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

[The College Dropout]

He's got such a lovely turn/swivel on him.

[HaydnNUFC]

48 minutes ago, gbandit said:

All we need is Bruno and him linking together for a couple of games, they’re made for each other. Will score tons with that service 

 

Feel like pure shit just want to see Alex Isak run on to the end of a perfectly weighted Bruno through ball to score a winning goal in front of the Gallowgate. 

[Doctor Zaius]

Has to start V Wolves

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Just now, HaydnNUFC said:

Feel like pure shit just want to see Alex Isak run on to the end of a perfectly weighted Bruno through ball to score a winning goal in front of the Gallowgate. 

 

Me too hun.

[The College Dropout]

6 hours ago, The College Dropout said:

He's got such a lovely turn/swivel on him.

If we have a slicker passing style, he would brilliant up top by himself. Dropping in deep to provide overloads in central areas.

[LFEE]

Shame his shooting & heading wasn’t a bit more meatier. Very graceful player but don’t see 20GPS in him. Hope I’m wrong.

[The Prophet]

His shot power looks good no? He rifled in the two v Liverpool and the penalty v Bournemouth.

[The Prophet]

Also, he has 3 goals in 466 minutes of football. Roughly a goal every game and a half. That's including a long spell on the sidelines having barely had a run in the team. Before he came to the PL he one of the best goals goals per minutes ratios of the young strikers in Europe. It's a bit early to be putting a ceiling on him.

[RUHRLYASLEEVESUP]

1 minute ago, The Prophet said:

Also, he has 3 goals in 466 minutes of football. Roughly a goal every game and a half. That's including a long spell on the sidelines having barely had a run in the team. Before he came to the PL he one of the best goals goals per minutes ratios of the young strikers in Europe. It's a bit early to be putting a ceiling on him.

4 if you count the one he was robbed of at Anfield 

[pubteam]

We have to players in defence who are capable of playing long accurate balls for him to run onto. I wish we'd go route one at times to shake it up. We don't play to maxi's strengths either, who likes to run onto the ball not get it with his back to goal. We seemed to attack with a lot more pace last season.

[HaydnNUFC]

6 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

Also, he has 3 goals in 466 minutes of football. Roughly a goal every game and a half. That's including a long spell on the sidelines having barely had a run in the team. Before he came to the PL he one of the best goals goals per minutes ratios of the young strikers in Europe. It's a bit early to be putting a ceiling on him.

 

Scored for Sociedad v Barcelona first game of the La Liga season as well.

[The Prophet]

Not to say he can't do bits in this side, but it'll be class when we have players on the same wavelength as him too. Wide forwards who are capable of linking play and dropping into the gaps that he leaves when he drifts out wide. 

[Lush Vlad]

9 minutes ago, pubteam said:

We have to players in defence who are capable of playing long accurate balls for him to run onto. I wish we'd go route one at times to shake it up. We don't play to maxi's strengths either, who likes to run onto the ball not get it with his back to goal. We seemed to attack with a lot more pace last season.

We do go route one quite a bit, I think. There have been some games where I wish we would be more patient and have struggled to build from

the back, at times. Especially when Bruno is missing.
 

We’re by no means playing Pulis or Allardyce ball. But Botman, Trippier, Schar, Pope and to a lesser degree, Longstaff. Will all look for a long diagonal/pass or one over the top into the channel. Bruno is more cultured and shorter with his ‘long’ passes, of course 
 

We are also very direct from set pieces. Which is probably why the ball is in play less than a lot of teams. As anything near halfway and beyond. We chuck all

the big boys up there and just hump it up to them. Considering how ineffective they are. It’s pretty boring to watch now. Almost Pardew back post to Williamson levels of ineffectiveness. 
 

Goal kicks are almost always long, too. 

[The Prophet]

4 minutes ago, Lush Vlad said:

We do go route one quite a bit, I think. There have been some games where I wish we would be more patient and have struggled to build from

the back, at times. Especially when Bruno is missing.
 

