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

[Happinesstan]

3 minutes ago, TRon said:

 

I know the point you were making, but I'm of the opinion as a natural no 9, Wilson attacks spaces that gets him goals even in games where he isn't involved much. How many times have you seen him even this season making late runs into the box and then gesticulating to the wide men with both arms at his feet that they should have played him in?

 

 

I'm agreeing with you. Just saying that those spaces have been limited in a lot of our games because the striker [whoever it is] is occupied by both CBs because there is nobody else drawing attention.

 

Nowhere in the Isak videos I watched did he look like a similar striker to Wilson, which iss why it was strange to see him succumb in the same way. But when he did drop deep he created problems. The first time he did it he played a lovely ball into the right channel with the defence stepping out a bit. Tiny fractions like that make all the difference.

 

 

Edited September 18, 2022 by Happinesstan

[TRon]

1 hour ago, Happinesstan said:

I'm agreeing with you. Just saying that those spaces have been limited in a lot of our games because the striker [whoever it is] is occupied by both CBs because there is nobody else drawing attention.

 

Nowhere in the Isak videos I watched did he look like a similar striker to Wilson, which iss why it was strange to see him succumb in the same way. But when he did drop deep he created problems. The first time he did it he played a lovely ball into the right channel with the defence stepping out a bit. Tiny fractions like that make all the difference.

 

 

 

 

Yep. As I said in the Fulham match thread, I expect Isak to look a lot more dangerous as they will be attacking which will leave him a lot more space to use his assets, pace being one of them.

[Happinesstan]

2 hours ago, KaKa said:

 

Exactly the setup a few of us had tried to explain in the Isak thread, with him having a more narrow free role on that right side, while people were crying that he couldn't play there because he's not a 'winger' 

Are they using football manager 2001 tactic generator?

[Happinesstan]

2 hours ago, Conjo said:

 

Aye, because a random twitter account dotted down a forward arrow on Trippier one of the few times he was so advanced compared to the ball it now makes perfect sense to slot Isak out wide. Thanks for the clarification

Actually, in my argument, Shelvey wasn't fit so Bruno plays that role with Almiron in the 8/10/ACM role, doing pretty much what he has been doing, when we attack down the right, with the freedom to join in attacks down the left. No need to slot Isak out wide at all. Trippier plays RB but spent most of the game yesterday in the RW position. Do you honestly think people expect Isak just to get in his way? Or do you not understand the concept that a player can move from his starting position. 

 

 

Edited September 18, 2022 by Happinesstan

[HaydnNUFC]

 

[Donut]

What an awful take. Man has scored 2 goals in 3 and had a blatant onside goal disallowed as well.

[gbandit]

What the fuck is that headline? I don’t read Mail articles out of principle but if the article matches that headline it’s an absolute waste of space. The lad’s been here for three games and played amazing in the Liverpool match. Honestly, how can you be in a job with takes like that 

[Scoot]

Has Craig Hope took up an all new Luke Edwards role lately?

[Kid Icarus]

Please start getting a tune out of your 1 in 2 striker.

 

 I noticed a while ago how Hope plays down the Bruce thing after he's the one to bring it up for the umpteenth time. Thought it was canny obvious how much he loved the attention he got from that.

 

 

Edited September 19, 2022 by Kid Icarus

[Yorkie]

There's nothing particularly critical in there and I don't think the journos write the headlines? It absolutely is important that we get Isak involved in the game more. If Saturday was anything to go by he's certainly no lone striker. Took his penalty well but I didn't think he was really in the game bar the odd touch. Of course it's  difficult for any central striker to impose themselves against a bank of 8/9/10.

[Kid Icarus]

1 minute ago, Yorkie said:

There's nothing particularly critical in there and I don't think the journos write the headlines? It absolutely is important that we get Isak involved in the game more. If Saturday was anything to go by he's certainly no lone striker. Took his penalty well but I didn't think he was really in the game bar the odd touch. Of course it's  difficult for any central striker to impose themselves against a bank of 8/9/10.

He is a lone striker, he's just not necessarily one that's most effective against a defense that's sitting deep. At least not at this stage of his development anyway. 

[HaydnNUFC]

Gone right off Craig Hope tbh. Think it's an unnecessarily worded article directed at a 22 year old lad who's our record signing and has 2 goals in his first 3 appearances in a new league. If anything it's the wingers and creative mids that article should be directed at, not Isak, given Almiron's, Fraser's and Joelinton's performances on Saturday. On his personal account he's hidden replies containing valid criticism about the article, like the fuck? Just dug his heels in and saying it's not his job to help players settle. Odd.

