For a few minutes, I think most Liverpool fans probably feared the worst when the news broke that Alexander Isak had left the Sweden squad.
Given what happened last season, that’s understandable.
Isak’s first season at Liverpool was badly disrupted by injuries and he spent a long period on the sidelines after suffering a broken leg.
So when Liverpool announced that their record signing had withdrawn from international duty because of a minor injury, I’m sure there were plenty of supporters immediately thinking about the worst-case scenario.
Thankfully, Graham Potter has now provided some much-needed clarification.
And the good news is that this doesn’t sound like anything serious.
“Isak has a minor thigh problem. It’s nothing serious, but due to the number of matches in a short period of time, he won’t be able to take part,” Potter said. “It’s frustrating for both him and us. But it is what it is.”
That’s obviously much better news than Liverpool supporters might have feared.
Isak isn’t simply being sent home because he has suffered another major injury.
Potter’s explanation suggests Sweden have decided not to take any chances with him because of the number of matches being played in a short period.
And, to be honest, I think that’s sensible.
Isak has made an excellent start to the season.
He has scored four Premier League goals in his first five appearances and also contributed an assist in Liverpool’s Champions League victory over Atlético Madrid.
After everything he went through last season, it has been fantastic to see him looking sharp again.
The last thing Liverpool need is for him to be pushed too hard during an international break.
Especially with what is coming up.
Liverpool’s next Premier League game is against Manchester City at Anfield on October 11, and there are some huge fixtures waiting for Iraola’s team after the international break.
That’s why this latest update is important.
Nobody wants to see Isak rushed back simply because he is Liverpool’s main striker.
Liverpool have already lost Hugo Ekitike to a long-term Achilles problem, so Isak’s importance to Iraola’s team is obvious.
There isn’t another established senior centre-forward ready to simply step into his shoes if he were to miss an extended period.
That’s what makes the timing of this injury particularly frustrating.
But I’d much rather have Isak missing a few international matches now than Liverpool taking a risk with him and potentially losing him for weeks or months.
And there is another encouraging aspect to this.
Isak played the full 90 minutes and scored in Sweden’s 2-1 win over Romania before withdrawing from the squad. He also reportedly played through a painful toe injury after taking a heavy stamp during the game.
That doesn’t mean we should ignore the thigh problem.
But it does perhaps explain why Sweden are being cautious with him.
Potter has a very busy period ahead with Sweden, and the decision has been made that Isak shouldn’t be involved in the remaining fixtures.
Liverpool fans will obviously be watching closely to see how quickly he recovers.
But right now, I don’t think there’s any reason to panic.
The word that matters most in Potter’s comments is “minor.”
He specifically said the problem is nothing serious.
That’s the information Liverpool supporters needed.
And, for me, the bigger picture is actually quite positive.
Isak has started the season well.
He’s scoring goals.
He’s getting regular minutes.
He’s looking more like the player Liverpool believed they were signing when they spent a British-record £125m to bring him to Anfield.
Perhaps the most important thing now is simply keeping him healthy.
We’ve already seen how quickly things can change with injuries.
Liverpool have built a hugely expensive attack around players such as Isak, Florian Wirtz, Cody Gakpo and Bradley Barcola.
There’s no point having all that attacking quality available if the players aren’t fit.
So if that means Isak misses a few Sweden games and spends some extra time recovering, I’m completely fine with it.
I would much rather see him sitting out an international match than taking another unnecessary risk.
And hopefully, by the time Liverpool return to action, this will be nothing more than a minor interruption.
Because Manchester City at Anfield is exactly the sort of game Liverpool will want their main striker available for.
Isak has already shown what he can do.
Now Liverpool just need to make sure they don’t ask too much of him too soon.
The initial news was worrying. Potter’s update is much more reassuring.
It’s a minor thigh problem.
It’s nothing serious.
And right now, that’s all we really needed to hear.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
Leave a Reply