Yeah no way Isak is lazy. He’s missed 2 months of pre season and playing catch up. Only once he gets to full match fitness and sharpness, then you can judge. He’s in a new team and new system and it’s not overnight that players can magically know how to play with each other. It takes time.

comment by Mo Salahhhhh 7-0 Egyptian King 👑 (U8829)
posted 21 minutes ago
Yeah no way Isak is lazy. He’s missed 2 months of pre season and playing catch up. Only once he gets to full match fitness and sharpness, then you can judge. He’s in a new team and new system and it’s not overnight that players can magically know how to play with each other. It takes time.
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Exactly this
It's just a shame we've been forced to bed in so many new players at once.

Yeah I can’t imagine the club lack such due diligence that they went and spent £120m on a lazy striker.

Just saying what I’ve seen so far and I’m hope I’m wrong. Maybe it is a case of not being fit still but he can’t use that excuse forever.

Winning possession which is great by the way is one thing but that is not pressing.

Glad to see we’ve settled on this season’s scapegoat.

comment by (K̇ash) - 20+6 - Free Palestine 🇵🇸 Resistance is Existence (U1108)
posted 47 minutes ago
Winning possession which is great by the way is one thing but that is not pressing.
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That’s such an odd distinction. How do you think he’s winning the ball?!

For the avoidance of doubt however, from another PL article:

“Isak was one of the most prolific final-third pressers in the Premier League in 2024/25, ranking fifth overall for final-third pressures applied and third for high-intensity final-third pressures despite Newcastle being mid-ranking in the Premier League as a team”

Yeah I will say the pressing is entirely mismatched and disjointed but I don’t think it’s on any one individual. That was just a particularly annoying moment where Szob was pressing on his own while Isak stood there but I don’t think that’s laziness more lack of clear direction.

comment by Szoboss (U6997)
posted 23 minutes ago
comment by (K̇ash) - 20+6 - Free Palestine 🇵🇸 Resistance is Existence (U1108)
posted 47 minutes ago
Winning possession which is great by the way is one thing but that is not pressing.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

That’s such an odd distinction. How do you think he’s winning the ball?!

For the avoidance of doubt however, from another PL article:

“Isak was one of the most prolific final-third pressers in the Premier League in 2024/25, ranking fifth overall for final-third pressures applied and third for high-intensity final-third pressures despite Newcastle being mid-ranking in the Premier League as a team”
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Wirtz also has insane pressing stats previously. I just don’t think we’re particularly fit rn.

I think we were also spoilt under Klopp and the way we pressed, or Gegenpressed. Was obviously our main strength under him, but the like of Mane, Firmino and Salah knew where to be all the time off the ball and how the midfield would win the ball quickly and get it forward.


This is a different set up which is a bit slower, but again players that have hardly played together and even Salah looks lost which isn’t good.

Just seen the pen Arsenal were given yesterday. One of the worst decisions this season. Clearly fouled outside the box.

comment by Szoboss (U6997)
posted about an hour ago
comment by (K̇ash) - 20+6 - Free Palestine 🇵🇸 Resistance is Existence (U1108)
posted 47 minutes ago
Winning possession which is great by the way is one thing but that is not pressing.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

That’s such an odd distinction. How do you think he’s winning the ball?!

For the avoidance of doubt however, from another PL article:

“Isak was one of the most prolific final-third pressers in the Premier League in 2024/25, ranking fifth overall for final-third pressures applied and third for high-intensity final-third pressures despite Newcastle being mid-ranking in the Premier League as a team”
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Can't argue with stats. Not seen it with us so far. Lack of fitness obviously an issue. Let's see.

comment by (K̇ash) - 20+6 - Free Palestine 🇵🇸 Resistance is Existence (U1108)
posted 12 minutes ago
Just seen the pen Arsenal were given yesterday. One of the worst decisions this season. Clearly fouled outside the box.
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Again, I find it staggering they believe there’s some kind of agenda against them.

Isak was also assisted by the likes of Gordon who is very good at putting pressure on the opposition.

In the season 2024/2025 Anthony Robinson has embarked on more sprints (702) than any other player in the Premier League this season, ahead of Anthony Gordon (666), Daniel Munoz (658), Bryan Mbeumo (647) and Milos Kerkez (639).

Now i understand why we wanted Gordon. Him and Kerkez on the left would have been a good combination.

Doesn't excuse the recent performances but looking at the table and our fixtures, we've played 5 of the current top 8, then Newcastle and Burnley away.

Fair to say we've had a tough start to the season.

Watching Cucurella speak after game and he mentions that they worked on the fact that Salah will not track back but last season we had a plan for this which was that Dom would move to the right and Konate would play almost as a right back. That plan has gone out of the window which does need to be addressed.

Slot is focusing far too much on positional structure. I mean I understand it. The team has to learn each other's movements.

I guess we just gotta ride out this transitional period

But if there's no progress by the end of December then maybe we might have a problem

Not playing Chiesa today was really weird