Alexander Isak: How Would the Swede Striker Fit in Arteta's System

Alexander Isak is a name that repeatedly crops up while discussing centre-forward options for any top club, and Arsenal is among them as they have been heavily linked with the 22-year-old in the past. Isak emerged as a genuine option in the winter window after the Gunners missed out on Dusan Vlahovic. However, Edu was unwilling to pay the Swede’s £75m release clause.

A contract extension in 2021 has bound the striker to Real Sociedad until 2026. The Basque side expect the player’s release clause to be met for a transfer to materialise. Arsenal’s interest in the 22-year-old has not waned either.

It appears that the Gunners will attempt to negotiate a transfer fee with Sociedad in the summer. Let us take a look at whether Alexander Isak would be a good fit for Arteta’s system:

Position & Profile:

Alexander Isak is predominantly a centre-forward profile. He has been used as the lone striker in a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1, and as a secondary striker in a 4-4-2 or 3-4-1-2. On one occasion, Imanol Alguacil even deployed the Swede on the right flank.

Isak has the optimum qualities to function as a centre-forward. He towers over most other forwards at 190 centimetres and also has great speed and agility. Former Arsenal striker Jeremie Aliadiere has encouraged the Gunners to sign Isak. Aliadiere told BonusBetCodes:

“We’re going to need some strikers. We’re going to need someone who’s a number nine, somebody that plays upfront. As much as I love (Alexandre) Lacazette, obviously, he’s been on his own lately with the departure of (Pierre-Emerick) Aubameyang. Lacazette might end up leaving as well. So we need to attract some players and buy some players up front.”

The Frenchman further elaborated:

“For me Alexander Isak seems like a really good buy. I like his style. I think we need somebody that runs behind the defender, makes runs behind,” he added. “Arsenal have always been that kind of club that has a striker that makes runs behind, stretch the opposition. And so far, as much as I love Lacazette, that’s not his game. That’s what we had Aubameyang to do. Lacazette is more of a ‘come-and-get-involved in the play’, a little number nine-and-a-half, ten, you know, role. “A striker who makes runs, who stretches the defence, that is what we need and I think Isak offers that. He does that.”

“He’s still very young, got a lot of energy and I think in that team with a manager like Arteta, who’s still very young, you would not want very, very experienced players that might have a bit of an ego. I think getting younger players that are still proven, still very good players, I think that’s the way forward for the club.”

Isak At Sociedad:

In 118 games across 4 seasons in Spain, Isak has registered 39 goals and 7 assists. His best spell came last season when the striker netted 17 times and assisted twice in 44 games. After an impressive showing for the Sweden National Team in the Euro 2020, Isak has not been able to translate the same form this season. The former Dortmund hitman has 8 goals and 3 assists to his name from 31 appearances.

What Role Isak plays At Sociedad?

Real Sociedad boss Imanol Alguacil deploys a 4-1-4-1 set-up. This gives the team great flexibility between a 4-3-3 and a 4-2-3-1.

Image 1: Base 4-1-4-1, Image 2: 4-2-3-1 Variation

Alguacil gives strong emphasis on the use of half-spaces and areas between the lines. Wingers Mikel Oyarzabal and Adnan Januzaj attack the spaces between the opposition centre-back and full-back, as the full-backs overlap.

Isak’s role is to hold off defenders and provide penetration into the box. His positioning also forces opponent centre-backs to remain narrow, allowing the half-spaces to be utilised well. Furthermore, Isak can play with his back to the goal and bring teammates into play well. This helps Sociedad sustain pressure around the opposition box at a higher intensity.

Isak is not the type of player to shoot on sight either. In his spell at Sociedad, the 22-year-old averages just 2.78 shots every 90 minutes. However, these shots come from very good positions, and he has also been an above-average finisher in Spain.

Real Sociedad’s quality in midfield does not require Isak to drop deep too often. David Silva, Mikel Merino, Martin Zubimendi, Oyarzabal and Portu act as the team’s main possession and progression outlets.

Forward Pressing:

Defensively, the Spanish side employ a high press with a high line of defence. Alguacil substitutes aggression for tactics in his set-up. The Basque side make effective use of pressing traps to force opponents into wider areas.

