Why Liverpool Haven't Yet Found the Optimal from Florian Wirtz So Far

Analysis of the German midfielder's initial nine games for the Merseyside club has generally landed at the identical verdict - it has been an underwhelming start.

Several commentators have been more critical. Former Three Lions striker the Manchester United legend stated the £116m signing "disrupts the equilibrium" of the team's setup.

"He is a top player and I'm sure he will improve - but he's experienced a gradual beginning and I believe there's no question about that," commented Rooney.

The young German is still without a goal or provide an assist for his new club, but is that showing the whole picture?

Here we explore how effective he has been, why he hasn't been delivering as expected yet, and how the club could extract the maximum out of him.

The squad's balance is disrupted, but they are evidently going through a period of transition.

Head coach Arne Slot has changed his tactical setup this campaign - and perhaps the loss of defender Trent Alexander-Arnold created bigger questions than anticipated.

Following a comparable pattern to the manager's previous club team, Liverpool are attempting to operate with a increased frequency of rotations between players, progressing through the middle of the field with rapid, small-space combination play.

It therefore makes sense for Wirtz to be the central creative hub to knit all elements together.

But, in reality, he has been asked to perform a function that is slightly different from one he is familiar with.

And that has minimised how frequently he positions himself in situations to find the net or assist.

This setup fails to extract the best out of Wirtz as an individual, but he hasn't performed bad in this less-than-ideal role.

The midfielder is receiving the ball further back with increasing frequency.

The right-back was outstanding in his ability to distribute the ball when operating deep, and Liverpool seem sorely missing that attribute.

Captain Virgil van Dijk's diagonal passes to forward the Egyptian winger is a great method for them to get the ball up the pitch reliably. Alternatively, Liverpool lack the distribution ability in their defensive line to find team-mates in advanced positions.

This duty has been placed on the young German at certain moments. He has been dropping deep to get the possession before turning and attempting to carry it up the pitch. He is able to do this because of his skill level, but it is limiting the time he operates close to the opposition net.

If possession duties can be taken by a different teammate, it possibly allows the attacker to operate higher up the pitch.

Curtis Jones has the ability to do this in a double pivot or on the left flank, and could represent an alternative Slot could consider as he looks to enhance Wirtz's preferred style.

One of the most significant contrasts the player is encountering in the English top flight is the reduced room and increased pressure applied to him.

Operating through the middle between the lines against very organized defensive sides such as Crystal Palace, the German has found himself with reduced time and space to play.

During his time at his former club, there were matches in which the midfielder would stand on the left wing while his colleagues progressed the play up the pitch before finding him.

In other situations, he would operate in middle advanced midfield areas, particularly against sides that provided more room between the lines in matches that became more transitional in nature.

Former Bayer boss the Spanish manager utilized Wirtz effectively because each of these scenarios would enable him to receive the possession with separation - meaning he could collect and drive forward with room between himself and a opponent.

To get the maximum out of the player, getting the ball to him when there isn't instant marking on him is optimal.

Whenever he is able to receive the ball on the turn and carry it forward - with space between himself and the closest player - he is able to use deceptive movements and a variation in speed to disrupt opposition defences.

Comparably to Everton attacker Jack Grealish, his best performances both on the ball carrying and in his passing originates from situations in which he is carrying the possession and driving at defenders.

This is why many of the German's best moments this campaign have occurred in transitions.

Separation can be created by deploying him on the wing initially or by passing to him in the midfield quickly. When he is operating between the defensive units, particularly when an rival team's structure is spread, team-mates must accordingly execute forward passes to locate Wirtz.

England's top division's intensity has tactical implications but also affects players personally - and Wirtz seems to have still not completely adjusted to this change.

Under Slot's quicker and more position-switching approach of attack, Liverpool are susceptible to counter-attacks, with fewer players behind the ball. This demands attackers like the midfielder to press immediately with intensity when the possession is turned over.

The young talent has fully committed to the out-of-possession instructions and has pressed energetically. In attack, he is being encouraged to retreat to help in constructing play while maintaining the licence to participate to offensive moves on both the left and right.

All of this is taxing on fitness, and several of his subpar on-the-ball decisions could be attributed to fatigue. Among all players to feature significant game time in the top division this campaign, the German has run the fifth-highest ground per 90 minutes and the highest of any club player.

During a recent discussion with German media, Wirtz spoke about the difference in his performances this season compared to last.

He stated the manager had expressed a opinion "it could be because we press a lot and I cover ground a lot".

The midfielder added: "For example, the distance covered statistics: I am consistently at the forefront there because I attempt to push hard and do what the coach asks. I need a significant power and energy for that. Whenever I have the possession, I could be lacking a little bit. That this will simply come progressively, as I gain more experience, improve physically, become capable to perform actions more effortlessly, and subsequently, when I have the play, become {fit|conditioned