2 months ago
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Alan Shearer has offered a blunt verdict on Alexander Isak’s start to life at Liverpool, with the former Newcastle striker insisting his summer transfer approach hasn’t worked out for him after another frustrating week.
Isak failed to score in either of Sweden’s games during the international break, with his country’s World Cup hopes now hanging by a thread after taking just one point from their qualifiers so far.
Sweden boss Jon Dahl Tomasson was fired as a result, although concerns have been raised about Isak start to the season following his high-profile move to Liverpool, and the way in which he secured the transfer.
The 26-year-old effectively went on strike back at Newcastle before eventually getting his move to Anfield on deadline day. Since then though, he has been playing catch-up to the rest of his new teammates, and has scored just once in his six appearances for the Reds so far.
Having drawn another blank on international duty, Shearer believes Isak’s approach to forcing through the transfer to Liverpool has backfired.
“It hasn't been the start to the season that Isak would've wanted,” Shearer told Betfair.
“When you consider Sweden's front three of Gyokeres, Isak and Elanga and you can't score and are on the brink of not qualifying for the World Cup. Obviously, the manager has paid the price and lost his job which is no surprise.
“Obviously with the Newcastle situation, Isak not playing or training and understandably hasn't hit the ground running at Liverpool, he was probably looking to get to full fitness at this international break, but it's gone the other way.
“It hasn't worked, he and they haven't scored and can't score which, when you look at the ability of that front three, being bottom of the group doesn't look right at all. The summer certainly hasn't helped Isak.”
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Isak made his frustration clear after Sweden’s defeat to Kosovo on Monday, which leaves his country needing a minor miracle if it is to reach next year’s World Cup.
It can still reach the play-offs, although it would need to win both of its remaining games next month and hope Kosovo loses its remaining fixtures, meaning it may have to rely on its Nations League finish.
"We players are so f------ dissatisfied," Isak said after Monday's game as he was asked about Tomasson's future, just hours before the Sweden boss was fired. "And as I've said before, we take a lot of responsibility ourselves.
"We look at ourselves in the mirror. And no one is approved. Not us players, not us as a team. And that of course includes the coach and everything around, but those questions [about calls for Tomasson to be fired], we don't get involved in them."
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