The omnipresence of Jamie Carragher means you’re never far away from being subject to his latest opinion, and the former Liverpool stalwart has been scathing of Arne Slot’s champions.
The Reds succumbed to back-to-back defeats for just the second time under Jürgen Klopp’s successor, with their 2–1 defeat at Crystal Palace followed up with an insipid display during a 1–0 loss at Galatasaray on Tuesday night.
Carragher labelled his former team a “mess” in its current state, and singled out £116 million ($156 million) addition Florian Wirtz for criticism, suggesting the German international has to “come out of the team” in order for Liverpool to rediscover the level that catapulted them to glory last term.
Wirtz was the club’s record-signing for just a brief period, with the Alexander Isak saga and subsequent arrival stealing the headlines. There was an expectation that Wirtz, as a result of the distnct quality he possesses, would make a discernible impact right away on Merseyside, but that simply hasn’t been the case.
With the results turning, the playmaker’s contributions, or lack thereof, have been thrust into the spotlight. So, why is Wirtz, left on the bench by Slot for the huge Premier League game at Chelsea, struggling at his new home, and how can Liverpool ensure his talents are maximised at Anfield?
Florian Wirtz’s 2025–26 Stats
*Stats correct as of Saturday, Oct. 4 17:30 BST.
Why is Florian Wirtz Struggling at Liverpool?
Through eight Premier League and Champions League appearances, Wirtz is yet to register a single goal contribution in Liverpool colours. That’s a return that would raise eyebrows even if the Reds paid half of what they eventually did to beat Bayern Munich to his signature in the summer.
Now, you can lazily throw out the supposed ‘Bundesliga tax’ to make sense of Wirtz’s struggles. The idea that the lower-quality German top flight can inflate attacking statistics has been vindicated by Timo Werner, Jadon Sancho and Christopher Nkunku’s Premier League woes, but the careers of Roberto Firmino, Son Heung-min and, going back a few more years, Dimitar Berbatov undermine that argument.
Every circumstance is different, and there are factors more nuanced than merely the change in scenery as to why Wirtz is yet to hit the ground running.
During his two best years at Bayer Leverkusen, Wirtz reached double-digits for goals and assists in each. He was a playmaker who was relentlessly relied upon to produce magic in the final third. Those behind him constantly sought him out, and Xabi Alonso’s framework meant he was almost always in an advantageous position to receive between the lines.
In 2023–24 and 2024–25, Wirtz received 11.7 progressive passes per 90 minutes. So far at Liverpool, he’s receiving almost half that figure (6.73). As a result, there’s been less potential for Wirtz to develop rhythm, with fewer touches meaning there’s more onus and pressure on those he does get. He’s averaging 56.3 touches per 90 this season, which is more than 20 fewer than the 77.8 he averaged last term.
Curtis Jones is arguably Liverpool’s best line-splitting passer, but he’s only been used sparingly, and there is a dearth of high-quality penetrative passers in the Reds’ squad. Ryan Gravenberch is a better carrier, while Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dijk prefer swashbuckling switches of play.
Slot and Wirtz himself have already stated that further adaptation is required on the physicality front, with the German suggesting that the effort he’s showing out of possession is compromising his ability with the ball. When those touches do arrive, he’s often tired from his off-ball running that comes with the role thrust upon him by Slot—one Szoboszlai excelled in last season.
Have There Been Any Positive Signs?
The underlying statistics point towards Wirtz struggling to contribute in the final third, with the German tallying an expected goals haul of just 1.3, as well as 1.4 expected assists.
He’s seldom found himself in shooting positions, and has rarely been let down by teammates on the assist front.
His production is worthy of criticism, and Liverpool certainly haven’t yet seen enough from the 22-year-old to justify his mammoth price tag. However, it hasn’t been all bad for Wirtz.
There have been genuine moments and performances of promise. He developed an early connection with summer arrival Hugo Ekitiké, and set up the Frenchman’s opening goal in the Community Shield. Moreover, there were some lovely sequences between himself and Alexander Isak in the first half of Liverpool’s 3–2 win over Atlético Madrid on Matchday 1 of the league phase.
Wirtz is doubtless a subtle playmaker. His brilliance doesn’t necessarily manifest via devastation. It’s his movement and capacity to play off few touches that rendered him a prized asset at Leverkusen, but such subtlety is so often deemed irrelevant by the modern-day supporter who demands output so they can win their social media argument.
There have been glimpses of what Wirtz can provide, and he doesn’t look out of his depth physically despite his relatively slight frame. He more than held his own against Arsenal, one of the most physical sides in the division, on Matchday 3, and produced some of his best work when stationed in the left half-space in the second half.
How Liverpool Can Get the Best Out of Florian Wirtz?
Wirtz is also suffering from Liverpool’s sub-optimal balance, to which he has contributed. Slot doesn’t yet know his best team.
Perhaps coming out of the XI and reintroducing Szoboszlai to the No. 10 role will aid Wirtz in the short-term, but he’s not going to be a benchwarmer in perpetuity. Slot has to find a solution regarding his German playmaker.
He needs passers behind him, which means the presence of Jones will help. Moreover, there’s a sense that Liverpool have been perhaps too fluid in possession. The reversion to a more positional game could aid Wirtz. As we saw against Arsenal, Wirtz can wreak havoc from the left half-space, and ensuring he can occupy this zone as much as possible should be the manager’s priority, instead of having to operate here, there and everywhere in a bid to get on the ball.
Less running means he’s fresher when the ball does come his way, and the presence of a superior passer in Jones should facilitate more opportunities for Wirtz to develop a rhythm. Once that initial confidence arrives, the final third contributions will inevitably surface as a by-product.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as What's Going Wrong for Florian Wirtz at Liverpool?.