We’re by no means playing Pulis or Allardyce ball. But Botman, Trippier, Schar, Pope and to a lesser degree, Longstaff. Will all look for a long diagonal/pass or one over the top into the channel. Bruno is more cultured and shorter with his ‘long’ passes, of course 
 

We are also very direct from set pieces. Which is probably why the ball is in play less than a lot of teams. As anything near halfway and beyond. We chuck all

the big boys up there and just hump it up to them. Considering how ineffective they are. It’s pretty boring to watch now. Almost Pardew back post to Williamson levels of ineffectiveness. 
 

Goal kicks are almost always long, too. 

 

Aye, we're quite big on counter-pressing, so if all else fails we'll play the ball over the top so we can initiate a press to try and force an error.

[Mattoon]

27 minutes ago, Lush Vlad said:

We do go route one quite a bit, I think. There have been some games where I wish we would be more patient and have struggled to build from

the back, at times. Especially when Bruno is missing.
 

We’re by no means playing Pulis or Allardyce ball. But Botman, Trippier, Schar, Pope and to a lesser degree, Longstaff. Will all look for a long diagonal/pass or one over the top into the channel. Bruno is more cultured and shorter with his ‘long’ passes, of course 
 

We are also very direct from set pieces. Which is probably why the ball is in play less than a lot of teams. As anything near halfway and beyond. We chuck all

the big boys up there and just hump it up to them. Considering how ineffective they are. It’s pretty boring to watch now. Almost Pardew back post to Williamson levels of ineffectiveness. 
 

Goal kicks are almost always long, too. 

 

I think that has a lot to do with the teams we've been playing to be fair, I don't envision us lumping it forward when Wolves come to St James' I think we'll see more build up play from the back. Can't see Isak not starting for this given the change in opponents, we won't be looking for the ball to stick so if Howe does choose Wilson again that has to be questions asked. I can see the choice of Wilson over Isak against teams we're expecting to be under the cosh against, so the last 3 can be understood.

[Ronaldo]

Lots of pressure on Howe to play him now, mind. From all angles.

[Cronky]

Eddie does put great store on physical fitness, and I can only think there is still some issue in his mind about Isak. He also has a 'maverick' element in his play, and Eddie may be worried about how he links in with his team-mates.

 

Having said that, Wilson often looks to me like a player who is protecting an injury. And team-mates develop a mutual understanding through experience.

 

So there you are.

[The Prophet]

Fitness wise I can only think Howe would be concerned about his ability to execute the press.

[huss9]

hopefully he comes back in with willock.

energy pace and pressing from both needed at the weekend.

[The College Dropout]

12 hours ago, Mattoon said:

 

I think that has a lot to do with the teams we've been playing to be fair, I don't envision us lumping it forward when Wolves come to St James' I think we'll see more build up play from the back. Can't see Isak not starting for this given the change in opponents, we won't be looking for the ball to stick so if Howe does choose Wilson again that has to be questions asked. I can see the choice of Wilson over Isak against teams we're expecting to be under the cosh against, so the last 3 can be understood.

Think this is a copout in the modern game. Managers like Pardew would trot this out but lots of managers have proved you can play as you do against top sides or similar.

 

We are a "lateral" side and don't mind playing it long. That's our style by design.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

We don't have the technical ability to play around a press like Man City can apply, IMO.

[The College Dropout]

23 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

We don't have the technical ability to play around a press like Man City can apply, IMO.

Agreed. We don't even have the technical ability of a Brighton. We play with runners in midfield not ball players (sans Bruno).

 

The rumours around McTominay and the signing of Gordon makes me think we want to stick with this style.

[TRon]

27 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

We don't have the technical ability to play around a press like Man City can apply, IMO.

 

Yep. We are far better than we were were a year ago, but against the good sides, our lack of quality in certain areas really shows.

[The Prophet]

Bruno and Willock are probably our most "press proof" players, ,but we definitely need more. Kone would be dreamy. 

[TRon]

1 minute ago, The Prophet said:

Bruno and Willock are probably our most "press proof" players, ,but we definitely need more. Kone would be dreamy. 

 

One of the reasons I was reluctant to drop Willock from the team during our good run. His end product isn't great, but he is really good at making us tick and transitioning the ball from defence to attack. Our football has looked less slick since him ( and Bruno) have played less games.