Does Isak make Liverpool unstoppable?

Summary

The Athletic FC Podcast

Episode: Does Isak Make Liverpool Unstoppable?

Date: September 1, 2025
Host: Ayo Akinwolere
Guests: James Pearce (Liverpool correspondent), Adam Crafton (Reporter)
Key Focus: Liverpool’s blockbuster signing of Alexander Isak, their transfer window strategy, implications for both Liverpool and Newcastle, Arne Slot’s impact, and early season reflections.

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Episode Overview

This episode dissects Liverpool’s seismic £130 million signing of Alexander Isak, explores whether this turbocharges their dominance, and examines the enormous rebuild both on Merseyside and at Newcastle United. The panel (Ayo Akinwolere, James Pearce, Adam Crafton) unpacks Liverpool’s lavish spending, the transformation of their recruitment strategy, and the managerial style of Arne Slot. Meanwhile, the show offers a Tyneside perspective on what Isak’s loss means for Newcastle and surveys early signs for the new Premier League campaign.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Alexander Isak Transfer: Inevitable or Hard-Fought?

[01:35-04:11]

• James Pearce on the negotiation saga & Newcastle’s change of heart:

  • "You wondered whether Newcastle might, you know, the Saudi owners might dig their heels in ... but that meeting between Isak and the hierarchy at Newcastle ... the tone just seemed to change" [02:15].
  • Newcastle’s pre-spending on Volta signaled intent to sell Isak.
  • Ultimately, "a real saga to get to this" but "a sense of inevitability" in the end.

• Adam Crafton on Liverpool’s window:

  • “On paper, at least, probably the most spectacular single window... I can never really remember.” [03:18]
  • Notes Liverpool’s ability to make decent money on outgoing players despite the tragic loss of Jota.

How Are Liverpool Affording This?

[04:11-07:29]

• James Pearce:

  • Over £200 million generated via high-profile sales (Diaz, Nunez, Kelleher, Quansah).
  • Marked shift from buying potential to buying the “finished article”: “The biggest change this summer is with Florian Wirtz and now Alexander Isak... two mega deals, shattering the British transfer record. Massive show of ambition.” [04:27]
  • Commercial juggernaut status, Anfield’s 61,000 capacity, and accumulated prize money.

• Adam Crafton:

  • Adidas now consider Liverpool as Man United’s main challenger globally: “Within Adidas... Liverpool could be that challenger globally.” [06:11]
  • Signings now at “the top of the market”—a new mode for Liverpool, with huge expectations to match.

Pressure and Expectations

[07:29-09:01]

• Ayo (Host): With talk of Arsenal’s challenge, and more Liverpool business possible, “the pressure’s on to retain the Premier League.”
• James Pearce: “When you spend that amount of money... there is pressure to deliver, isn’t there?” [07:42]
  • Notes the challenge of bedding in new signings but the excellent start (three wins from three, including tough fixtures).
  • “You’re throwing in Alexander Isak... arguably the most complete center forward in world football. So it’s a hell of a platform to build on.” [08:32]

The Newcastle View: Loss of a Star and Strategic Worry

[09:01-11:19]

• Producer’s Tyneside Segment:

  • Newcastle gain squad balance and closure, but lose a “world class player.”
  • The club’s stance that Isak was “not for sale” ends up “a terrible look,” with the sale blamed on ownership’s lack of direction and key vacancies.
  • “It feels like romance has withered.” [11:00]

• Adam Crafton: Offers perspective on player sales:

  • “It’s the situation every team may find themselves in at a certain point ... no fan likes it when it happens to them. A lot of fans depend on it when they benefit from it.” [11:19]
  • Suggests £130 million is a fine return; reinvestment may ultimately help Newcastle.

Liverpool vs. Arsenal – Big Match Recap

[15:24-19:04]

• Memorable Moment: Dominik Szoboszlai’s “Gerrard-esque” free kick wins it.

  • James Pearce: “It was a piece of individual brilliance... I’m struggling to think of a better one. I mean, it wears the Liverpool number eight shirt; it was Gerrard-esque... impossible to hit a football sweeter than that.” [15:52]

• Notes that the match was tense and scrappy; Liverpool’s defense improved.

• Szoboszlai’s success at right back discussed, with future rotation likely.

• Adam Crafton: Critiques the quality of the match:

  • “Awful. It wasn’t kind of a fascinating tactical duel... It was just a poor game. I mean, you’re waiting for something to happen...” [19:06]
  • “Arsenal actually had higher xG ... Most big six teams don’t win that many against top sides away from home.”
  • Warns against overreacting to Arsenal’s defeat.

Style, Fluidity, and Slot’s Adaptability

[24:35-31:12]

• Pearce: Pre-season uninterrupted by major tournaments helped Slot. Early business gave new faces time to bed in, although “it was a bit chaotic the first two wins.”

