Alexander Isak has had a difficult start to his Liverpool career, following his British record £125m move from Newcastle in the summer. He’s scored just two goals in 12 appearances across all competitions, and he only broke his Premier League duck in last weekend’s victory over West Ham.
Isak has failed to live up to the performances he produced at Newcastle. Liverpool have referenced his lack of proper pre-season as a key reason, but now Arne Slot has gone up step further.
Arne Slot: Alexander Isak is missing link-up with Jacob Murphy
Speaking to the media on Friday (via Liverpool Echo), Slot admitted that Isak does not have the same chemistry with his Liverpool teammates compared to those he left at Newcastle – and in particular, he referenced that partnership that he had with Jacob Murphy.
“The main difference for him is that we are facing here many times a low block and it is not that it never happened at Newcastle but not as much I think. I think this season the league has changed, we see so many more low blocks than I saw last season. But I see this not only against us, I see this in many games.
“It makes it harder for him compared to his time at Newcastle but I think it is also him adjusting to his team-mates and his team-mates adjusting to him. But it is obvious and clear that we have not the profile of Jacob Murphy for example available at this moment at this time.”
Can Alexander Isak turn his fortunes around at Liverpool?
It is natural that Isak has failed to replicate his Newcastle form thus far at Liverpool, but his performances have been below expectations. He has time on his side, but sooner rather than later, he will need to step up – especially with Hugo Ekitike breathing down his neck for the starting striker spot.
Wow, Slot’s really scraping the barrel for excuses here. Isak is meant to be a world class striker, he was being called better than Haaland, but because Jacob Murphy isn’t there he can’t score goals?
Isak scored plenty when Newcastle were playing with Miguel Almiron on the right wing, and he was a player that preferred to cut inside and shoot on his left foot, nothing like Murphy. This really is very embarrassing from Slot.
Many years ago Malcolm Allison spent a lot of money buying a Manchester City super team. He bought both qualiity stars and average squad players at vastly inflated prices without appearing to consider how players interacted with each other. They finished 11th in the league but were odds on for relegation. After Allisons sacking, Manchester City picked up 15 points from the final 7 games. I feel Slot has used Big Mal as his managerial inspiration. He seems to have bought an array of individual jig saw pieces without any idea of how the pieces fit together or what the finished picture would look like.
Clearly,Slot does not belong to elite level coaching.he just don’t know what to do really..keep on playing the same style n tactical approach which to me even though not a coach,can see clearly what he’s trying to do…teams do change their approach if things don’t turn out or result don’t go their way,in Slot,he keeps on repeating the same approaches even though things are not working…he keeps on hoping that things would change..no this is pl and low block or what ever that’s tactics,that wins you marches,so you have to be prepared to play yours in such circumstances.So to Slot,just stop making excuses over low block or what ever,just find solution and stop pretending to play good or entertaining football..because football is all about defending and winning matches not entertainment or what ever that Slot wished to deploy..this shows not only crisis but a coach who is running out of ideas.