Liverpool didn’t spend £125m on Alexander Isak to watch him become an isolated figure in attack.
Yet that was exactly what happened at St James’ Park.
The Reds eventually rescued a 2-2 draw against Newcastle thanks to a stoppage-time penalty from Dominik Szoboszlai, but there was one major concern that stood out to me.
Liverpool aren’t getting enough out of their record signing.
And now Andoni Iraola has to find a solution.
Isak barely had an impact
Isak’s return to Newcastle was always going to be one of the biggest stories of the afternoon.
He had left the club for Liverpool in a huge £125m transfer.
There was naturally going to be pressure on him.
But unfortunately for Isak, he barely had an opportunity to show what he could do.
He cut an isolated figure for much of the game.
Liverpool dominated possession, yet the ball simply wasn’t reaching their striker often enough in dangerous areas.
That’s a huge problem.
Possession means nothing if you can’t create
Liverpool had around 60% possession and 27 attempts on goal.
On paper, those numbers look impressive.
But how many of those opportunities genuinely tested Newcastle?
And more importantly, how many were created for Isak?
That’s the question Iraola needs to answer.
You can dominate possession all afternoon, but if your £125m striker is barely touching the ball inside the penalty area, something isn’t right.
Gakpo showed what Isak needs
Interestingly, Liverpool’s most dangerous attacker was Cody Gakpo.
Gakpo was willing to shoot from distance, drop deeper and interchange positions.
His equaliser was an excellent finish.
But Liverpool shouldn’t need their left winger to become the main attacking outlet while their record signing is waiting for service.
Isak needs players around him who can create space and opportunities.
He needs runners.
He needs crosses.
He needs through balls.
And he needs wingers capable of beating defenders and delivering the ball into dangerous areas.
This is why Liverpool need pace
I’ve been saying this for a while now.
Liverpool need fast, direct wingers.
Not simply players who can keep possession.
Players who can actually frighten defenders.
Someone who can receive the ball out wide and immediately attack the full-back.
Someone who can get to the byline.
Someone who can cut inside.
Someone who can run beyond Isak.
Because when you have a striker like Isak, you have to build an attack that takes advantage of his movement.
Iraola has to find the balance
This isn’t simply about blaming Isak.
In fact, I don’t think Isak should receive much criticism for his Newcastle performance.
What was he supposed to do?
He can’t create chances for himself every time.
If Liverpool are dominating possession but their striker is isolated, that’s a collective problem.
Iraola has to find a way of connecting the midfield with the attack.
And that’s where Florian Wirtz becomes particularly important.
Wirtz has to step up too
Wirtz didn’t have a great game at Newcastle.
Liverpool spent a huge amount of money on him because he’s supposed to be one of the players who makes things happen.
He needs to find those pockets of space.
He needs to get closer to Isak.
He needs to play those passes behind the defence.
He needs to create.
Because if Wirtz is operating too far away from Isak, Liverpool risk creating a huge gap between their midfield and attack.
That’s something Iraola needs to fix quickly.
Isak needs runners
One of Isak’s biggest strengths is his movement.
He can stretch a defence.
He can run behind.
He can drop deep.
He can link play.
But Liverpool need to give him options.
If Isak receives the ball and nobody is running beyond him, defenders can simply stay compact.
If he drops deep and nobody attacks the space he’s created, the move dies.
That’s why Liverpool’s wingers and attacking midfielders are so important.
Liverpool cannot waste £125m
This is the biggest issue.
Liverpool didn’t spend £125m on Isak because they thought he was simply a good striker.
They spent it because they believe he can be one of the best forwards in the world.
That means the entire attacking structure has to maximise him.
You don’t buy a Ferrari and then drive it around at 20mph.
Liverpool have to unleash Isak.
The Nottingham Forest game is an opportunity
The next Premier League game against Nottingham Forest gives Iraola the perfect opportunity to respond.
Liverpool need to get Isak involved early.
Get him running at defenders.
Put crosses into the box.
Play balls behind the defensive line.
Get Wirtz closer to him.
Get the wingers higher.
Make Isak feel like the centre of Liverpool’s attack.
Because that’s exactly what he should be.
Don’t write Isak off
One quiet game doesn’t suddenly make Isak a bad signing.
Absolutely not.
He’s already shown throughout his career that he can score goals at the highest level.
The Newcastle match was always going to be difficult emotionally and tactically.
He was playing against his former club.
The atmosphere was hostile.
And Liverpool weren’t at their best.
But that doesn’t change the bigger issue.
Iraola needs to unlock him.
My verdict
I still believe Liverpool have signed an outstanding striker.
But signing Isak is only half the job.
Now Liverpool need to build an attack that gets the best out of him.
The Newcastle game should be a warning.
Possession isn’t enough.
Shots aren’t enough.
You need to create the right chances for your best player.
Liverpool have invested £125m in Alexander Isak.
Now it’s up to Iraola, Wirtz, the wingers and the rest of the team to make sure that investment delivers.
Because if Liverpool can get Isak firing, this attack could be frightening.
And if they can’t?
Liverpool may have the most expensive striker in their history — without giving him the ammunition he needs to succeed.
It’s time to unlock Isak.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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