currency is cold, hard goals. Erling Haaland, the Norwegian colossus, has decided...
The mind games have begun. And they are coming from a man whose only currency is cold, hard goals. Erling Haaland, the Norwegian colossus, has decided that the best defence against England's burgeoning reputation is a good attack on the airwaves. He has called on the press, the pundits, the whole apparatus, to pile the pressure onto the Three Lions before Saturday's quarter final. It is a clever piece of psychology, or perhaps just an honest observation from a player who knows a thing or two about expectation.Let's be brutal about this. Norway are the underdogs. Everyone knows it. England arrive with a squad so deep it could run two XIs and still leave Southgate with a headache. But Haaland, in his characteristically direct manner, is trying to rewrite the narrative. He wants the questions to be about England's ability to handle the weight of history, their defensive frailties against a low block, their capacity to deal with a side that will likely sit deep and hit on the break. He wants the spotlight, that burning, unforgiving glare, to be fixed firmly on the men in white.Is he wrong to ask for this Not a bit. This is the kind of psychological warfare that separates the clinical finishers from the also rans. Haaland understands that if England feel the breath of public doubt on their necks, their transitional play might become hesitant. Their passing might lose its zip. Their full backs might think twice before bombing forward. He is trying to create a crack, a tiny fissure, in the English confidence. And if you are a striker who feeds off defensive mistakes, that crack is all you need.The danger for Norway, of course, is that this tactic could backfire spectacularly. You do not light a fire under a squad like England's unless you are absolutely certain they cannot handle the heat. If Southgate's men respond by playing with the controlled fury of a wounded animal, Haaland's words will be meaningless. But if there is even a whisper of squeaky bum time in the dressing room, if the chatter on the pitch becomes a little too frantic, then we will know the Norwegian's plan worked. The onus, then, is on the English media to heed his call. Will they turn the screw Or will they let the football do the talking Saturday will tell us everything.
