No Isak, No Panic!
Newcastle put in a very solid opening day performance against Villa - but the need for new strikers is glaringly obvious. The club have 2 weeks to bring some firepower in.
You can tip the author here: 👉👉 Support Ian’s Work via Ko-fi 👈👈
A Promising Start
The opening match of the Premier League season, against Aston Villa, simultaneously went as well as Newcastle fans could have hoped for but was also entirely predictable too.
As well as fans could hope for because most supporters would have snapped your hand off for a point at Villa Park before kick off. And entirely predictable because with Isak missing and no new striker brought in yet the team lacked firepower upfront.
In fact, such was the overall quality of performance by The Magpies, if they had had a recognised striker on the pitch then that excellent point could well have turned into a glorious victory. The team had some good chances and perhaps on another day debutant Anthony Elanga would have broken the deadlock with his chance in the opening few minutes.
Overall Eddie Howe will be pretty pleased with the team’s performance against a good Villa team. The biggest - and most pleasing - takeaway of the weekend must be that there is no doubt of the continued togetherness and commitment of the squad, in spite of Alexander Isak’s chosen absence.
It’s somewhat of a relief to see that the squad are able to remain focussed on doing well and not allowing the distraction of Isak’s actions to affect them. The first home game against Liverpool, with the St James’ Park crowd fully behind the team, will hopefully confirm this view too.
And that is the way this needs to play out of course.
No Need To Be Desperate
The Isak situation remains ongoing. Who knows exactly what is going on? Only the player and the club truly know everything. There are some reports suggesting Liverpool may be prepared to wait longer for Isak. There are other reports claiming Isak may be growing a little concerned that Liverpool haven’t come back with an improved offer for his services, after having a £110m bid turned down three weeks ago.
However, there also remains speculation that come September 1st, Alexander Isak will be a Liverpool player. So only time is going to tell.
What is good - from a Newcastle United perspective - is that the club are in no desperate need to sell. The club have no debt and no finacial worry. The only potential problem with playing hard ball with the player is that his value will only go down. But it is Isak himself who has chosen to handle this in such an unacceptable way; like a spoilt child throwing a tantrum because they can’t get their own way. He has lacked professionalism and class. Isak, who still has three years remaining on his contract, has made his choices, possibly after being poorly advised by an agent seeing a huge payday. It didn't have to be this way.
Let’s make things clear; Isak is not being ‘held hostage’ as some Liverpool fans are ludicrously claiming. He is under contract for three years and still being paid handsomely by a club that took a risk on him three years ago - paying over £65m for his services - a huge fee for a player with his reputation at that point in time. He did not need to go on strike to force a move. He could have seeked his move whilst remaining professional; turning up for training, working hard and playing to his full ability. If he had done this he would have played against Aston Villa. Of course it is entirely understandable why Howe has removed him from the first team squad at this point. The importance of squad equilibrium far outweighs the negative impact a sulking player, with his attention elsewhere, brings to the changing room.
Eddie Howe, it must be said, has handled this entire, very difficult, situation with grace, calmness and class. It is another experience in his career that will have taught him a great deal and further enhances his growing reputation in the game.
Just like the match day squad on Saturday, the focus really needs to be away from Isak now that the season has started. Out of sight, out of mind. His situation will play out in one way or another and such is the damage he’s inflicted upon his own reputation, most supporters won’t be sad to see him go whenever that time comes.
You can tip the author here: 👉👉 Support Ian’s Work via Ko-fi 👈👈
An Acute Focus
So, with a little under two weeks to go in the transfer window all attention at St James’ Park must be on bringing in two strikers.
It does look like this week may finally see the arrival of Yoanne Wissa from Brentford, which would be a welcome addition. However, with Isak frozen out or on his way out, then the club must do everything in its power to bring in that second striker so there is a real option up front in case of suspension or injury.
Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson is the latest striker being linked to the club. The club are also linked with players abroad, so who knows exactly who it will be that ends up in the squad come September?
A summer that felt as though everything was falling apart just a few weeks ago is now shaping into something quite positive for the club, in spite of Isak’s absence.
If two serviceable strikers (there won’t be an Isak equivalent to find) are brought in by the end of the month then it will have been the transfer window that has been needed for a couple of years; to refresh, add depth and improve the overall quality of the squad.
And with the team fighting in four competitions this season, including another Champions League campaign, supporters can look forward to seeing how the team performs knowing that there is a deeper more balanced squad available to Eddie Howe.
It looks like Isak has inadvertently blocked his path to leave. His actions have now caused other clubs to hike up their prices. What’s the point in selling isak if we have to spend half the fee on Yohan Wissa. All of a sudden Isak has added another 50m to his price.
It's the most unsophisticated strategy you could imagine. Isak must be really bricking it now.
PIF are patient and will just hold out unless there's a scenario where we come out winning.
The media and Liverpool fans are living in a simulation