  • “This is a group of players still dealing with an unbelievable amount of grief having lost, you know, a much-loved friend and teammate in Diogo Jota.” [25:32]

• Crafton: On why Liverpool hired Slot:

  • “He’s not afraid of [change]. But it’s not easy... to lose six or seven players and bring in six or seven, keep expectations really, really high and defend a Premier League title.” [27:08]
  • Slot’s style described as more “Manchester City” due to the technical profile of new signings like Wirtz.

• Pearce: Slot’s authenticity, composure, and ability to manage upheaval.

  • "He is very calm and composed... when he lost his rag at Goodison… it was like oh wow, he's human." [29:44]
  • Slot himself, on squad churn: "I lost 14 players at Feyenoord one summer. He said, this is nothing compared to that."

Managing the New-Look Squad: Isak, Ekitike & Competition

[31:12-34:14]

• Pearce: Last season’s fatigue highlighted Slot’s regret at not rotating; hence a deeper squad and positional versatility now.

  • "He's also talked about Ekitike being able to play off the left. He's also talked about potentially playing two up front." [31:26]
  • Over 60 games expected this season, so enough chances for all.

• Crafton: Flags upcoming selection headaches:

  • “If Isak keeps getting the nod in the games that players want to play in ... that's going to be a really tricky one to manage because there'll be a point at which someone turns around and says, I'm not playing in the games I want to play in.” [32:56]

Final Takeaways & The Wild Premier League

[34:39-36:12]

• Adam Crafton’s One-Minute Reflection:
  • “This Premier League season is just completely wild, isn’t it? ... City have lost two games, Spurs got turned over by Bournemouth, West Ham are useless but just won, Bournemouth sold all their players but keep performing ... All of us and all our narratives...” [34:44-35:39]
  • Burst of commentary on the unpredictable start, ending with a transfer rumor about Villa’s interest in Jadon Sancho.

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Notable Quotes

• James Pearce on Liverpool’s evolution:
  "The biggest change this summer is with Florian Wirtz and now Alexander Isak... two mega deals, shattering the British transfer record. Massive show of ambition." [04:27]

• Adam Crafton on expectations:
  “What it does do is it creates a huge expectation, play some mind games... if Liverpool don’t win the league this season, you'd be hugely disappointed, I imagine.” [06:54]

• James Pearce on Szoboszlai’s free kick:
  "It was Gerrard-esque really because it's just impossible to think of hitting a football sweeter than that." [15:52]

• Tyneside view on Isak’s departure:
  “It feels like romance has withered.” [11:00]

• Adam Crafton on the unpredictable season:
  "All of us and all our narratives that we keep coming up with to make podcasts like this." [35:39]

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Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:35: Introduction of guests & Isak deal background
• 02:15: James Pearce: Timeline and inevitability of Isak deal
• 03:18: The scale of Liverpool’s transfer window (Adam Crafton)
• 04:27: Liverpool’s funding and new ambitions (Pearce)
• 07:42: The pressure on Liverpool to win the league
• 09:12: Newcastle’s perspective post-Isak
• 11:19: Adam Crafton on realities of player sales
• 15:36: Recap of Szoboszlai’s stunning winner vs Arsenal
• 18:16: Szoboszlai’s new right-back role
• 19:06: Adam Crafton’s critique of the Liverpool-Arsenal match
• 24:50: Slot’s adaptability and pre-season preparation
• 27:08: Rationale for hiring Slot, managing change (Crafton)
• 29:44: Slot’s calm, authentic style (Pearce)
• 31:26: Managing squad depth and rotation with Isak and Ekitike
• 32:56: Crafton on the challenge of squad management
• 34:44: Adam Crafton’s season reflection – the chaos of early results

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Tone & Original Language

The conversation is analytical but lively and candid, with reverence for Liverpool’s transformation but a healthy skepticism about the pressures and pitfalls ahead. The show blends sharp reporting with banter, maintaining a conversational and insightful tone true to The Athletic’s house style.

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Summary

In this pivotal episode, The Athletic FC Podcast navigates the highs and uncertainties of Liverpool’s extraordinary summer, crowned by the acquisition of Alexander Isak. The panel explores tactical, financial, and emotional layers: from the Anfield boardroom’s rare show of financial might and Arne Slot’s understated authority to Newcastle’s regret and readjustment. On the pitch, Liverpool’s start has been effective but not dazzling—a team still finding maximum “fluidity,” but with enough resilience and brilliance (notably Szoboszlai’s stunner) to stay ahead. The season promises more chaos, drama, and shifting narratives—just the way Premier League fans like it.

