World Cup round-up as Alexander Isak 'class' and huge triple Liverpool boost for Andoni Iraola near
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Andoni Iraola will be watching the World Cup closely as he makes plans for his debut season with Liverpool and Cody Gakpo and Alexander Isak have given him something to think aboutCody Gakpo and Alexander Isak.(Image: Getty Images)Though the World Cup's group phase is only halfway through and there is a full pre-season schedule to get through before the new season starts, it is only 64 days away.On August 23, Liverpool will travel to Newcastle for Andoni Iraola's first competitive game in charge. Only the season before that, though, he was pushed to new heights by Luis Diaz, who was vying for his spot on the left.In Arne Slot's first year at the helm, Gakpo scored more goals than Diaz and was a bigger threat in the final third.
Clichéd as it is, if he can get back to those levels, he will be like a new signing.Cody Gakpo celebrates with Liverpool teammate Ryan Gravenberch after scoring for the Netherlands at the World Cup.(Image: Rico Brouwer/Soccrates/Getty Images)Ryan Gravenberch didn't score, so he won't take as many of the headlines, but the Liverpool midfielder was much more spritely against Sweden than he has looked for a long while, too.Taking the ball under pressure, the Reds ace was gliding past his marker with that trademark spin and dribble forward.Too often last season, he was unable to get a grip of matches and properly influence them. Here, there was a reminder of the quality that he has when he is in a team that is functioning much better.On the opposite side, Alexander Isak took his World Cup tally to three assists and a goal in two games for Sweden, setting up Anthony Elanga with a perfectly-weighted pass in behind.Isak, in particular, can be a completely different player under Iraola, purely because of his fitness levels.
Last season, he barely played, and looked a mile off it when he did make it onto the field.Now, and with a summer of pre-season still to come, he can be a different beast entirely. "Every time Sweden look dangerous, he’s involved.