No Need To Pit Isak Against Ekitike

The strangest part of striker debates is how quickly they turn into a choice between two good options. If Isak is top class and Ekitike looks the real deal, why are we acting like one has to be torn down?

There’s a bit of football internet logic I’ll never understand: the moment a new forward starts catching the eye, we suddenly have to pretend another one isn’t good anymore. Like we can only enjoy one striker at a time. And with Isak, it’s starting to feel like “out of sight, out of mind” is doing far too much of the heavy lifting.

Because whatever you think about comparisons, Isak is top class. That shouldn’t be controversial. It never really was. You don’t spend a few seasons watching a lad in the Premier League and come away thinking he’s somehow a dodgy finisher if your eyes are open. He’s calm, he’s clinical, and he’s got more than one way of scoring. That matters.

Fitness doesn’t erase quality

Now, if the conversation is about availability, sharpness, or whether he’s carrying something, fair enough. Fitness affects everything: timing in the box, that first yard to get half a step on a centre-half, even the confidence to take a finish early rather than needing another touch.

But a player being injured or not fully fit doesn’t wipe out what he is. It doesn’t suddenly mean he can’t finish, or that he’s been living off reputation. That’s the bit that feels off. We’ve all seen top forwards look a half-second late when they’re not right. It’s not a character flaw. It’s just football.

Stop tearing one down to praise another

Ekitike can be exciting without us having to rewrite Isak’s story. That “either/or” mindset is pointless. It’s like we’re desperate to win an argument rather than build a proper squad.

If Ekitike is awesome, say it with your chest. Talk about the runs, the confidence, the upside, the way he could grow with better players around him. That’s all fair game. But it doesn’t require a side-order of “and Isak isn’t actually that good”, because it’s not true and it doesn’t even help the point.

At Liverpool, the proof is always on the pitch

The reality is simple: if Isak is at Liverpool, he’ll have to prove it here, in this shirt, under this pressure. Every player does. That’s not harsh, that’s just Anfield. But it’s different from saying he has something to prove about goalscoring in general. He doesn’t.

Truth is, good sides don’t fear having options. They lean into it. And if we’re lucky enough to be talking about two forwards with real quality, maybe the sensible response is to enjoy it rather than pick fights over it.

Written by OliRed: 29 January 2026