Alexander Isak: has a chance to play against Everton (Howe)

[HawK]

2 hours ago, The College Dropout said:

From the little i've seen, Wilson has better "box instincts" and movement in the box.

 

Isak seems more a channel runner, not one to hold it up and link up just yet. Wilson is pretty decent at that.

 

I think you might have them backwards, tbh. Wilson is a poacher, he offers little to nothing in build-up or link-up play imo. I recall Isak being the fulcrum up front at Anfield who we played through.

[Lush Vlad]

23 minutes ago, HawK said:

 

I think you might have them backwards, tbh. Wilson is a poacher, he offers little to nothing in build-up or link-up play imo. I recall Isak being the fulcrum up front at Anfield who we played through.

 

Disagree.  Wilson is better than people give him credit for with his back to goal and when trying to link the play.  He's by no means top level doing it, but certainly better than Isak at this moment in time.  

 

I'm not saying Isak can't develop and adapt that side of his game.  As he is still young and has the size for it if he filled out a bit and got more used to the league.  But when Wilson was missing, I thought it was noticeable how much our build up play in the final third suffered.  He wasn't a focal point or causing much of a nuisance.  

 

Isak so far has looked like he'll be brilliant in games where we are expecting to have a bit less of the ball and against teams who play high. 

 

Excited to see him back fit and playing, either way.  

[SiLvOR]

Wilson's link up play has been very good lately. He's often bringing Miggy into play either with a nicely weighted pass, or holding it up and releasing it. 

As an aside, it's really exciting to think about how Isak can fit into this team after Christmas. Brilliant to have some depth and options for a change!

[HawK]

I can't say that's how I recall him playing, he's anonymous for extended periods in games where we're not streamrolling teams.

 

Edit - I worked it out, OK they're both about the same

 

 

 

 

Edited November 16, 2022 by HawK

[Unbelievable]

1 hour ago, Lush Vlad said:

 

Disagree.  Wilson is better than people give him credit for with his back to goal and when trying to link the play.  He's by no means top level doing it, but certainly better than Isak at this moment in time.  

 

I'm not saying Isak can't develop and adapt that side of his game.  As he is still young and has the size for it if he filled out a bit and got more used to the league.  But when Wilson was missing, I thought it was noticeable how much our build up play in the final third suffered.  He wasn't a focal point or causing much of a nuisance.  

 

Isak so far has looked like he'll be brilliant in games where we are expecting to have a bit less of the ball and against teams who play high. 

 

Excited to see him back fit and playing, either way.  

You might be confusing Isak for Wood there. Against Liverpool Isak was very much a focal point, holding up the ball and laying it off, as well as consistently pressing their defenders. Wilson is good at the former, but not so much the latter imo. From what little I’ve seen it looks like Isak would be an upgrade on Wilson for the way we play.

[Lush Vlad]

Yeah. Easy mistake to make. Isak and Wood look so similar FFS  

[Unbelievable]

3 minutes ago, Lush Vlad said:

Yeah. Easy mistake to make. Isak and Wood look so similar FFS  

It wasn’t meant to be literal

[Lush Vlad]

I thought he looked amazing against Liverpool and him having to go off probably cost us at least a point. However, they play a really high line and don’t defend in numbers. Well, they certainly weren’t at the time. 
 

I remember watching him against Palace and bits of Bournemouth. Thinking he wasn’t really occupying the CB’s and he wasn’t playing much between the posts. The fact both sat deep and the a lot of the attacking play was poor all round didn’t help. But he was a big part of that. 
 

Seems like I am criticising him. I’m not, I think he will develop into a class player for us. I’m just not seeing that he is currently a better fit as the 9 than Wilson or that he offers more as a back to goal type. 

 

 

Edited November 16, 2022 by Lush Vlad

[LFEE]

Yeah I thought his movement against Liverpool was generally good but the two home draws he seemed a little static and easy for the CHs to mark him out the game.

[Unbelievable]

Here’s a comparison between his characteristics and Callum’s: 

from around 2:20. Note the link up play and ball retention stats for example.

 

 

Edited November 16, 2022 by Unbelievable

[The College Dropout]

3 hours ago, HawK said:

 

I think you might have them backwards, tbh. Wilson is a poacher, he offers little to nothing in build-up or link-up play imo. I recall Isak being the fulcrum up front at Anfield who we played through.

Don't agree. Isak is looking to run his man or get in behind. Wilson against Arsenal for example - bullied the CB's. Held it up. Linked players in. There was one moment where Ben White was closing down a loose ball and Wilson sprinted in, got in ahead of White and won a foul at the edge of the box. On the weekend when he gets the ball, starts running nowhere and eventually buys the foul. Like Wilson's a wiley striker in every way.

 

Isak plays like he's used to playing with another striker uptop. Someone else does more of the dirty work. A bit innocent. He can get the ball a bit deeper, carry it. Ball bounces off him when you would like him to hold it up against CB's.

3 hours ago, Lush Vlad said:

 

Disagree.  Wilson is better than people give him credit for with his back to goal and when trying to link the play.  He's by no means top level doing it, but certainly better than Isak at this moment in time.  

 

I'm not saying Isak can't develop and adapt that side of his game.  As he is still young and has the size for it if he filled out a bit and got more used to the league.  But when Wilson was missing, I thought it was noticeable how much our build up play in the final third suffered.  He wasn't a focal point or causing much of a nuisance.  

 

Isak so far has looked like he'll be brilliant in games where we are expecting to have a bit less of the ball and against teams who play high. 

 

Excited to see him back fit and playing, either way.  

Aye.

 

1 hour ago, Lush Vlad said:

I thought he looked amazing against Liverpool and him having to go off probably cost us at least a point. However, they play a really high line and don’t defend in numbers. Well, they certainly weren’t at the time. 
 

I remember watching him against Palace and bits of Bournemouth. Thinking he wasn’t really occupying the CB’s and he wasn’t playing much between the posts. The fact both sat deep and the a lot of the attacking play was poor all round didn’t help. But he was a big part of that. 

 

 

 

Yep. Against Liverpool he was able to get in behind a lot.

 

1 hour ago, LFEE said:

Yeah I thought his movement against Liverpool was generally good but the two home draws he seemed a little static and easy for the CHs to mark him out the game.

Yep.

 

And when he gets on the ball, it's often deeper and a little wider. Wilson gets the ball CF up against CB's.

 

Wilson's a bit dirty. Plays like he's come through the divisions.

[BeloEmre]

Probably won’t see him before January.

[nufcjb]

How many games do we have before Jan? 3?

[Guest reefatoon]

Must have been some nasty injury. Feels like he has been out forever.

[PauloGeordio]

Just now, nufcjb said:

How many games do we have before Jan? 3?

Yea apart from friendlies. Bournemouth, Leicester and Leeds

[BeloEmre]

1 minute ago, nufcjb said:

How many games do we have before Jan? 3?

Aye, Bournemouth, Leicester and Leeds.

[gbandit]

Such a bizarre injury this one. Hope we’re being extra cautious so that when he does come back he’s in great shape and doesn’t do a Siem de Jong on us and end up in an iron lung for the rest of his career

[nufcjb]

Would have wanted him in for that Bournemouth game. Doesn't look likely now.

[frankpingel]

2 minutes ago, nufcjb said:

Would have wanted him in for that Bournemouth game. Doesn't look likely now.

Yes I had thought he'd be ready for the cup game. Have to hope Wilson is OK and available. 

[cubaricho]

Eddie playing a blinder here to get more transfers in. 

[LFEE]

12 minutes ago, nufcjb said:

Would have wanted him in for that Bournemouth game. Doesn't look likely now.

Yes was hoping the same. Maybe he will be and Hope has forgotten about it being just before Leicester.

[Nobody]

Oh for fucks sake 

[Guest]

Worrying. Time to get rid. 

[LFEE]

 

[The Prophet]

Wor Eddie...

 

"I don't expect him to feature in the friendly games.

 

We'll try and get him for Bournemouth or Leicester, but we'll have to see how it goes.

 

There's no setback, there was an initial setback when he re-injured his thigh and, as a consequence of that, we just want to make sure we get him fully fit.

 

 

He's doing well. This was the plan. We didn't expect him to train with the group when we first started training, so he's with the sports scientist team and physios.

 

We are building him up in a controlled way and we expect him to be very close for Bournemouth or Leicester. We're not sure if he'll be fit or available for those games yet."

 

Sounds like he'll be back this month, they're just being cautious.