Transcript

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[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

The Athletic FC welcome to the Athletic FC podcast with me, Ayo Akimwaleere. Liverpool have got their man. Alexander Isak is joining for £130 million. They've also spent over £400 million this summer. So can anyone compete with Liverpool? All right, with us for this one. We've got a Liverpool correspondent, James Pearce. We've also got Adam Crafton as well. James. Finally the Eagles landed. David Ornstein broke the exclusive on Sunday evening. Deal agreed for £130 million for Alexander Isak. Was this always inevitable that Liverpool were going to get there?

[James Pearce]

Man? I think certainly in the past few weeks this had definitely been the kind of the direction to travel with it. I had my doubts at various points because you wondered whether Newcastle might, you know, the Saudi owners might dig their heels in and try and make an example out of Isak. But I think what was key was that meeting that obviously took place between Isac and the hierarchy at Newcastle on the day of that game at St. James's I think in the aftermath of that game, the tone just seemed to change and you know, that that was at the point I'd say when I was very confident we'd end up here. And then of course with Newcastle spending all that money on Volta made last week, you just thought, well, you know, they've effectively already spent a big chunk of the ESAC money in advance. So yeah, ultimately a sense of inevitability. But yeah, a real saga to get to this.

[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

Yeah, I'm sure for me and for various other people, Adam, who support other teams, they were hoping Newcastle might just hold on to esac. What have you made of it all? And also I guess what does he say about Liverpool and their intentions moving forward for the Premier League?

[Adam Crafton]

Well, if you'd have said at the start of the window that Liverpool would come away with the players that they have done and if you add to that, I mean at the time of recording, you know, we're still not quite sure what will happen with Marc Gaye as well. So if you add all of that in together, this could be one of the most, on paper at least probably the most spectacular single window. You know, I can never really remember and even you know, when you were thinking about that point where they signed Ekitike ahead of Newcastle, although. But I don't think he was ever as close to Newcastle perhaps as Newcastle thought he was, which has been a theme of the window as well. At that point you, you really thought it was going to be Ekatike or Isaac and for them to come away with both of them. And also, you know, obviously there's the, the, the tragic loss of Diogo Jota but also to, to make decent money on a lot of the other players that Liverpool were. It's, it's been pretty, pretty remarkable really.

[James Pearce]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

James Over £400 million spent. I mean looking to be a Premier League record. And Adam's alluded to it some quality coming through the doors there. Big, big money, top, top players. This is not the Liverpool we're used to in this respect. How are they affording all of this?

[James Pearce]

Well, I think there's a number of factors in that. One is, let's not forget They've generated over 200 million pound from sales this summer. I'd certainly say they've sold well. When you look at the fees they banked for players, you know, like Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez, Quavin Kelleher, Joel Quanzah, the list goes on. And then, and also it's a Sign of where Liverpool are at as a club now, the fact that, you know, for a long time their policy was to invest in potential. There's always talks about trying to rather than sign the big thing, the finished article, you try and spot potential and then you elevate a player to world class bracket. You think of, well, some of the greatest signings of the Klopp era. You think of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane. They weren't beating off competition from top clubs to get to those players, but they kicked on at Liverpool. And I think the biggest change this summer is with Florian Wirtz and now with Alexander Isak. You know, two mega deals, you know, shattering the British transfer record. It's a massive show of ambition and it is a sea change in terms of buying the finished article. And when you throw into the mix buying two young dynamic fullbacks in Frimpong and Kirkes and of course Ekatiki has been a revelation in his opening weeks at Liverpool. Yeah, I think a Liverpool fan, it's been an absolutely unprecedented summer and of course in terms of how they can afford it as well, you'd have to say, you know, the fact they've barely spent, have they in the previous three windows, only Chiesa last summer, you know, commercially they're now an absolute juggernaut, finally realizing their full potential. The Anfield redevelopment is now, you know, bringing in the rewards as well with a 61,000 seater stadium and of course, you know, what was it, 85 million they banked from the Champions League run and all the riches that come from winning the Premier League.

[Adam Crafton]

James, absolutely right on the commercial point. I've had some conversations recently because always you've had Real Madrid are Adidas, huge brand globally. But Man United have always been their big challenger. And actually now increasingly, you know, I'm hearing that within Adidas it's like, well, Liverpool could be that challenger globally. You know, there is that kind of risk, particularly you know, with Liverpool doing even better. Man United slipping off slightly that over time that it becomes that way and it's, you know, you mentioned the two young fullbacks, but even those young fullbacks, although Frimpong, there was clearly some sort of clause that they were able to access there. But Kirkes, you know, that was a player at the top of the market in his position. You know, it's not a kind of Andy Robertson situation where they've picked him up for a few million from Hall. This is a Premier League proven player going for big money from Bournemouth who have also sold Incredibly well this summer. So Liverpool have really basically just spent at the top of the market, which is a really new thing I think for us to see. What it does do is it creates a huge expectation, play some mind games. I mean if Liverpool don't win the league this season, you know, really, I mean, I think from the point they're at now at the end of this window, I mean you'd be, you'd be hugely disappointed I imagine.

