{"id":1502160,"date":"2026-10-13T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?post_type=features&#038;p=1502160"},"modified":"2026-10-13T08:02:38","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T07:02:38","slug":"liverpool-analysis-florian-wirtz-problem","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/liverpool-analysis-florian-wirtz-problem\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Florian Wirtz is becoming a problem for Liverpool"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/clubs\/liverpool\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Liverpool<\/a> have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/players\/florian-wirtz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Florian Wirtz<\/a> problem.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s now no escaping this elephant in the room. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/clubs\/germany\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Germany<\/a> international was given a platform to impress against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/clubs\/manchester-city\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Manchester City<\/a> and to say he failed miserably would be a bit of an understatement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/add-squawka-to-your-google-news-feed\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/squawka-preferred-sources-google-banner.webp\" alt=\"Add Squawka to your preferred sources on Google\" class=\"wp-image-1500527\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/squawka-preferred-sources-google-banner.webp 1500w, https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/squawka-preferred-sources-google-banner-300x100.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/squawka-preferred-sources-google-banner-1024x341.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/squawka-preferred-sources-google-banner-768x256.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/squawka-preferred-sources-google-banner-400x133.webp 400w, https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/squawka-preferred-sources-google-banner-600x200.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/squawka-preferred-sources-google-banner-180x60.webp 180w, https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/squawka-preferred-sources-google-banner-150x50.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/squawka-preferred-sources-google-banner-222x74.webp 222w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/players\/andoni-iraola\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Andoni Iraola<\/a>&#8216;s side were without <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/players\/alexander-isak\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Alexander Isak<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/players\/cody-gakpo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cody Gakpo<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/players\/dominik-szoboszlai\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dominik Szoboszlai<\/a>. But the Spaniard&#8217;s starting lineup should have, at least in theory, suited Wirtz. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Liverpool had pace on either flank in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/players\/bradley-barcola\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bradley Barcola<\/a> and Victor Munoz. Alongside him, he had the raw but energetic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/players\/lewis-koumas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Lewis Koumas<\/a>. A complaint often levelled at Isak is that he doesn\u2019t do enough work without the ball and this puts even more pressure on Wirtz. Koumas, however, is the complete opposite. He never stops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Behind him, Iraola went with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/players\/alexis-mac-allister\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Alexis Mac Allister<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/players\/ryan-gravenberch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ryan Gravenberch<\/a>. That duo is made up of a passer and a ball-carrier. Both create space for Wirtz. It should\u2019ve been the perfect storm for the \u00a3116million signing. His most memorable moment was when he picked up a pass from Gravenberch, ignored <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/players\/milos-kerkez\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Milos Kerkez<\/a> and Barcola before firing an effort from distance wide, much to the visible annoyance of his teammates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With players injured and Barcola still finding his feet in this team, the pressure was on Wirtz to deliver something. He didn\u2019t. And now the pressure has increased tenfold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><h2>Liverpool&#8217;s Florian Wirtz problem<\/h2><ul><li><a href=\"#h-the-weight-of-expectation\" data-level=\"2\">The weight of expectation<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-lack-of-output\" data-level=\"2\">Lack of output<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-shoehoring-wirtz-into-the-team\" data-level=\"2\">Shoehoring Wirtz into the team<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-the-weight-of-expectation\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The weight of expectation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher hasn&#8217;t shied away from singling our Writz this season. And he once again honed in on the German after the defeat to Man City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;He played really well for Germany under Jurgen Klopp. But he has come here today, I\u2019m looking at the game with no Isak and no Gakpo, our two best attackers this season. We need Barcola and we need Wirtz to step up and help Munoz and Koumas at the top of the pitch. Koumas and Munoz were better than the two \u00a3100m players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere was absolutely nothing today where you thought he put someone through, or nearly scored. There\u2019s absolutely no goal threat whatsoever.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"820\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150321\/image1-2-820x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1502187\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150321\/image1-2-820x1024.png 820w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150321\/image1-2-240x300.png 240w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150321\/image1-2-768x960.png 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150321\/image1-2-1229x1536.png 1229w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150321\/image1-2-214x267.png 214w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150321\/image1-2-160x200.png 160w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150321\/image1-2-48x60.png 48w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150321\/image1-2-120x150.png 120w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150321\/image1-2-59x74.png 59w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150321\/image1-2.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wirtz had two shots against Man City before being replaced as Liverpool went down to 10 men. Both efforts were low value, combining for 0.2 Expected Goals. Both were speculative at best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For so long, the narrative around Wirtz was him not having the right environment to flourish. He had it against Man City. The German had pace around him and willing runners. He had the atmosphere. The expectation was he\u2019d do something to remind everyone why Liverpool wanted to build their attack around him. Yet you come away from the game with more questions than answers.