The alarming Alexander Isak number that reveals Liverpool’s biggest problem | OneFootball

Arne Slot has not always relished the chance to discuss Alexander Isak’s low numbers at Liverpool. There was a difference this time, however.

His £125m striker still has a lone Premier League goal but the subject was Isak’s involvement in play in general, with an average of just 12.3 touches in his last three appearances.

He operates in a position where less can be more. It can be a simplistic criticism of Erling Haaland that he is barely on the ball. The Norwegian can nevertheless average something close to a goal per game; more than that this season.

For Isak, less has been less. He had 13 touches on Wednesday as he was crowded out by Sunderland. Three, admittedly, were shots, albeit low-calibre opportunities. “He is not the only No 9 who suffers in some games from not getting many chances,” rationalised Slot.

“At this level, it's not like the No 9 is involved in eight, nine, 10 chances every single half. But it is obvious and clear that we want to bring him into more threatening situations.”

The key for Slot is quality of touch, not quantity. “Do you know how many times he touched the ball at Newcastle on average? 22. In this league, strikers don't touch the ball that much, but a few times they do touch it, it's quite nice they finish it off.

“I have no clue what the stats of Haaland are but he doesn't touch it 100 times a game, but he does score a lot. It is more important that they touch the ball in the right times than to touch it so many times. We have to make sure that's the complete difference between Haaland and Alex; Haaland touches it much more where it matters and that's where we [must] improve. It is clear and obvious.”

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Isak broke his goal drought as a Liverpool player at West Ham last month (Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

In terms of statistics per 90 minutes – and the Swede has rarely played full games for Slot so far – he is less involved than he was: 21.9 touches with Liverpool so far, 33.5 at Newcastle last season. How much of that can be attributed to fitness, to a lack of understanding with new teammates or to opponents’ deep and packed defences is a moot point.

But if there are tactical issues, another factor was Liverpool’s determination to arrest a losing run. While Isak opened his top-flight account for Liverpool at West Ham last Sunday, Slot nevertheless thinks he has suffered from a trade-off, from an attempt to be less open and attacking. “Because we are a little bit more compact and not taking as many risks, we have not been able to create as many chances as in all of the games before.”

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Liverpool boss Arne Slot concedes he needs to get more from his new striker (Getty Images)

Newcastle’s method for finding Isak often entailed Jacob Murphy. They were the most prolific double act in the division last season, with Murphy getting seven assists for Isak goals. But he is a right-footed right winger; he has no real equivalent in this Liverpool squad, unless Federico Chiesa is described as such. “But it is obvious and clear that we have not the profile of Jacob Murphy available at this moment,” Slot accepted.

Liverpool do, of course, have a right winger who contributed 18 Premier League assists last season but that has dropped to two so far for Mohamed Salah. His preference is to cut infield onto his left foot. He has, in any case, been benched for the last two games. The only assist for Isak to date came from Cody Gakpo.

Meanwhile, Slot has used Dominik Szoboszlai, tucked in from the wing, on the right against West Ham and Sunderland. He suggested he wants full-backs to form part of Isak’s supply line.

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The service Isak (right) is receiving from his new teammates may be part of the problem (AP)

“With Jeremie [Frimpong] being injured and Conor [Bradley] being out, it is not like we have so many options on the right-hand side and it is a bit similar on the left,” he added. “He could benefit maybe from a Conor Bradley or a Jeremie Frimpong-type of player, who goes outside, instead of both wingers we have who come inside and full-backs who can come in with crosses.

“But the main difference for him is that we are facing here many times a low block and it is not that it never happened at Newcastle, but not as much. This season, the league has changed: we see so many more low blocks than I saw last season. Not only against us; I see this in many games.

“It makes it harder for him, compared to his time at Newcastle, but I think it is also him adjusting to his teammates and his teammates adjusting to him.”

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The Swedish international managed just 14 touches against Sunderland (Reuters)

Those low blocks can negate Isak’s pace. The same may be said of Haaland, but his height offers another dimension. But if one of Isak’s strengths is reduced, his goal return and shot count are down, too. They have no Murphy, with his eclectic CV featuring Swindon, Southend, Blackpool, Scunthorpe and Colchester. They bought a different type of creator in Florian Wirtz.

But if the onus is on the German, it is on Slot, too. He added: “It is definitely one of the things on my list of things to improve is getting our No 9 more involved in the game and more involved in the final third.”