Figuring out his team’s most effective formation means Guardiola has an even bigger puzzle to solve on Tuesday as City aim to overturn a 3-0 deficit against Real Madrid in their Champions League last-16 second leg.
City lined up in a 4-3-1-2 system against West Ham, with Haaland partnering Omar Marmoush in attack and Antoine Semenyo as the number 10.
It suited none of the players, least of all Haaland who was crowded out, and City switched to a 4-3-3 for the second half.
Despite their tactical issues, Guardiola says they will give everything against Madrid at Etihad Stadium – and says all City’s players are ready too.
“If they don’t believe, it is a problem,” he said of their European task. “If you don’t believe when you are in the Champions League, go home. What do we have to lose?
“It was a tough result [in the first leg]. We will not sit back and see what happens, we will try to propulse, in respect for the fans. We have a team to score two, three, four.
“But if not, we still have the Premier League, the FA Cup, and next season we know what we will have to do, next season we will be back.”