Florian Wirtz Under Fire: Liverpool's Expensive Signing Faces Tough Questions

Jamie Carragher isn't holding back when it comes to Florian Wirtz's performance at Liverpool. After a rocky start to his career at Anfield, Carragher believes the German midfielder should be sidelined by manager Andoni Iraola. It's safe to say that Wirtz's arrival has been less than spectacular. With a hefty £116 million price tag and lofty comparisons to Kevin De Bruyne, the pressure has been immense. But the reality is, expecting him to match the high standards set by established stars is a tall order. So far, Wirtz has featured in 39 Premier League matches since his big-money transfer last summer, but his stats tell a troubling story. He averages just 0.18 assists and 0.16 goals per game, while creating only 2.2 chances per 90 minutes. When you stack those numbers against other players who made similar transitions, things start to look grim. Take De Bruyne, for instance. In his first 39 games with Manchester City, he was far more impactful in all the key areas compared to Wirtz. The same can be said for Chelsea's Cole Palmer and Arsenal's Martin Odegaard, both of whom faced early criticism but have since made a stronger impact. Supporters of Wirtz might argue that he can't shoulder all the blame, as assists depend on the finishing of others. While true, it's worth noting that Wirtz is in the 90th percentile for chances created among attacking midfielders in Europe’s top leagues since last season. Yet, his actual assist tally leaves him in the lower half of that same group. Even in the current season, he doesn't crack the top three for chances created per 90 minutes for Liverpool. In areas where you'd expect a creative number 10 to excel, Wirtz is falling short. So, what exactly is he bringing to the table? He’s not a defensive dynamo and doesn’t excel in ball progression either. In fact, among his peers, he ranks last in total carries per 90 minutes and only slightly ahead of Odegaard in carry distance. Last season, he barely managed to make the top eight in progressive carries for his club. This raises the crucial question: what is Wirtz’s role at Liverpool? He isn't a consistent goal-scorer or playmaker, and he doesn't seem to help with advancing the ball upfield. Even more concerning, his form appears to be declining. The standards he set last season were already deemed lacking, but now he’s producing even less under Iraola's management. His statistics have slipped to the 30th and 40th percentiles for chances created and touches in the opposition box this season, a stark contrast to his top 10 percentile ranks last year. While he has improved slightly in terms of assists, that’s largely due to a low bar—his current tally of one assist is just a third of last season's total. As he enters his second season, Wirtz still seems to struggle with adapting to the rigors of English football. The challenge is compounded by a coaching style that favors wing play, which limits his opportunities to shine. In the recent match against Manchester City, for example, the focus was on players like Bradley Barcola and Victor Munoz to create chances. For a player valued at £116.5 million, expectations are sky-high. This is why Carragher’s critique resonates. If Wirtz's current role is merely to facilitate play for others, then perhaps it’s time for Iraola to consider alternatives who could provide more stability and creativity in this system.