[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

Yeah. I mean I don't know how serious Salah was James when he said Arsenal are favorites to win it this season. But I mean with the kind of business Liverpool have done and potentially more to come, I mean the pressure's on. On to retain the Premier League.

[James Pearce]

Yeah, yeah, I think that's inevitable when you spend that amount of money that there is pressure to deliver, isn't there? But I think from a Liverpool perspective you look at it and I think before a ball was kicked this season, the fear was has there been too much change? A year ago Slot had come in and a lot had changed off the pitch, but the squad had effectively stayed the same. And Slot felt that he benefited from that continuity and stability in the dressing room. Of course this time around it's completely different and the fear would be. And you know, and I don't think you can completely dispel it just because Liverpool have had a great start but like that things are a bit disjointed and that you are effectively in a bit of transition trying to bed in and gel so many new faces. But you know, the beauty of it for Liverpool so far is without really clicking, they've won three out of three. They've already won two of the most difficult Premier League games of the season. You know, Arsenal arguably, you know, their biggest challenger to retaining the title and Newcastle away, you know, both games, games they drew last season actually en route to winning the title and they've won both of them already. And you know we're talking about a team where Florian Wirtz hasn't really clicked I'd say yet. And you're throwing in Alexander Isak into that mix. You know, arguably the most complete center forward in, in world football. So it's a hell of a platform to build on.

[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

Yeah. Well, before we move on, there is another team who have been part of this ESAC saga and that's Newcastle United. Well, let's hear the view from Tyneside. Here is the athletics jolt kolking.

[Athletic FC Podcast Producer / Narrator]

It's been a saga to end all sagas. But finally as the window closes, there is some closure for Newcastle. Isac has moved. That means that Eddie Howe can get on with moulding his squad. He knows that the players he has want to be there. They will end a difficult window with far more balance and with more quality and depth. That's a good thing. It also means that attention doesn't have to be given to reintegrating Alexander Isak. Fans will not have to confront their feelings about that. It means that Howe's press conferences will not be dominated by that moving forward. These are the positives. However, we shouldn't kid ourselves here. Newcastle have lost a world class player. Their priority this summer had been to keep Isak. The message consistently over the summer was that he was not for sale. Or that he wouldn't be for sale unless anybody got close to their 150 million pound valuation. They've ended up selling him for significantly less to that to a Premier League club that they ultimately want to emulate. Isak refused to play. He behaved appallingly and he's got what he's wanted. I think that's a terrible look. What message does it send to the rest of Howe's players? If fingers are to be pointed, it should be at the ownership of the club. This is their decision. It's not Howe's decision. And it's their responsibility too. That Newcastle have been forced to navigate this window without a sporting director, Without a CEO after the carnage of a year ago. That does feel like negligence. It's also very sad. Esac scored the winning goal at Wembley when Newcastle ended their 70 year wait for a domestic trophy back in March. For Newcastle fans, that was a moment of huge romance this summer. It feels like romance has withered.

[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

Yeah. I mean look. I guess the question is what kind of precedence does this set for Newcastle? Adam, you know Isak. World class of course. And I guess there's an idea that he probably might be leaving. But what's to say Nico Valdemader becomes another great striker that they've bought and then he goes to another top team. Is this just the situation a team like Newcastle find themselves in?

[Adam Crafton]

I think it's the situation every team may find themselves in at a certain point. You know it happened to Liverpool a few years ago with Philippe Coutinho. Sometimes in football that happens. Newcastle, by the way may well benefit from a situation like that. If Johan Visser ends up joining the club today. You know, look at what he's been doing at Brentford for the last few weeks. So I think we have to be a bit careful. You know, some of the kind of ethical judgments being made on Isaac. I think ultimately no fan likes it when it happens to them. A lot of fans depend on it when they benefit from it. We all see it at different points. Sometimes we see it's happened but we just don't hear about it. You know, it'll be a demand made in a meeting or things like that. And also clubs by the way can treat players pretty brutally as well. When you know, look at the. You know, the bomb squads and the lofts that we hear about every summer as well. Even the term bomb squad I think is a horrible term. It's like, you know, these players, you know, if you take it very literally, like exploding the. The morale and atmosphere in a football club. So it's not very nice. Isaac's a brilliant player. They've still got that amazing midfield of Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes. The other day I was watching the Bruno Guimara's performance against Liverpool. I can't believe no one's gone in for him. You know, if you talk about Newcastle being vulnerable. Sorry Newcastle fans. I'm not trying to sell another one of your great players.

[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

Stop it. Stop it now.

[Adam Crafton]

Yeah, I do think this is a particularly unique situation. Newcastle have developed a player to the point where he is basically the best striker, the best centre forward at least on the planet. And the reality is Newcastle are at a stage of their progression where they aren't able to win a Premier League title. And with the way that the PSR rules are, aren't able to make a jump in a single summer from being fourth to second and first. They're not quite able to do that. Now you can have all kinds of discussions about that. But I don't think it's the worst outcome. And by the like. So I'm going to go off on tangent. But the 110 million that was offered early in the summer, which was somehow framed to be an insult, was like an incredible amount of money. Right? It was never an insulting offer in the first place. I think they've done really well to get 130 million. I'm not quite sure. I mean how could anyone be worth 130 million? I think what's he got to do to pay that back from a Liverpool perspective? So for them to be able to have that, reinvest it, build the strength in their squad, I don't think is the worst thing. I think where it becomes damaging for Newcastle is the fact they've insisted all along they wouldn't do it.

[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

Yeah, fair. I think you finally answered my question there.

[Ambetter Health / Monday.com Advertiser]

Appreciate it.

[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

Right, next, let's look at Liverpool and their start to the season. On the pitch.

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[James Pearce]

Soi oh, it's a gem. It is a gem. Dominic S lands the first mighty blow.

[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

Of the title fight. That was Dominic with an absolute moment of magic as Liverpool beat Arsenal at Anfield. James, you were there, you saw it up close. How beautiful was the strike, but also, I mean, how important was that win against Arsenal?

[James Pearce]

Yeah, it was sensational, wasn't it? It was a, it was a piece of individual brilliance that it felt completely out of keeping with with a lot of what was an incredibly scrappy game where at times it was hard to believe, you know, they were the two best teams in the Premier League on display because it was, it was far from a classic. But I think the longer the game went on you kind of felt that, well, it's either going to be a mistake or a piece of brilliance. And you know, thankfully for Liverpool it was Dominik Szpozlai delivering the latter. I mean, you know, we've seen him do it on international duty for Hungary but never for Liverpool before, of course, before this season. Trent Alexander Arnold was the free kick taker but I think he's well and truly settled who succeeded Alexander Arnold on those dut now, I mean I'm struggling to think of a better one. I've seen, I Mean it wears the Liverpool number eight shirt Zaboz line. It was Gerrard esque really because it's just impossible to think of hitting a football sweeter than that. I mean I know there was some talk about Raya's positioning but I just don't think any goalkeeper in the world saves that. He's going away from him the whole time and goes in off the post. It was psychologically that felt big. I know it. I know it's still so early in the season and you know, so many points still to play for but when you think, you know all the talk this summer up Arsenal wise has been about you know taking that next step to go from challenges to winning something significant. And you know they've done some really good business Arsenal I think trying to achieve that target. But yeah, I think that must have been soul destroying for them to come to Anfield to lose to a moment like that. And I do think surely Arteta will be kicking himself that they didn't show a bit more ambition going forward because especially first half I thought Liverpool looked vulnerable. They were there to be got at but they seem to kill the momentum of the game quite often. You know, seem to take an age over dead bull situations and and you know that was a big thing for Liverpool the fact that they defended so much better because I think you know there was a fear going into it that Liverpool had looked vulnerable defensively against Bournemouth and Newcastle and we know you know Arsenal are so strong from set pieces but yeah, Canate van Dijk Kirk's best performance for the club so far Szabozlai aside from his free kick. I think Liverpool have to stick with him at right back. Think he's, you know, I know they've bought Frimpong.

[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

It's Connor Bradley fit? Is he good to go?

[James Pearce]

Yeah, I mean it was. There was a big expectation that Bradley would come back into the side because he came off the bench at Newcastle late on which obviously allowed Zabozlai to go into midfield. That was why he was there to produce the dummy that led to Ungoa's goal. And of course Bradley had another four weeks training under his belt going into the weekend. But I think part of it for Slot also is how do you get as many best players as possible in the team Because I think you play as a Boszai that means you probably leave out Wirt or you have to leave out probably Mac Allister which he didn't want to do. So yeah I think Burnley away after the international break is the start of six games in the space of 17 days and three different competitions. So there'll be all kinds of combinations I'm sure to come, and lots of game time to go around. But I wouldn't be moving Zerbozzle out a right back anytime soon.

[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

What do you make of the match Head?

