2 months ago
22
Alexander Isak and Arne Slot have given contrasting views on the Liverpool striker’s fitness levels.
The forward’s readiness to participate in games has been a pressing issue in the last few weeks, following his record-breaking arrival on transfer deadline day. Given Isak was forced to train away from his team-mates over the summer at Newcastle United and didn’t have a proper pre-season, getting the Sweden star up to full speed has been among Slot’s chief priorities this month.
Isak started his second game for the club on Tuesday in the Carabao Cup win over Southampton, and netted his maiden Liverpool goal just before half-time. However, he was replaced during the interval and, oddly, was made to do some sprint work on the pitch at half-time.
With Hugo Ekitke suspended at the weekend, Isak will likely start against Crystal Palace. In his first public interview since the transfer to Liverpool, the 25-year-old was asked how fit he currently feels.
“It was good to get some more minutes on the way to getting fit,” Isak told Sky Sports. “I feel good, I feel fit, of course. Obviously, it's still early. A new club and new team-mates but I feel good.
“I think it's a great team to be a part of and with all of the games I get it's only going to get better.”
However, Slot seemed to slightly disagree with that assessment and said Isak will not be firing on all cylinders until after the October international break.
“He’s playing more and more,” the Liverpool head coach told Sky Sports. “But it is only six or seven days ago that he played his first minutes.
“You’re trying to build him up quicker than you normally do in pre-season but that is why he try to get him as much playing minutes as we can. He is available for next week.
“He will make minutes there and then will go to the national team of Sweden where he can make minutes.
“I think, yes he is ready for minutes and does well, but to have the best version of him, I think that is maybe after the international break when he has played more minutes and has some more minutes under his belt. Then we will see the best of him.”
Speaking separately in his post-match press conference, Slot added: “We got him not in the best circumstances in terms of match fitness, so we have to build it up.
“The downside to that is that you cannot play a player 90 minutes and if you only play him 45 or 30 or again like today 45, it might then normally take a while before he scores his first goal because we can all understand if you play a player three times 90, it’s a bigger chance that he scores a goal than when you play him 45, 30, 45.”
English (US) ·