Alexander Isak may be the face of Liverpool’s failure — but two others are to blame
COMMENT: The architects of the biggest spending spree in Premier League history, Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards, are culpable for the gaps in the squad which have become glaringly apparent this season, writes Richard Jolly
“That sums up this season a lot,” said Arne Slot . It is a sentiment he has started to voice often, particularly in the context of injuries. On Saturday, though, he felt the emblematic element was that Alexander Isak ’s first Premier League goal for Liverpool at home came at the end of April.
Even Nordi Mukiele and Axel Disasi had struck for Liverpool in the top flight on Merseyside before Isak, albeit not deliberately. “It is quite an understatement to say he’s had a tough year,” said captain Virgil van Dijk. “The injuries he had and the timing of it has been bad.
” True, though neither Liverpool nor Isak are blameless in that. He made the decision to go on strike at Newcastle, they made the choice to spend £125m on an injury-prone striker who had not had a pre-season. When injuries and ineffectual performances followed from a semi-fit forward, it was not misfortune alone.
Isak can be the face of failure in recruitment. Liverpool were the supposed to be the smartest buyers around, the men with a plan. They spent £450m last summer and have gone from first to fifth.
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