If there’s one thing football teaches us, it’s that impatience can be as dangerous as a rogue two-footed tackle. Arne Slot knows it. That is why the name of Yoane Wissa was not dropped in passing on the floor, but was a stinging one. Wissa has been compelled to make the move to Newcastle (without pre-season) and has had two full games, having now been sidelined by a knee injury. Slot clearly doesn’t want Liverpool’s £125 million toy, Alexander Isak, collecting dust in the medical room before he’s even unboxed.
Yoane Wissa in the Manager’s Playbook
Slot is threading the needle between fan expectation and player protection. Against Burnley, Isak didn’t even make the bench, and supporters groaned louder than a VAR check. But the Dutch coach was clear: why repeat Wissa’s mistake? Liverpool face three games in seven days, including Atletico Madrid and the Merseyside derby. Slot figures that easing Isak in is like marinating a steak—sure, you can throw it on the grill early, but you’ll regret the chewy result.
My Take: Yoane Wissa Is the Right Reference
Let’s be blunt: I like this move. Slot’s caution is refreshing in a league where managers sometimes treat new signings like shiny sports cars—flooring the accelerator until the engine burns out. Isak is Liverpool’s record signing, not an emergency spare tire. Wissa’s plight is a neon sign flashing “slow down.” Would you really gamble £125 million on a hunch?
Yoane Wissa and the Waiting Game
For Liverpool fans, the wait might sting. You don’t fork out a small nation’s GDP for a striker only to see him doing laps at Kirkby. But patience is the price of long-term payoff. If Slot gets this right, Isak could walk into the Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid sharp, hungry, and ready to torment defenses. And that, friends, is worth sitting through another Sunday without a debut.
