13 Jan 2026 07:36:49
On a very slight positive note I thought Wirtz and palindrome linked very well.
13 Jan 2026 08:22:40
They have always linked well together. That was why I found it quite strange to see Slot drop Ekitike for an unfit Isak at the beginning of the season even though Ekitike was in form and building a really good understanding with Wirtz at the time.
13 Jan 2026 08:59:04
Had to get minutes into the £125m man didn't he.
13 Jan 2026 09:27:54
Did Ekitike get dropped? Wasnt he suspended and then not in the starting line up for 2 league games after that.
13 Jan 2026 09:48:07
I thought Wirtz looked really sharp when he came on, not just his goals and assists but some of his passes were penetrating and piercing through the lines something we lack as we focus on sideways and backwards passing.
13 Jan 2026 10:00:34
JK - Isak started ahead of Ekitike in the game he got the two yellow cards. Total guess from me, but I would say Ekitike took that decision like he was dropped for Isak.
13 Jan 2026 10:04:21
JK23, he was suspended for the Palace game, but in the 8 league games which followed that he only started 3 of them, being benched for the other 5. I'd say that was Slot dropping him for Isak personally but you could also argue it was rotation.
He didn't need to get minutes in Isak's legs at the expense of Premier League results though, Florian. If Isak wasn't fit he should've been sent to play for the reserves until he was fit, or slowly integrated off the bench for increasingly longer cameos until he was fit. The League Cup game against Palace would've been a good game to give him minutes. I think the whole situation was badly mismanaged.
The Premier League is not the competition to be trying to get people fit. That is what pre-season is for, but Isak was too busy being a child and refusing to train. We've only won one game in the league this season in which Ekitike didn't start and that was the 2-0 win vs a terrible West Ham team. He has to start when fit. Isak's price tag is irrelevant in the context of winning football matches, which should always be the priority.
13 Jan 2026 10:57:51
Faith that game was a league cup game which means Vvd, Konate, Kerkez, Mac, Salah, Gakpo and Grav were also dropped.
MK I'll be honest mate I only looked a few games after. I definitely don't think he was dropped for the league cup game as it's a second string and then he's suspended 1 and on the bench for 2. He then starts 3 consecutive games and is on the bench for the 3 after.
So definitely an argument that he's been dropped for 3 but we know he has fitness issues so perhaps it's also a case of taking him out of the firing line as he'd started 9 of a possible 10 league games and 3 of a possible 4 CL ones.
13 Jan 2026 11:33:24
I thought Eddie Howe told Isak that he couldn't train with the first team.
And haven't Ekitike's minutes had to be managed as he is still adapting to the PL?
13 Jan 2026 11:56:29
JK - I'm jus saying how EKitike may have taken it. and given the way he celebrated his goal when already on a yellow, I think my hunch may be right.
13 Jan 2026 12:35:37
Faith you've also claimed to know Slots blueprints moving forward so I'll second your opinion and bow down to your superior streaming knowledge.