Mattoon

This is not sour grapes, as much as it might seem it in hindsight but we all know the issues with Isak, yes he's a world class striker, but he can be a passenger, there's been plenty of games where you wouldn't know he was on the pitch, he has the endurance of a 40 a day 80 year old asthmatic constantly blowing out his arse after 60 minutes and he has a poor injury record. When you put it into perspective he's worth £125m for his goal scoring record but it's a risk with the issues that he has. Woltemade has the potential to be better, it's just a shame we didn't get time to bleed him in. I think in time we won't miss him, but losing him now to them has left a huge hole in our squad and I'll never forgive him for that and Liverpool have returned to being my most hated club.

We can only hope that we've had a nod from somewhere to bring in a replacement for Wilson a second striker of PL quality and I'd say the team is much stronger than any other season I can remember. I'm just a bit gutted we didn't get to see a team with Woltemade and Isak in it because that team could have really put pressure on at the top of the table. Get a proven striker in and I think we'll have a great season.

I'm disappointed with the club, I think there was a way back if we stuck to our guns but I also understand that Eddie probably wanted to draw a line under this. What bothers me most is that we've kowtowed to Liverpool and their scummy antics, we've allowed and rewarded disgusting behaviour from a scummy team and a scummy player. I hate to wish injury on anyone but its really hard to take the high road right now. I feel like he'll do this again to them, when Real or Barca come knocking and I can't wait for the scouse tears when that happens. Probably copium but I don't feel like Isak fixes Liverpools issues, they still have glaring problems in the team dynamic and they look to have wasted money on at least a couple of their big buys. If there's any justice they won't win anything this season. I actually feel quite disillusioned by it all, I really didn't think we'd allow this to happen, but Isak has his issues and that £125m could go a long way in creating a team under Eddie that is so much more than the sum of its parts, I hope Woltemade becomes a world beater and I trust Eddie to get this right, but it's a bitter pill to swallow right now and I'll be avoiding all the media fawning over Liverpool "getting their man". I'm glad we've got this 2 week break because I think this is going to be very raw for us as a fan base.

I hope his knees explode

We need to get our act together quick because Liverpool, City, Arsenal are all gonna drop a lot of points this season by the way it's started

He's another Almiron, eager, full of energy and a real try hard but the quality has avoided him, love him but don't think he'll ever cut it at a team with regular CL aspirations.

It makes absolutely no business sense to sell him on thr cheap, I really can't see it happening regardless of Isaks stance on his position here. The valuation gap is too big and the dippers won't and probably can't pay the fee we command for him. I'm convinced he stays. What that means in the long run I think is irrelevant. Isak may stay on strike out of stubbornness, but it won't last, he can't spend a year out of the game, we'll let him stew and he'll come back when he realises he has to play himself into a move.

The media are just laying the ground work for the dippers again to come in with another lowball offer and pretend they're being respectful and it's us moving the goalposts. We're on the hunt for a 2nd striker because we can't be left on transfer deadline day with no fall back option if a strong bid comes in or if the snake refuses to reintegrate for longer, even though inevitably he will. There's zero chance we've briefed the media that we're willing to let him go on the cheap and are inviting the dippers to please take him off our hands at a price of their choosing, everyone making out we have no power in this situation due to circumstances, but the only circumstance that means anything is he's our player and has 3 years left on his contract. So pay up or shut up.

I just can't see us selling on the cheap, it's such a bad look and goes against everything we know about the Saudis. I also think Howe would also have him back if he was prepared to reintegrate after the window closes. We simply can't let the dippers and Isak win.

I think this is where it stems, with lack of bite up top I think Howe wanted to keep it tight and hope for something on the break, we'll dominate more games when we have Woltemade or another leading the line after the break.

Exactly my thoughts, they gave 150% that game and it was only 5 days ago, bound to have had an effect, especially losing at the end, takes its toll.

Anyone writing the season off already is knee jerking to the extreme, yes it's been a tough start and we didn't play well at all today, I'm sure a lot of that can be attributed to the level of effort put in against Liverpool 5 days ago and let's not forget the Isak shaped dark cloud over the club right now. It has been a tumutuous few weeks but I think a lot of the issues will be sorted after the international break, we'll know where we stand with Isak and any other incomings and outgoings. Fully trust Howe to get us ticking and put us on another mad run that launches us up the table.

A lot of hyperbole in here tonight, wasn't a game for the ages but I trust Howe to get it right again, we'll go on another winning streak after the international break

It's not a foul when they do it though, apparently

How do they keep getting away with the double handed push in the back?

Need to revert to 4-3-3 we're struggling for options on the pass, especially with their high press.

Same as last season, we just really struggle against an aggressive press

Under £130m or not at all you say? I'll take not at all thanks dippers. Edit: Respectfully of course

He's playing today isn't he?

He will if he still fancies a move next summer

Guess we're going to have to wait until around 4:15pm tomorrow to see if he's made the cut off

The Woltemade capture has eased all tensions around what happens next now, we won't be rinsed by Brentford for Wissa and we won't be forced to sell Isak to Liverpool. Either possibility is palatable, keep Isak to partner Woltemade or get Wissa in and cash in on Isak, whatever happens we're set.

Give them a timeline, they bid today and they bid at least £150m, door closes at midnight and they can swivel.

Isak? He's definitely a ball bag