My hope that Florian Wirtz will still make his breakthrough with the ‘Reds’ is fading with every match, with every month. If he doesn’t establish himself at Liverpool FC, then that will prove that he is NOT a world-class player. However, I do implore him, in all sincerity, NOT to join Bayern Munich. That would be a real blow to the fans of Bayer 04 Leverkusen.
I absolutely cannot imagine him returning to the Bundesliga, let alone to Bayern. The other rumor going around right now is that Hansi Flick is personally trying to bring Flo to Barcelona. That seems like the most likely scenario to me—assuming Flo gets pushed out of here, or simply doesn’t feel comfortable anymore—provided they can actually afford it.
2 Likes
We’ll see how Barca’s attack develops (as it seems like it changes every season, focus on building it around Yamal). Currently, they have Olmo and Fermin in his position. Olmo is not always fit, but Fermin has made progress since last season in terms of importance.
1 Like
I think it’s just the usual lazy shit of ITK
1 Like
Jurgen Klopp on Florian Wirtz speaking ahead of Germany’s Nations League games against The Netherlands and Greece:
“The exchange with Flo was very pleasant. We’re keeping in touch from time to time. “I think he’s the player who covered the most ground at Liverpool this season, so the willingness is absolutely there. We have to move away from expecting to see special moments from him. He needs to help us as a team. “We have to make sure that Flo feels comfortable with us. When the team works, every player shines as a consequence.” “We need to be satisfied when Flo Wirtz plays a game in which he gave everything but didn’t register a goal or assist. We simply need to give the boy the feeling: ‘That was more than good enough today. You helped us as a team. We won 1–0 or 2–0.’ “And then all the experts in the world sit there and discuss why he still hasn’t worked out. There are just as many reasons to say: ‘He’s working perfectly well. Now let’s take the next steps together. That applies to Flo and all the others.”
4 Likes
I think he´s deflecting to take the pressure off him. Nice man management.
Of course he expects his star attacking midfielder to score and create chances fairly often.
1 Like
Should a playmaker cover the most ground? If he is spending all his time covering ground he isnt playmaking!
Whether that is true or not, it was who he was when we bought him. So we might still say he can take his game to another level by being more deliberate about his movement and positioning. But that he is covering that much ground is not by itself a mark of dysfunction.
2 Likes
If Wirtz is your playmaker, then he does move around a lot, because the play certainly doesn’t start in Wirtz’s zone, it starts deeper.
His work off the ball isn’t blocking him to be what he wants or should be on the ball. With more cohesion and understanding of roles, yes, the balance of that might improve towards the latter.
But his work off the ball is simply also part of who he is and what he should provide anyway. Because modern football requires so and the football we want to play under Iraola also.
4 Likes
It probably is inhibiting him somewhat. First of all he´s likely knackered when he gets the ball and needs that energy, and he´s often out of position because of moving around too much rather than being in between the lines ready to receive the ball.
I don´t think we should want him deep. That´s too far from the final third.
We don’t want him that deep, so that means he’s not our playmaker. Iraola said at the start of the season that he’s a bit too attracted to the ball. We’ll see how things evolve. Also, things like distance covered, sprints, duels, pressures can all be different aspects.
3 Likes
Yeah, he can do with a little patience and wait for the right moment to find the dangerous space for him to receive the ball and create from there.
Regardless of how good a player is, if he doesn’t press well (which usually coincides with running a lot), he won’t be playing for a manager like Klopp or Iraola, I think it’s as simple as that.
I think we painted ourselves into a corner with our midfield selection, I don’t think that training ground will solve that. From my point of view, I think it’s Gravenberch who pays the price next summer (although Mac Allister will leave first if he’s not offered a new contract - but he looks a better fit for Iraola’s football than Gravenberch from little I’ve seen).
I want to believe that when the balance is there, especially in terms of midfield organisation, Wirtz and everyone else will finally start looking good.
4 Likes
Well he´s the creative player. He´s supposed to create and score goals. We need a guy like Thiago to run the game from deeper, playmake or whatever. You often see Wirtz coming all the way back to pick up the ball. Absolutely not what we want as he´s too deep to impact the final third from there.
this issue is a bit like when Rafa told Gerrard that he moves around too much and to focus on that.
1 Like
When he comes deep it’s because he has been starved of the ball and can see midfield is having trouble progressing it. That’s an issue for midfield. He’s having to hold their hand, so to speak, to link with the forwards.
That is very inefficient and that volume of running is unsustainable
3 Likes
All this from a quote from Klopp about Flo’s role for the German national team. We will never be happy will we.
Btw Klopp always said similar things about players contributions and he’s right to do so as manager.
2 Likes
It’s because we were already hyper-focused on his current performances from us. It just adds fuel to the fire.
I completely agree with @Livvy and @mattyhurst about the level of negative reporting regarding him. It’s a uniquely difficult situation he has come into. Don’t forget, this is a new team now forming under a new manager and Flo is a very young man playing in a new country for the first time. There are many moving parts that are not settled yet.
Our midfield is most certainly not helping him.
And I know this is not right but it is inevitable that a player who cost £100M+ will have this level of scrutiny. It’s part of the reason why I am against us paying such a high fee for any player, no matter how good he is. It puts added pressure for him to hit the ground running but that doesn’t always happen, Especially when the team isn’t settled and has imbalances.
3 Likes
I feel a lot of the time he has to come too deep as we struggle in midfield to progress the ball, which is more evident when certain midfielders play there.
1 Like
Then gets it himself and does an easy 2 or 3 foot sideways pass. This narrative that he underperforms or has to run around is because of the midfield needs to stop. He has now been here 13 months and does nothing different than day 1.
The midfield struggle to get the ball to him in the advance positions, so as I said he needs to drop deep.
Also, any comments on Nyoni, from our previous conversations?
1 Like