[Adam Crafton]

Awful. It wasn't kind of a fascinating tactical duel or anything like that. It was just a poor game. I mean, you're waiting for something to happen. And something obviously did happen. An amazing goal. I do think some of what's been said about Arsenal subsequent to the game could very easily have been said about Liverpool as well. I thought it's very easy to say Arsenal should have gone more adventurous. Right. But bear in mind they lose Saliba after a few minutes. Saku obviously didn't play Erdogan guard only comes on in the last 20 minutes. Eza's kind of there, but not there because he's just arrived. I don't think this was an easy game for Arsenal to go into. People were saying sort of Liverpool took more risks. I don't think they did in the game. You know, the first half, Liverpool had the fewest number of shots as they'd had at Anfield, I think, for almost four years. Mo Salah didn't have a shot until after the 70th minute. And that was 0.04 XG shot that was easily blocked. Thank you to Opta. And Arsenal also had the higher xg. I mean it was really low XG and have something like 0.55 to 0.45. So I'm not making out Arsenal were hugely ambitious or really went for it. And I get that there's this onus on it, but I also just don't really buy this idea that Arsenal are doing something hugely wrong in these games against big six teams. They have this amazing record going back a few years. It was something like 23, 24 games until yesterday that they hadn't lost one of these games. And they've won quite a lot of them. Just don't win that many away from home. But most big six teams don't win that many games against top sides away from home. I would worry far more about Arsenal's performance at Old Trafford against a much poorer team in Man United than Liverpool than I would have yesterday. Personally. To me, it was a game that either side could have lost. Probably deserves to be a draw. I don't think Einstein really deserved to win it, but obviously a freakishly good goal has settled it.

[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

Yeah, you talk about the Manchester United game. Adam, what is it you're worried about? Is it the creation of chances? Is it the style of play?

[Adam Crafton]

I'm not worried about it in the sense of it was an opening day.

[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

Keeps you up at night.

[Adam Crafton]

Yeah, yeah. Not waking up at night worrying about Arsenal got enough with United, but I thought in that game they had way too many chances against them and they looked far too open. You just got to find a balance in some of these games. But ultimately it's not going to be a game at Liverpool. That was Arsenal's hardest fixture of the season, right? And they went there. They could have drawn, could have won, could have lost. It happens. What you want to see from Arsenal is more authority in those games against. I don't mean this dig at Man United against mid to upper table teams. You know, they've got to have more authority and risk in those games. You know, they can't have repeats of, you know, some of the points they dropped in those games last season. I think Arsenal fans know that. I don't think there should be any great panic based on yesterday. I think where it does become a bit worrying if you're a fan of a kind of a rival team is Liverpool have had three games this season, all of which they could have dropped points in. You know, the Bournemouth one was pretty ropey. The Newcastle one obviously took a crazy moment in the last minute and then you've got a freakishly good goal on Sunday. Now, one side of that is it's the hallmark of champions to go and win games in those circumstances and that can be quite intimidating for rivals. I think the flip side, you know, for Liverpool fans is you're probably looking at that and thinking either we've got a huge amount to improve or there's something not quite yet right in the fluidity. So there's. There's two sides to see that.

[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

Yeah, I want to talk about fluidity next, actually, because next with Isaac coming in, we'll look at how Liverpool now fit all these pieces together.

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[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

Yeah, James Liverpool still 100% to the start of the Premier League season. Actually very similar to last season. I think they won the first three as well, which is brilliant. What does he say about Slot's adaptability to how, I guess he's managed such a transition this summer?

[James Pearce]

Yeah, I think what's helped is the fact that without a major tournament, it was the first proper pre season he's had with the squad. And although obviously there's been this dramatic end to the window, they did also get a fair bit of their business done early. So I think that has helped to a degree. Someone like Florian Wirtz, clearly he's needing some, some time to adapt to the pace and physicality of the Premier League. It was interesting listening to Slot talk after the game on Sunday where he said, you know, he described it as like a welcome to the Premier League. He said, you know, he went off with cramp in places he didn't even know he could get cramp. But it's like, well, what a position to be. And that is where, you know, you're talking about the gem of German football, really, who's, you know, we've not really seen him anything like how we know he can influence a game. But, you know, I've got no doubt that he will kick on after the international break. And, you know, and I think it was a bit chaotic the first two wins, which there's probably an element of inevitability to that when you've got so many new faces. But Sunday was different and I agree with Adam that it could easily, you know, we could easily have been sat here today talking about a one nil Arsenal win and would Liverpool have regretted not going for it? To a greater extent. Although I do think, although it may be not reflected in the shot count or the xg. I thought, I thought second half Liverpool were the team on the front foot more. But then of course you'd expect that with the fans behind them as well. So yeah, yeah, I'd say it's beyond expectations. I think also it would be wrong not to mention that this is a group of players still dealing with an unbelievable amount of grief having lost, you know, a much loved friend and teammate in Diogo Jota. You know, that was the big unknown going into this season. How on earth do you move forward and you know, and get back to playing football again? And you know, it wasn't that long ago that there were those, you know, incredibly poignant scenes at Preston when you know, the first time they'd step back onto a pitch again. So I think you have to frame it in that context and think, you know, wow, you know, imagine thinking that Liverpool would be where they are now. I don't think anyone could have, Liverpool wise could have asked for anything more than what they've seen so far.