 

Aye he went in on Bruce brilliantly a year to a year and a half ago but feel that as soon as we hit a rough patch of form he'll be the first one going after Howe. Just a taster there now by centring that article around Isak whose just made his 3rd appearance in the league. 

[Myleftboot]

Let him have a free role when Wilson’s back.

[Gallowgate Toon]

Biggest problem for him from the last 2 games is that he was seemingly asked to play like Wilson. Hold position, occupy defenders, scrap for balls, look for gaps in behind etc. Perhaps this is because there's so little faith in our midfield to get forward and make the difference in the box but he just seems like a player you want to drift, find space, and get things going with players moving ahead of or with him. 

 

Can't wait to see him and Wilson on the same pitch together, regardless of the seeming lack of ideal formation. Been fucking ages since we've had 2 starters in the same side who know how to score goals.

[Wilson]

Just watched again, great penalty that. 

 

Love his confidence. 

[Nobody]

Isak scored in his season opener against Barcelona as well, so this season he has 3 goals in four games, two of which have been against Barcelona and Liverpool. Pretty decent going Tbf. 

[Mike]

There are tiny moments where you can see his class. Having the composure to dribble past the tackle last weekend, the way he fucking tore Liverpool to shreds, I feel like he played a mega ball for either a chance or an assist?

 

The kid is the real deal.

 

Love how he hypes the crowd up whenever he scores as well.

[Conjo]

Could have easily had 4 goals in 3 games had he kept it simple against Palace and not had that offside call against Liverpool, and that's by largely feeding off scraps.

I'd like us to get him on the ball more often as he is one of the few players we have that is capable of dribbling past an opponent to make some space.

[KDT]

Bournemouth was him largely having to play with his back to goal and feeding off scraps, that's absolutely not what he's about.

[BonesJones]

Watched a few of his highlights for us, and I absolutely love the way he does a fake shot that just leaves defenders in no man's land, looks like something from a video game.

 

Seriously talented on the ball, just need some extra talent around him to make his job off the ball a bit easier. Can't wait to see how he gets on with ASM and Wilson up with him, Bruno back in his best position, Shelvey pinging deep balls to him, will cream my pants if I keep going.

 

Said it before we have a serious player here!

[The Prophet]

I think a huge problem we have is that our front three were built for counter attacking football. Wilson is a great goal scorer but he plays off the shoulder, ASM is about beating his man, while all other options are pretty limited. They've not been bought for a possession based game.

 

Whether he's dropping off or playing off the last man, Isak clearly likes the ball into his feet. It might just be that he's building up a relationship with the players around him, but I think it could be a personnel issue more than anything else. Having Bruno back up to speed will help his cause.

[Happinesstan]

17 minutes ago, BonesJones said:

Watched a few of his highlights for us, and I absolutely love the way he does a fake shot that just leaves defenders in no man's land, looks like something from a video game.

 

Seriously talented on the ball, just need some extra talent around him to make his job off the ball a bit easier. Can't wait to see how he gets on with ASM and Wilson up with him, Bruno back in his best position, Shelvey pinging deep balls to him, will cream my pants if I keep going.

 

Said it before we have a serious player here!

Agreed. I know it's early to make an assessment, but he looks like a top player. Surround him with similar talent and we'll be challenging, no doubt. But that's long term, in the short term we can look forward to him developing a better understanding with his new teammates.

[BonesJones]

5 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

I think a huge problem we have is that our front three were built for counter attacking football. Wilson is a great goal scorer but he plays off the shoulder, ASM is about beating his man, while all other options are pretty limited. They've not been bought for a possession based game.

 

Whether he's dropping off or playing off the last man, Isak clearly likes the ball into his feet. It might just be that he's building up a relationship with the players around him, but I think it could be a personnel issue more than anything else. Having Bruno back up to speed will help his cause.

 

Personally wouldn't mind seeing something similar to the Wilson/King partnership Howe had at Bournemouth. At least just to see if it could work well, because that was a nice strike partnership back then, at least to watch, unsure about their stats together.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

9 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

I think a huge problem we have is that our front three were built for counter attacking football. Wilson is a great goal scorer but he plays off the shoulder, ASM is about beating his man, while all other options are pretty limited. They've not been bought for a possession based game.

 

Whether he's dropping off or playing off the last man, Isak clearly likes the ball into his feet. It might just be that he's building up a relationship with the players around him, but I think it could be a personnel issue more than anything else. Having Bruno back up to speed will help his cause.

 

I'd say also, we had to play counter-attacking football because the players we randomly signed weren't capable of keeping possession and would always be outplayed by the opposition. 

[The College Dropout]

Maddison is great against a low-block.§