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It wasn\u2019t a performance of a player who wanted to be the main man in this team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-lack-of-output\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lack of output<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With Isak, the team\u2019s top scorer, and Gakpo, the team\u2019s greatest creative threat this term, both out injured, the pressure was on Wirtz to step up, one way or another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While in Germany playing for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/clubs\/bayer-leverkusen\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bayer Leverkusen<\/a>, he was a goalscorer and a creative threat. Liverpool weren\u2019t asking him to be both at Anfield against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/competitions\/premier-league-2026-2027\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Premier League<\/a> leaders Man City. He just needed to be one of those things. Spearhead the attack, either as a genuine threat or someone pulling the strings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150913\/florian-wirtz-vs-man-city-819x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1502189\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150913\/florian-wirtz-vs-man-city-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150913\/florian-wirtz-vs-man-city-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150913\/florian-wirtz-vs-man-city-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150913\/florian-wirtz-vs-man-city-1229x1536.jpg 1229w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150913\/florian-wirtz-vs-man-city-214x267.jpg 214w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150913\/florian-wirtz-vs-man-city-160x200.jpg 160w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150913\/florian-wirtz-vs-man-city-48x60.jpg 48w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150913\/florian-wirtz-vs-man-city-120x150.jpg 120w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150913\/florian-wirtz-vs-man-city-59x74.jpg 59w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150913\/florian-wirtz-vs-man-city.jpg 1620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He couldn\u2019t do that though. Wirtz had low-value shots and created low-value chances. He failed to complete a single take-on and lost the ball 17 times. The worst part of it all? Simple passes looked difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This was a Man City side who had been giving up chances and didn\u2019t look at all resolute, resilient or set defensively. Wirtz was signed to be the main man in attack, it\u2019s why Mo Salah was sacrificed in a lot of ways, and if this was an audition, he would\u2019ve failed miserably. Salah used to dominate these games, even when he wasn\u2019t playing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-shoehoring-wirtz-into-the-team\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Shoehoring Wirtz into the team<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150325\/image2-1-1024x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1502188\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150325\/image2-1-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150325\/image2-1-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150325\/image2-1-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150325\/image2-1-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150325\/image2-1-1536x1536.png 1536w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150325\/image2-1-267x267.png 267w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150325\/image2-1-200x200.png 200w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150325\/image2-1-60x60.png 60w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150325\/image2-1-74x74.png 74w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/12150325\/image2-1.png 1620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During his time in Germany, Wirtz thrived as an inverted left-sided attacker in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/players\/xabi-alonso\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Xabi Alonso<\/a>\u2019s 3-4-2-1 shape. He was given the freedom to drift inside from the left but he wasn\u2019t tasked with shoring things up centrally. He also had a solid set-up behind him with three centre-backs and two sitting midfielders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At Liverpool, he\u2019s responsible for the defensive side of things, especially as part of a high press. Yet he\u2019ll naturally drift to the left and this forces one of the midfielders to step up and fill in on the right for balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Reds are accommodating Wirtz right now. He\u2019s a luxury but there\u2019s no luxury returns. It\u2019s a problem. He\u2019s a problem. Perhaps better suited to a left-sided role, his lack of pace means it\u2019s unlikely Iraola will ever entertain that idea. For now, he\u2019s being shoehorned into a role he\u2019s never really impressed in.<\/p>\n\n\n<h3><strong>Read more:<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/football-tips\/premier-league\/\"><strong>Premier League predictions &amp; tips<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/outright-markets\/premier-league-title-odds\/\"><strong>Premier League outright odds <\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/\"><strong>Latest football news<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/betting-sites\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Best betting sites<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/betting-sites\/best-free-bet-offers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Best free bet offers<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/football-tips\/accumulator\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Football accumulator tips<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Liverpool have a Florian Wirtz problem. There\u2019s now no escaping this elephant in the room. The Germany international was given a platform to impress against Manchester City and to say he failed miserably would be a bit of an understatement. Yes, Andoni Iraola&#8216;s side were without Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai. But the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3567,"featured_media":1502190,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"florian wirtz liverpool","_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Florian Wirtz struggled once again in Liverpool's 3-0 defeat to Manchester City. And the German is starting to become a problem for the Reds.","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"features-category":[],"squawka-category":[27685,27672,27670],"class_list":["post-1502160","features","type-features","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","squawka-category-liverpool","squawka-category-player-analysis","squawka-category-premier-league"],"acf":{"external_featured_image_url":"","hide_featured_image_pattern":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.0 (Yoast SEO v28.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Why Florian Wirtz is becoming a problem for Liverpool | Squawka | EN<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Florian Wirtz struggled once again in Liverpool&#039;s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City. 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