Arne Slot mentions Haaland, acknowledges the reality of Isak’s performance

Coach Arne Slot admits Liverpool has not fully utilized the qualities of their expensive new signing and needs to improve similarly to how Man City did with Haaland.

Alexander Isak was the focus of the recent summer transfer window drama between Liverpool and Newcastle. Ultimately, the Swedish striker joined Anfield as desired for a record fee of £125 million.

However, since arriving at Anfield, Isak has lost the level that made him famous at Newcastle. It was only in round 13, that Isak scored his first Premier League goal, during the match against West Ham. Yet in round 14, he remained invisible against Sunderland.

Coach Slot has frequently defended Isak, suggesting his slow form is understandable after missing pre-season with Newcastle due to his unrest over leaving. However, the Dutch coach also admits some fault lies with Liverpool’s tactical setup.

“He is not the only striker playing without many chances,” Slot said. “At this level, a striker can’t always have 8, 9, or 10 chances per half. But clearly, we need to create more dangerous situations for Isak.”

“Before the two matches where we conceded only one goal (against West Ham and Sunderland), we created many opportunities. But by playing more cautiously and taking fewer risks, the number of chances dropped. Increasing Isak’s involvement in the final third is definitely something I need to improve,” Slot admitted.

Isak has averaged only 14 touches per game in the last three matches, but Slot believes the issue is not quantity, but the position where he receives the ball.

“Do you know how many touches Isak had on average at Newcastle? It was 22,” Slot shared. “In this league, strikers don’t get many touches. The key is that when they do, it’s at decisive moments. I don’t know Haaland’s stats, but surely he doesn’t touch the ball 100 times per match, yet he scores many goals. The problem is touching the ball in the right place at the right time. That’s what we need to improve.”

Fitness is also a major concern for Isak. Slot admits it’s “unrealistic” to expect Isak to play three full matches in a week. The former Newcastle star played only 68 minutes against West Ham and 86 minutes against Sunderland.

“This is not the ideal way to start a career at Liverpool,” Slot said. “The current situation is far from ideal, but again, the club didn’t buy Isak for half a season; we bought him for six years.”

The Dutch coach also pointed out that Liverpool lacks pure wingers, which directly affects the ability to exploit Isak’s strengths. Additionally, the increasing trend of low-block defenses in the Premier League makes things harder for Isak.

“With Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley injured, we have limited options on the right wing, and the situation is similar on the left,” Slot added. “Isak would perform better if he had players like Conor or Frimpong running down the wings, rather than both wings tending to cut inside.”

“The big difference now is that we face low defensive blocks much more often than when Isak was at Newcastle. This makes it harder for him to find space. But I believe this is a process where Isak needs time to integrate with his teammates and vice versa,” the Dutch coach commented. “Liverpool currently lacks a player like Jacob Murphy (Newcastle), who could effectively support Isak in the style of play he was used to.”

Liverpool will face Leeds in Premier League round 15 at 00:30 on December 7. Against a team near the bottom of the table, this is a good chance for Isak to seek his next Premier League goal.

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