Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak has proven that he has all the skills of a ‘modern day forward’. The 25-year-old is physically adept for the Premier League’s intensity, he boasts the intelligence to keep defenders guessing, and he is pretty rapid with or without the ball as well.
Isak is vying for the Premier League Golden Boot trophy in the 2024/25 season after having 13 goals in 18 matches so far. A reason why he’s been so prolific in finishing off his chances is because of the Sweden international’s ability to pop up in the right areas and outwit his opponents with his off-the-ball movement.
The 25-year-old’s sharpness comes to the fact that he has impressive reactive senses and is speedy with his movement. For any clinical forward, speed is a vital asset to have as that extra burst can give them the edge in reaching the ball ahead of defenders in key positions.
Fortunately for Isak, he can turn up his engine whenever required to reach an admirable top speed. The 25-year-old has surprised defenders with his change of speed all his career and has managed to reach a top speed of 33.60 KM/PH in the Premier League.
Normally, the top speed metric is used to determine how fast a footballer really is, with this being based measured on how quick an individual’s sprint can be when running forward to cover a specific amount of the field.
Moreover, on EA FC 25, Isak has also been rewarded with an admirable speed metric. He has been given an 87 sprint speed in the game (on an 85 overall speed rating). Only Anthony Gordon (91) and Miguel Almiron (87) are the Newcastle players to have higher speed ratings than the 25-year-old forward, with the EA Sports developers rating the Swedish forward among the fastest in the Magpies squad.
Interestingly, Isak also ranks among one of the fastest centre-forwards in the Premier League if top speed is to be considered. The only Premier League number nines to have reached a faster top speed than him are Erling Haaland (36.43 KM/H), Darwin Nunez (35.4 KM/H), Rasmus Hojlund (35.1 KM/H) and Son Heung-min (34.5 KM/H).
Isak is quick on and off the ball because of his physical shape and how well he’s done to keep himself in a lean but muscular shape. As Yahoo Sports notes: “Like the great sprinter Usain Bolt, Isak’s speed comes from the length of his stride rather than the power in his frame. His strength is his elasticity, not his muscle mass.”
In fact, the Swedish forward’s sprinting style is another attribute to have empowered his comparions to Arsenal legend Thierry Henry. Even Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe acknowledged this in 2023, stating: “Everyone is different, there are no two players that are the same, but I do think he has some of the characteristics Thierry had. He’s certainly got the speed and a similar build and frame. The footwork for the assist was truly remarkable, really, and I think he’s got a lot of potential to improve and get better.”
Isak might not be the fastest Premier League forward or even the quickest player at Newcastle United (that falls to Gordon and Sandro Tonali), but he manages to boast an impressive sprint speed that can make most defenders nervous. As long as he can keep honing his quickness, the 25-year-old should continue tormenting Premier League teams and maintaining his goal-scoring consistency.