[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

Yeah. Adam, you've spoken to Arnis a lot, especially when it was at Feyenoord and something he spoke about was about being able to manage change in personnel. What do you remember of that interaction?

[Adam Crafton]

What I do remember is I think between his first and second summer when he was at Feyenoord there was a huge amount of change. And I know having spoken to some very senior people at Liverpool probably a couple of months out from the end of last season, they were saying one of their reasons actually for hiring Slot was having seen his ability to handle change and knowing that there was two big aspects of change that were coming at Liverpool. First of all, Klopp leaving. So you've got this change of a legendary manager, very really the face of the club. And essentially no one really mentions Jurgen Klopp anymore, do they? We don't really mention him or think about him that much, which shows the job that Slot has done. And then secondly, the churn of players that Liverpool knew they were going to have to do over the sort of. Well, it all seems to have happened in one summer but clearly over time. So that was something that definitely appeals the Liverpool hierarchy about Slot. He's clearly not afraid of that. But it's not easy, you know, it's not easy to sort of lose six or seven players and bring in six or seven players and keep and have expectations really, really high and to defend a Premier League title at that level and also to lose. You know, I've said this a couple of times the last few weeks. I still think it's like kind of underpriced how big a player Trent Alexander Arnold was for Liverpool. I know some fans now just like to remember that sometimes he wouldn't defend very well but he was unbelievable creative player. And the way that Liverpool kept the ball and comprised attacks and got the best out of Salah and all of that sort of stuff. And then also I think bringing verts in is very different to what we've seen before from Liverpool. He feels, you know, if I think of Liverpool under Klopp and even slots an extent last season I still think they were at their best when they were a bit more direct and vert is a lot more. I said a few weeks ago it feels very Manchester City to me feels like a Manchester City player in a Liverpool team trying to kind of of adapt Liverpool slightly and the pace of the game. So I'm really interested to see how slot develops that. But you know, nine points out of nine, you can't really argue with it.

[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

Yeah, it's true. And also James, back to what Adam's saying about slot is, is that the style in which he's done it in is very different to Jurgen Klopp. Some might say understated. Even in his post match reports or post match interviews he's always semi balanced. You know he spoke about the game yesterday and he was just very much like, yeah, I mean either team could have won it. You take this this several times and we might get a very similar result. You know what I mean? Like he's let the football fundamentally do the talking.

[James Pearce]

Yeah, I think one of his great qualities is his authenticity. I think from the moment he's come into Liverpool he's very, very comfortable in his own skin. I think he is very calm and composed. That's why I think when he lost his rag at Goodison back in, I think it was February time last season it was like oh wow, he's got some spice. He's human. Yeah, yeah. He's like it took what was it a 98 minute equalizer controversial fashion in the last ever Merseyside Derby to push him over the edge. But yeah, he is just very, very balanced and, and yeah and picking up on what Adam said, you know I asked him on the the tour actually over in Japan I said to me, are you not concerned there's too much change? And he said, you know, you're messing, Andre. He said, I lost 14 players at Feyenoord one summer. He said, this is, this is nothing compared to that. And you know, he obviously pointed to the fact that, that you know, the goalkeepers the same, the two center halves are the same. You know, essentially the basis of the midfield's the same with Gravenberg and Mac Allister and of course, you know, Gagpo and Salah still key components of that attack. So this is like the evolution of Liverpool under slot now, isn't it? I think, you know, the first 12 months surpassed all expectations with what he did with the group he inherited. But it was clear, I think even, even last season you looked at it and you thought, thought, yeah, change is on the horizon. It is going to need a refresh. It's just that no one, I don't think anyone thought it would be quite so expensive and quite so extensive.

[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

Yeah, I mean, how does he manage it all? And also, you know, Ekatike, with Isaac coming in, what happens with that conversation as well, James?

[James Pearce]

Yeah, I mean, it's a lovely dilemma to have, isn't it? I think SWAT was actually asked, well, not for Ekatiko.

[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

He must be there going, oh man.

[James Pearce]

Yeah. But let's not forget when Liverpool, there was all this talk, wasn't there, last season, could they pull off the treble. And then they looked absolutely knackered come that pivotal period in March where they go out the Champions League to PSG and then lose the Carabao Cup Final to Newcastle when fatigue definitely played a part. And Slot spoke at the end of the season, actually when I did a sit down with him at the AXA training center, he said then that if he had any regrets, one would be that he hadn't rotated more, that he had maybe overworked a core of like 13, 14, 14 players and that he was desperate to go further in the Champions League and that, yeah, they'd been unfortunate to draw PSG in the last 16 like they did, but if they'd only had a bit more in the tank then, you know, they got past PSG that night, they probably wouldn't have been stopped, would they, en route to potentially a seventh European Cup. So I think, I think that's part of it for him. And also he's also talked about how he felt Liverpool were involved in far too many tight games last season. He thinks that they need to be more expansive, they want to take more risks, they want to Create more and score more and at times, if that means being a little bit more open, then so be it. So. And he's also talked about Ekatiki being able to play off the left. He's also talked about potentially playing two up front. So, you know, I think Liverpool end up playing 60 odd games this season. So I, I don't really worry about how he's going to keep people happy because I, I think there'll be, there'll be more than enough football to go around.

