Florian Wirtz’s tough start at Liverpool has led to speculation that the German attacking midfielder might be taken off the pitch. A 22-year-old Berliner, who moved in a British record transfer deal worth £116 million from Bayer Leverkusen, has not yet scored or assisted in his first eight matches across the league and Champions League.
The 22-year-old player started the new season with the No. 10 striped and after that, he was excluded from the squad that was going to the Merseyside derby to face Everton.
Additionally, Wirtz, while on the wing against Crystal Palace, was later moved back to his favorite central position in the midweek defeat to Galatasaray. By these two defeats in succession, Liverpool are now, quite naturally, asking themselves what is wrong with Klopp’s side in terms of having a well-balanced and structured team.
Ex-Reds defender Jamie Carragher has been the loudest, expressing Wirtz’s difficulties as one of the reasons for the team instability. “At present I believe he has to be taken out of the team,” Carragher said. “Liverpool need to get back to the level they were at last season, then reintroduce him alongside the rest of the squad, rebuild confidence and defensive solidity.”
Kenny Dalglish who once played for the club, however, warned against a quick conclusion and mentioned Wirtz’s great technique and good play together with Alexander Isak as the reason for Wirtz not to be immediately dropped. Rudi Völler, director of the German national team, supported the same view by saying that it takes time to get used to a new environment and that tricky decisions should avoided.
Wirtz is undoubtedly talented but his transfer cost and Liverpool’s shaky start to the season have attracted a lot of criticism and that will continue until the problem is solved. Klopp’s choice of whether to keep him in the team or not can be crucial in the near future.
