Alexander Isak moving from Newcastle to Liverpool was perhaps the biggest drama of the summer. the Sweden international essentially went on strike to try and force a move to Arne Slot’s side.
It worked eventually, aided by Newcastle United signing Nick Woltemade, but Isak hasn’t had a preseason and that’s showing at Liverpool. The striker is going to take a while to be at his best, and Liverpool’s attack generally doesn’t look what it was last season. That’s despite all the money spent for Slot.
Sweden manager Jon Dahl Tomasson has been speaking at a press conference on Monday and used Newcastle United’s Yoane Wissa to explain what he’s been doing with Isak.
The Liverpool player was with Sweden during the last international break. He played 18 minutes against Kosovo in a 2-0 loss. Wissa, who pressured Brentford to sell him to Newcastle, was with Democratic Republic of Congo and played 136 over two matches.
He’s been injured since and hasn’t yet played for Newcastle United.
“That’s how we plan, Liverpool have done really well”
Fotbollskanalen quote Jon Dahl Tomasson as saying: “You need six weeks in a pre-season. First you play 45 minutes, then 60 minutes, 75 minutes and 90 minutes. Then you need another three weeks to be at your best. That’s normal.
“We can’t change the situation. I’m just happy that Liverpool are doing the same thing I would have done. You can see that with Newcastle and Yoane Wissa, who came in instead of Isak. He played international matches with Congo straight away and is now injured. He is still injured. That’s also a reason why we couldn’t play him (Isak) so much last month. We need a good Isak this month and next month. That’s how we plan, while Liverpool have done really well.”
Perhaps a little below the belt snipe there from JDT, who isn’t a stranger to pushing the fitness of players.
