The Premier League air is already thick with pre-season anticipation, but a manufactured storm has erupted around two of its most exciting strikers: Erling Haaland and Alexander Isak. It all began when Pep Guardiola weighed in, placing Haaland ‘a little bit above’ Isak, a direct response to what many fans believe was a misconstrued claim from Arne Slot about Isak’s potential.
Indeed, many watching the Slot interview saw him speaking ‘matter-of-factly’ about Isak being a top striker, not necessarily better than anyone else. Yet, the headlines exploded, pushing Pep to back his man. ‘Shocking news: manager backs his world-class striker over rival teams world-class striker,’ quipped one observer. Is this just ‘manufactured storylines’ by the media, fishing for headlines?
The debate, however, rages on amongst fans. Haaland’s numbers are undeniable: ‘Haaland is miles clear,’ with a record-breaking season still fresh in memory. His ‘1.04 G+A/app’ compared to Isak’s ‘0.73 G+A/app’ seems to speak volumes. ‘Braut is a killer,’ one fan declared, acknowledging Haaland’s ‘machine-like’ scoring.
But Isak has his staunch defenders. Many argue he is the ‘better overall player,’ more ‘complete’ and able to ‘do stuff on his own’ with more ‘skill/technique.’ ‘When it comes to anything other than finishing, Isak is better,’ stated another. Isak, some believe, would also ‘have scored a bucket load for City’ given their consistent success. So, is it just about raw goals, or overall contribution?
Ultimately, as the new season approaches, the question remains: ‘Let’s see what happens when the guy actually plays a game.’ Will Isak truly challenge Haaland’s ‘top of the food chain’ status, or is this just another ‘total non-story’ designed to stir the pot? Only time, and goals, will tell.