They press the wings in numbers, then force the opponents to resort to long balls, allowing Normand and Elustondo in the heart of the defence to reclaim possession.

Pressing triggered by passes to the wide areas

In the 2021-22 season, Alguacil has often dropped a midfielder to field an additional centre-forward Alexander Sorloth. The integration of the Norway target-man has forced Isak into deeper or wider positions, which has affected his shooting numbers to an extent. The Swede’s best role appears to be as a lone centre-forward ahead of an active midfield and productive wingers.

Filling Lacazette’s Boots:

This season, both players have underperformed their xG. Alexander Isak takes more shots but from further away from the goal. The Swedish striker has historically been a good finisher, and one can expect him to start finding the back of the net more often. A change in role due to the change in formation has also played a major part in the drop in numbers.

Lacazette, similarly, has never been a high-volume shooter but a fairly efficient finisher in the past. This season, however, the Frenchman has been guilty of missing several important chances at crucial junctures for the Gunners.

Isak attempts just 16.5 passes every 90 minutes. In comparison, Lacazette attempts 25.2 passes every 90 minutes at Arsenal. We must keep in mind that Arsenal (52%) average less possession per game than Real Sociedad (54.1%) too. Lacazette offers more creativity than Isak, especially by passing.

Isak Vs Lacazette Creativity Plot:

This seems to be the obvious takeaway from the following graph. Lacazette, on the virtue of playing relatively deeper and being more involved in the build-up, has better passing numbers. However, one interesting observation is the quality of chance created, or xA. Both players average an xA of 0.11 every 90 minutes.

However, Lacazette has 7 assists in 1,460 minutes. Isak has only 2 in 1,286 minutes. This is because the Frenchman has the luxury of players like Ødegaard, Saka and Smith Rowe around him: all very efficient finishers. The bottom line is that Isak is a worse creator than Lacazette because his system does not require him to be a good creator. And in a better system with better players, even Isak’s creativity numbers will increase.

Isak Vs Lacazette Ball Progression Plot:

On the other hand, Alexander Isak is far more efficient at carrying the ball at his feet. He is a better dribbler and also very handy at progressing the ball. This is not a primary function for either player at their respective club but is, undoubtedly, a useful skill to have in the toolbox.

Some opponents set up in a lower block, which forces Arsenal to manoeuvre around the defence. However, against a higher press, the Gunners may have more options to play on the break. Isak possesses the speed and tenacity to take on defenders and cause problems with his footwork.

Right Fit For Arteta?

Arteta’s system shares certain similarities with Alguacil’s set-up:

Emphasis on ball possession and high pressing
Use of half-spaces, especially in the final third.
A flexible midfield that can change from a 1-2 shape to a 2-1 shape.

Here is how Arsenal rank for certain key shooting metrics:

Sl.No	Metric (per 90)	League Rank
1.	Shots	3^rd
2.	Shots on Target	4^th
3.	Avg. Shot Distance	12^th
4.	npxG/Shot	11^th
5.	Touches in Box	4^th
6.	Touches in Final Third	6^th
7.	Passes into Box	5^th

The clear takeaway is how Arsenal have a higher quantity of shots, but lower quality. This comes down to the personnel at Arteta’s disposal. Ødegaard, Saka, Smith Rowe, Tierney, Xhaka and Partey are all effective ball progressors or chance creators. What Arsenal lack is a target-man, a player in the box to provide the finishing touches.

Lacazette’s low shot-volume is definitely an issue for the Gunners, but perhaps, not as glaring a problem as what the numbers don’t show. Very often, Lacazette is caught too deep in the attacking phases of the game. This allows opposition defences to maintain their shape easily. Arsenal also don’t have the luxury of a passing or crossing option inside the box.

Lacazette: Provides an additional man in the mid-field at the expense of a presence in the box

Isak could be the right person to perform this function. The 22-year-old is very useful in holding up play around the box. But his ability to make penetrative runs will serve a greater function to Arteta. Isak’s dangerous movement off the ball will: