Liverpool’s £100 million summer signing Florian Wirtz has come under fire following a disappointing performance in the team’s recent 3-0 defeat against Manchester City. As the season progresses, concerns about Wirtz’s adaptation to the physical demands of the Premier League are intensifying among fans and analysts alike.
Wirtz had moved to Liverpool on a free transfer from German club Bayer Leverkusen. He’s failed to score or assist in his first 11 league games. Despite his clear technical ability, stepping up to a much stronger environment has proven a major hurdle for the 22-year-old to overcome. Speaking during post-match analysis, former Manchester United defender Gary Neville illustrated the confusing situation playing Wirtz had created. He called Wirtz out for appearing lost by the tempo and intensity of the game.
Let’s just call it as it is. It’s an issue. He’s a billionaire in pounds sterling, worth more than £100 million. To be fair, I said a few weeks ago that Milos Kerkez looked like a small child when in possession. Last, I thought Wirtz came off very little boy today. That can’t be the case, Neville stated.
Slot of Liverpool was the first to deploy Wirtz more centrally. With Wirtz back on the left wing, now Michal is getting him used to what he originally wanted to do. This change in strategy was intended to more fully capitalize on what Wirtz did best. So far, it has not translated into step-changing performances on the pitch.
Well into that first match against Manchester City, Wirtz encountered significant obstacles. Neal pointed out his plight as well, saying that Wirtz was “mauled out there” by City players like Matheus Nunes. The ex-footballer turned pundit expressed his concern over Wirtz’s inability to cope with the demands of the Premier League. He reiterated that the clock is ticking on the young stud.
“I thought it was a really, really poor performance. It was one of the worst that I’ve seen from a Liverpool team for a long time,” Neville remarked. He further stated that Wirtz has to work on building that hard-nosed, chip on your shoulder mentality/resiliency if he aspires to play at this level.
Wirtz has experienced a dip in form in the domestic game as of late. He’s at his best on Champions League nights, regularly exceeding his Premier League form. All of this inconsistency has fueled arguments as to whether he belongs in Liverpool’s starting XI. The squad is motivated to bounce back from a brutal start to the campaign.
Neville highlighted that it is crucial for Slot to use this period for reflection and strategize how to address the current problems both offensively and defensively.
“That’s wrong, because obviously there are some excellent players out there with great attitudes, so it’s not a time to throw the baby out with the bath water here,” he noted.
With Liverpool looking to build on recent positive performances in future matches, all eyes will be on the further development of Wirtz’s game. He will need to demonstrate that he can handle the rigors of the Premier League while contributing effectively to the team’s attacking play.
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