Why The Reds Aren't Getting the Optimal from Wirtz So Far

Assessment of Florian Wirtz's first nine appearances for the Merseyside club has typically reached the identical verdict - it has been an underwhelming start.

Some have gone further. Ex- England striker the Manchester United legend stated the £116m signing "damages the equilibrium" of the team's setup.

"He's a quality footballer and I'm confident he will get better - but he's had a slow start and I believe there's no question about that," commented the former striker.

The young German is yet to score or provide an goal contribution for his current team, but is that showing the whole picture?

In this analysis we examine how good he has been, why he hasn't been delivering as anticipated yet, and how Liverpool could get the maximum out of him.

Liverpool's balance is disrupted, but they are evidently experiencing a period of change.

Head coach Arne Slot has changed his tactical setup this campaign - and perhaps the absence of defender the England international posed bigger questions than anticipated.

In a similar approach to the manager's Feyenoord team, Liverpool are attempting to play with a greater number of positional switches between players, progressing through the middle of the pitch with rapid, tight-area interplay.

It therefore makes sense for the attacking midfielder to be the primary creative hub to connect everything collectively.

But, practically, he has been tasked to perform a function that is somewhat altered from one he is used to.

And that has minimised how often he positions himself in situations to find the net or create chances.

This setup fails to extract the best out of the player as an individual, but he hasn't performed bad in this sub-optimal role.

Wirtz is receiving the possession deeper with increasing frequency.

The right-back was impressive in his capability to pass the ball when operating deep, and Liverpool seem sorely missing that attribute.

Captain Virgil van Dijk's diagonal passes to attacker the Egyptian winger is a effective way for them to get the ball up the pitch reliably. Alternatively, Liverpool lack the distribution ability in defence to find teammates in advanced positions.

That responsibility has fallen on Wirtz at times. He has been retreating deeper to get the possession before turning and attempting to drive it forward. He is able to perform this role because of his technical quality, but it is reducing the opportunities he spends close to the opposing net.

If build-up responsibilities can be taken by another player, it potentially allows the attacker to position himself higher up the field.

Curtis Jones has the capability to perform this function in a central midfield partnership or on the left flank, and may be an alternative Slot could turn to as he aims to enhance Wirtz's natural game.

One of the most significant contrasts the player is experiencing in the Premier League is the limited room and increased pressure exerted to him.

Operating through the middle between the defensive units against very compact opposing teams such as Crystal Palace, the German has been positioned with less time and space to play.

During his time at Bayer Leverkusen, there were matches in which the midfielder would stand on the left flank while his team-mates advanced the play forward before passing to him.

Alternatively, he would operate in middle attacking midfield areas, particularly against sides that provided more space between the lines in games that developed into more counter-attacking in style.

Ex- Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso utilized the talent well because both of these scenarios would allow him to receive the possession with separation - meaning he could receive and drive forward with room between himself and a opponent.

To get the maximum out of the player, delivering the possession to him when there is not immediate marking on him is optimal.

When he is capable to receive the ball on the half-turn and carry it ahead - with space between himself and the nearby player - he is capable to use deceptive movements and a change in speed to disrupt opposition defensive structures.

Comparably to Everton attacker the England international, his finest performances both on the ball carrying and in his distribution comes from situations in which he is carrying the ball and running at players.

That is why several of the German's best moments this season have occurred in transitions.

Separation can be created by positioning him on the wing initially or by passing to him in the center early. If he is positioned between the defensive units, particularly when an rival team's defensive shape is stretched, colleagues must therefore play forward passes to locate Wirtz.

England's top division's intensity has tactical consequences but also affects footballers individually - and the German seems to have not yet completely adjusted to this transition.

Under the manager's faster and more rotation-based approach of attack, the team are susceptible to counter-attacks, with reduced bodies behind the play. This requires attackers like the midfielder to counter-press with energy when the possession is turned over.

The young talent has fully committed to the defensive directives and has harassed energetically. Offensively, he is being instructed to retreat to help in constructing play while maintaining the licence to contribute to attacks on both the left and right flank.

This combination is taxing on fitness, and several of his subpar on-the-ball decisions could be down to fatigue. Of all players to feature 400+ minutes in the Premier League this campaign, the German has run the fifth-highest distance per 90 minutes and the most of any club teammate.

In a recent interview with German media, Wirtz discussed the difference in his performances this campaign compared to last.

He said the manager had expressed a opinion "it could be because we press a frequently and I cover ground a considerably".

The midfielder continued: "For example, the running stats: I'm always at the top there because I try to push hard and execute what the coach demands. I require a lot of strength and energy for that. When I have the ball, I might be missing a small amount. That it will simply come progressively, as I gain more experience, improve physically, become capable to do things more easily, and subsequently, whenever I have the ball, be {fit|conditioned