Future candidate for the golden ball or huge flop? Opinions are more than shared about Florian Wirtz, one of Liverpool's flagship recruits during this Gargantuan Mercato Summer. The German attacking midfielder, brilliant with Bayer Leverkusen in recent seasons, has been judged by the management of the Reds as the ideal player to boost the midfield. And Arne Slot quickly put him in the bath by starting him with each meeting, during the Community Shield then during the first 3 days of the Premier League.
Faced with Newcastle then Arsenal, it was positioned in number 10, under Ekitike. But he disappointed with each outing. Not in tune with his team, he triggers a lot of calls, often too early, and loses a lot of duels. He is not sought in passing circuits and for example finished with only 41 touched balloons against Newcastle, which has been playing at 10. So far, his coach Arne Slot defends him and finds an apology. But the visual rendering of Wirtz's performances are starting to worry Liverpool supporters, who expected much better.
Critics already there
On social networks, some are confused by the face shown by the 22 -year -old German international. “Wirtz is experiencing a very worrying start to the season, he does not adapt and is not the decisive player he was in Leverkusen and for whom we paid so much. »». Another says: “Wirtz has experienced a little encouraging career in Liverpool so far. He really had a hard time influencing the three league games ”. They are joined by the ESPN consultant and former defender of Liverpool Steve Nicol.
“How long will Arne Slot still bear Wirtz's invisibility?” We came to the point where when he takes the ball, we think he will lose it, we don't say to ourselves: “Super, he has the ball, something will happen”, because it produces absolutely nothing “he tackled him. So, casting error or simple adaptation time? Twirling with the Bayer Leverkusen but also the German selection, Wirtz will be able to recharge his batteries during this international truce with the Mannschaft. His coach Julian Nagelsmann also defended him at a press conference.
Always hope
“It is normal that it takes a little time in a new club. New culture, new championship, new stadium, is completely normal. He will make big games, will score great goals and deliver great assists ”he said, while recognizing that the beginnings of the attacking midfielder were not glorious. “I did not find its performance in Liverpool exceptional, but not negative either. You have to look at the whole team around him. There are good players on the field in Liverpool. They also invested in their high level workforce. And as an individual, we don't stand out that much “. However, this is what is expected from Wirtz.
His development may go through a change of position. By installing it on the left side to remove a little opposing pressure in the heart of the game, he would have more space to make his liveliness and his sense of the pass speak. Especially since it would allow Arne Slot to align her trio Gravenberch-Mac Allister-Szoboszlai again in the midfield. The last named, who helps out at the post of right side in the absence of Frimpong, will soon postulate again for a place in the middle.
