‘Who would I rather have up front? Nick Woltemade or Alexander Isak?’ Pat Nevin ponders… | OneFootball

Pat Nevin has been talking about Alexander Isak and Nick Woltemade.

Having gone on strike and refusing to train or play, Isak eventually forcing his move to Liverpool.

With Callum Wilson also leaving, Eddie Howe recruiting Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade as his two main strikers for the 2025/26 season.

Pat Nevin pondering the question…‘Who would I rather have up front? Nick Woltemade or Alexander Isak?’

Pat Nevin talking to OLBG about Nick Woltemade and Alexander Isak:

“I was at the first game when Nick Woltemade was playing [for Newcastle United].

“As the commentator I had to be careful with my comments because you can get a wee bit carried away in the moment (but) after about an hour I was thinking ‘Who would I rather have up front? Nick Woltemade or Alexander Isak?’

“Isak’s clearly a better technical player but you’d love to have Woltemade at the top of your line as a player because he will fight and he will grapple.

“He will give you everything you want as a football fan – he will chase. The passion that you have at Newcastle was utterly mirrored through that guy.

”He’s got a big cheesy grin on his face. And I know it’s an old fashioned cliche, but boy is he a throwback to another era.

“Because when somebody kicks him he’s like, ‘Yeah, alright, I’ll kick you back’. I’m not going to roll about. He’s one of the least modern looking footballers you’ve ever seen in your life.

“But he’s also technically a very, very good footballer. He told people when he came over that all that stuff in the air, scoring headers, isn’t his thing. Yeah, right.

“Either he’s lying to us or he’s worked hard on it in the recent period. And the other thing about him is, you stick him up there, let him do all that work hoping he doesn’t get injured.

“If I was playing behind him, where the wide areas are 10 behind him, I’d love it. Because he’s not only fighting and battling, he’s not going beyond defenders that often, but he’s holding the ball up brilliantly and you know that he’s got the skill to lay it off and give you a good ball on the final third running towards defenders.