Isak warns Liverpool: Fighting spirit alone won't secure wins
Anfield crackled again on Saturday, but the soundtrack was frustration as much as noise. Liverpool twice dragged themselves level against Forest, twice lost control, and walked away with a 2-2 draw that did little to ease the strain on Andoni Iraola’s early weeks in charge.
The comeback energy was there. The statement performance was not.
Isak’s blunt verdict
Alexander Isak did not hide behind the late drama. The Swedish striker, who has quickly become the attacking reference point of this new Liverpool, cut through the emotion with a cold assessment.
“I think there's no problem in fighting spirit and never giving up. I think we showed that last week as well,” he told TNT Sports, before turning sharply to the real issue. Liverpool’s problem, in his eyes, is what happens after they fight back.
“Obviously we started the game pretty bad today as well. When we gained momentum by scoring a goal, that's where we need to be better, I think, because again today we conceded quite quickly after that.”
That pattern is becoming familiar. Liverpool rally, Anfield roars, and just when the match feels ready to tilt, they lose their grip.
Slow start, rising pressure
This was supposed to be a landmark afternoon: Iraola’s first league win, a jolt to launch the new era. Instead, it extended an awkward run. Liverpool are still searching for their first Premier League victory under the Spaniard, and the tactical transition on Merseyside is starting to feel heavy rather than exciting.
The opening stages did little to calm anyone’s nerves. Iraola’s side stumbled out of the blocks, short of rhythm, short of intensity, and Forest sensed weakness. Midway through the first half, Dan Ndoye punished that lethargy, silencing Anfield and underlining how fragile Liverpool look when teams attack them with conviction.
The hosts eventually found a foothold. Isak, sharp and ruthless on the hour, finally hauled Liverpool level with a clinical finish that briefly lit up the stadium. The mood flipped. So did the scoreline.
Almost before the celebrations had settled, Morgan Gibbs-White restored Forest’s lead from the penalty spot. Another surge, another lapse. It was exactly the sequence Isak had warned about: momentum gained, then squandered.
Liverpool did summon enough character to claw back a point late on, but the comeback felt like damage limitation rather than a platform.
Weight of the No 9
Isak knows exactly what he has walked into. As the focal point of Liverpool’s attack in this new cycle, the expectation is clear and constant.
Asked whether he feels greater responsibility this season, he didn’t dodge it. “Yeah, of course. That's the job ultimately as a striker. Obviously I'm very happy to score the first one and hopefully it just keeps coming.”
He quickly brushed aside any talk of personal targets. “Not really. I think every striker wants to score in every game he plays.” The message was simple: goals matter, but not if they’re wrapped in dropped points.
There is no sense of self-congratulation from the former Newcastle forward. One goal, one point, more questions.
Learning Iraola’s demands
The shift from the previous regime to Iraola’s high-octane approach has dominated discussion among the Anfield crowd. The Spaniard’s work at Bournemouth and Rayo Vallecano built his reputation on structure and relentlessness, but Liverpool are still somewhere between theory and execution.
Isak accepts that the adaptation is ongoing.
“It's been good. There's always time to get used to a new playing style and a new manager. But we are really working hard to try to play the game he wants us to play and I think when we start doing that better, I have no doubt that the results will come,” he said.
The belief is there. The evidence, so far, is patchy. Liverpool press in bursts, then sag. They attack with numbers, then look alarmingly exposed on the break. The idea is clear; the consistency is not.
Anfield’s roar, a fragile back line
One thing did not waver: the noise. Back at Anfield, even as Liverpool misfired, the stands stayed with them. Isak felt it.
“It was amazing. I think our fans were amazing. Really happy to be back here at home and I can't wait to be back here again,” he said, clearly energised by the Kop’s backing during a chaotic, end-to-end contest.
That support may be crucial in the weeks ahead, because this team has work to do. The back line, in particular, looks vulnerable whenever opponents transition quickly. For all the talent in the forward line, Liverpool cannot keep asking their attackers to rescue games they should be controlling.
The next test comes quickly: a midweek trip to Ipswich Town. For Iraola, and for Isak, the question is no longer whether Liverpool can fight back. It’s whether they can finally stop putting themselves in a position where they have to.