[Adam Crafton]

Yeah, I'm not getting my big wooden spoon out here, but it's going to be really interesting because he might ask one of them to play from the left in some games. To me, Akatika just looks like a nine. He doesn't look to me like a. A player that's going to be running back in the way that Gakpo has very diligently. To be fair, in the last few games. If you play with two up front, does that mean most Salah is like a conventional winger? I don't really see how that would necessarily work equally like Salah, probably. We always say this, but he can't play every game, can he? And he's also. Will he have AFCON as well for a few weeks around Christmas time. So I guess those are things to weigh. And also Isaac, he's had injury issues. I think that's something that people forget as well. So he may need a bit of protecting at certain times. But there will come a point where if Isaac keeps getting the nod in the games that players want to play in, you know, the Merseyside Derby, Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, big Champions League games, that's going to be a really tricky one to manage because there'll be a point at which someone turns around and says, I'm not playing in the games I want to play in and I'm a really expensive signing and I've proven myself, by the way, in those big games already. So I do think that's going to be a test for slot. But it's quite a nice one, isn't it?

[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

No, it totally is. And you know, there's a lot of people listening to this, watching this, quite jealous of pour on a slot, put on a slot, eh? Anyway, let's leave it there because I want to finish on this one. It's time for the final whistle. Adam, you have one minute, minute before we wrap things up to tell us something from the past week that tickled your fancy from the world of football. I'm actually going to get my timer out Because I keep forgetting each time to do it. Are you ready?

[Adam Crafton]

I'm ready.

[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

All right. Three, two, one. Get going, son.

[Adam Crafton]

I'm going to go with all of us, with pundits, with journalists, because this Premier League season is just completely wild, isn't it? First weekend of the season, Manchester City are back that second week of the season. Tottenham have sorted themselves out, haven't they? And then here we are, three weeks into the season, City have lost two games, spurs have got turned over by Bournemouth. West Ham are absolutely useless. But by the way, they've just won at Not Forest. Bournemouth have sold all their players, but they've just almost, you know, almost did a job at Anfield and won at Spurs. Who else? Man United were on the brink. Now they're not on the brink because they've won a game and signing a goalkeeper. Who else? Chelsea. Could they cope with the club World cup stuff? Well, they've started the season pretty well. Crystal palace might not be very good without E, but then they win 3 nil at Villa. So, yeah, all of us and all our narratives that we keep coming up with to make podcasts like this.

[James Pearce]

Not bad.

[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

That's pretty good, that. Did you mention Aston Villa?

[Adam Crafton]

Oh, wait, no, I forgot Villa.

[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

But that's the one I wanted to add to that.

[Adam Crafton]

Well, I've just heard today. Let's see if this happens by the time this goes out. What Villa are putting towards Jadon Sancho's extraordinary wages at Manchester United, to me, screams. A little bit of panic may have enveloped at Villa park last night because Sancho's wages are pretty hefty at Man United and it sounds like they're paying 80% of those plus a loan fee. So that is pretty striking.

[Podcast Host (Ayo Akimwaleere)]

Do you know, I'll let you have that because that's bonus insight. Brilliant stuff. Let's leave it there, gents. Thanks so much for your time. James, Adam, really appreciate your time and also thank you guys for listening. Make sure you keep across the Athletic for all the fallout from transfer deadline day. We'll be back tomorrow. We'll catch you then.

[Athletic FC Podcast Producer / Narrator]

You've been listening to the Athletic FC podcast. The producers were Guy Clark, Mike Stavroot and Jay Beal.

[Adam Crafton]

The executive producer was Aidee Moorhead.

[Athletic FC Podcast Producer / Narrator]

To listen to other great athletic podcasts for free. Search for the Athletic on Apple, Spotify.

[Adam Crafton]

And all the usual places.

[Athletic FC Podcast Producer / Narrator]

The Athletic FC podcast is an athletic media company for production.

[Commercial Narrator]

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[Marc Maron]

If you're a maintenance supervisor at a manufacturing facility and your machinery isn't working right, Grainger knows you need to understand what's wrong as soon as possible. So when a conveyor motor falters, Grainger offers diagnostic tools like calibration kits and multimeters to help you identify and fix the problem. With Grainger, you can be confident you have everything you need to keep your facility running smoothly. Call 1-800-GRAINGER clickgranger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Cash Progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies. Try it at progressive. Com, Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states.