Alexander Isak ‘really struggled’ to make an impact during Liverpool’s trip to face Inter Milan in the Champions League, reports Aadam Patel.
The Sweden international once again failed to get his name on the scoresheet in the Reds’ latest visit to the San Siro.
Ibrahima Konate had a first-half headed goal disallowed after the ball was adjudged to have struck a Liverpool arm in the buildup.
Alexander Isak fails to impress vs Inter Milan
The change in system had initially appeared to suit Isak, with the former Newcastle man catching more sight of the ball in Milan.
“The worry for Liverpool is that Alexander Isak has really struggled with the physicality and intensity of tonight,” Patel reported for BBC Sport.
“He’s the sort of player who only needs one chance so you get why he’s still on the pitch but Isak simply hasn’t been able to keep hold of the ball.”
However, Liverpool head coach Arne Slot was ultimately left with little other option than to hook his summer signing in the 68th minute, having largely had little impact on proceedings.
The 26-year-old registered just one shot all game (but not a single effort on target).
| Alexander Isak’s stats vs Inter Milan |
| 1 shot |
| 0 shots on target |
| 25 touches |
| Lost possession 8 times |
| 2/6 ground duels won |
| 1/1 aerial duels won |
* Alexander Isak’s stats against Inter Milan in the Champions League (Sofascore)
It’s hardly the first time Alexander Isak has gone missing in competitive action for Liverpool, having earnt criticism for a similarly minimal outing against Sunderland in the Premier League.
Sofascore handed the Sweden international a 6.5/10 rating for his display in Italy – but we feel his performance was more deserving of a 4/10 score.
Isak still yet to find his feet at Liverpool
It seems to be the case that the £125m signing from St James’ Park has yet to hit the ground running on Merseyside.
There have been signs, admittedly, of the sharpshooting potential the footballer will surely, eventually, showcase on a more frequent basis in a Liverpool shirt.
A first-time hit against West Ham, for instance, in the Premier League was a finish reminiscent of Robbie Fowler.
But this is clearly one project Liverpool fans will have to show some patience towards.
Indeed, as Arne Slot suggested back in September, Isak has ultimately been signed for the next ‘six years’.
Hopefully, we won’t be waiting too long to see the player we all admired over in the North East!
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Fa cup is here, get him involved fully. He really needs more stamina and fitness.
It’s all well and good signing one of the best strikers in the world (last season) but you have to give him the service to get results, that’s not happening, having said that Ekitika deserves to start before him.
YNWA
The situation is similar to Salah’s. Isak doesn’t suddenly stop scoring. He needs service like what he did in Newcastle and Liverpool played differently. Salah enjoyed the services of Trent and Szoboslai last season and that gegenpressing triangle enabled him to break records after records. This season, with 433 changed to 4231, Salah just doesn’t have the same services anymore. The 2 dms are not dms by nature. Either we get the right players, sell the right players or we need to go back to last season’s basics and continue the gegenpressing. I’m not a football coach, just an old man who has watched years of football. I hope this makes sense to the guys in Liverpool football club.
The goal he scored against west ham was a ball from Gakpo out wide and a cross into the box. You annalise the goals Isak scored last season at Newcastle,
Newcastle played very direct football, getting it forward quickly. Service from the wide areas. Obviously confidence plays a part. Isak is in a team that’s struggling. We play slow football, lots of passes square and backwards. By the time the ball is near Isak he’s got multiple defenders around him.
We’ve got two wide players in Gakpo and Salah who always come inside. Gakpo likes to shoot rather than pass and Salah does the same. Then there’s the full backs, this season its been chop and change. There’s been far too much change in this Liverpool team this season. It’s good to make new signings but there’s been too much un lots of areas. We look like a team of strangers. All of this hasn’t helped Isak. You must also ask why did Nunez fail at Liverpool. He never got the right service, not enough crosses into the box.
Ekitike is a different player, he likes to run at defenders, his movement is better he’s not a striker that comes alive in the six yard box. Not a fox in the box. Isak is.