Isak Urges Liverpool for More Than Just Fighting Spirit After Forest Draw

Anfield roared, Liverpool rallied, and yet the mood at full-time was anything but celebratory.

A 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest on Saturday kept Iraola waiting for his first league win in charge, and as the noise died down around the Kop, Alexander Isak cut through the emotion with a blunt assessment: heart alone will not carry this team where it wants to go.

The Swedish striker, who dragged Liverpool level before they were pegged back again, admitted the performance underlined a worrying pattern.

“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. “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 was the story of the afternoon.

Slow start, sharp punishment

Liverpool never settled in the opening exchanges. Passes were loose, pressing triggers mistimed, the tempo oddly flat for a first home league game of a new era.

Forest sensed it.

Midway through the first half, Dan Ndoye punished the lethargy, quietening Anfield with the kind of incisive finish that exposed a defence still learning Iraola’s demands. The visitors grew in confidence as Liverpool laboured, the home side struggling to stitch together any sustained control.

The response eventually came after the interval. On the hour mark, Isak pounced with the kind of clinical strike that explained exactly why he has been handed the responsibility of leading the line in this new-look Liverpool. Anfield erupted, the momentum finally turning red.

It didn’t last.

Barely had the celebrations settled when Morgan Gibbs-White stepped up from the penalty spot to restore Forest’s lead, a gut punch that underlined Isak’s concerns about Liverpool’s inability to manage games once they claw their way back.

The Reds would salvage a point late on, showing the character their striker insists is not in doubt. The nagging issue is everything around that spirit – the structure, the control, the defensive balance – remains very much a work in progress.

Isak embraces the burden – but wants more

Isak has walked into Anfield with heavy expectations on his shoulders. The former Newcastle forward is now the focal point of Iraola’s attack, and he knows exactly what that means.

Asked if he feels a greater sense of responsibility this season, he did not dodge it.

“Yeah, of course. That's the job ultimately as a striker,” he said. “Obviously I'm very happy to score the first one and hopefully it just keeps coming.”

He quickly batted away any talk of personal targets or milestones.

“Not really. I think every striker wants to score in every game he plays.”

The message was clear: goals are his duty, but they mean little without wins. A debut Anfield league goal should have been the start of a statement afternoon. Instead, it became another data point in a stuttering start under a new coach.

Iraola’s imprint still forming

The shift from the previous regime to Iraola’s high-intensity, tightly drilled style has dominated conversation on Merseyside. The Spaniard’s work at Bournemouth and Rayo Vallecano built his reputation on structure, aggression, and clarity. At Liverpool, that blueprint is still in the sketch phase.

Isak did not shy away from that reality.

“It's been good. There's always time to get used to a new playing style and a new manager,” he said. “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.”

The intent is there. The execution, particularly when Liverpool score and the game becomes volatile, is not. Forest repeatedly exposed gaps on the break, the backline looking vulnerable whenever possession turned over and the press broke.

If Iraola wants to unleash the full power of a front line built around Isak, he must first stop the leaks behind them.

Anfield’s backing, and a warning shot

One thing did not falter: the crowd.

For all the frustration, Anfield wrapped its arms around a side still searching for itself. Isak, experiencing that backing in this new context, sounded genuinely energised by 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 relishing the stage.

The problem for Liverpool is that the romance of returning home cannot mask the table. A first league win under Iraola remains elusive, the early-season bedding-in period already feeling tight with pressure.

Next up is Ipswich Town away in midweek. Another test, another chance to show that this is more than just a team that refuses to give up.

At some point, the fight has to turn into control. And then into victories.