The Reasons Why Liverpool Haven't Yet Found the Best from Florian Wirtz So Far

Assessment of Florian Wirtz's initial nine games for the Merseyside club has typically reached the identical verdict - it has been an underwhelming beginning.

Some have been more critical. Ex- Three Lions striker Wayne Rooney stated the £116m signing "disrupts the balance" of the team's structure.

"He's a top player and I'm confident he will get better - but he's had a gradual beginning and I think there's no denying that," said the former striker.

Wirtz is still without a goal or register an assist for his current team, but is that showing the whole picture?

In this analysis we examine how effective he has performed, why he isn't performing as anticipated yet, and how the club could extract the best out of him.

Liverpool's balance is disrupted, but they are evidently going through a phase of transition.

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

In a similar approach to Slot's Feyenoord team, Liverpool are looking to operate with a increased frequency of rotations between teammates, progressing through the middle of the pitch with rapid, small-space interplay.

This logically explains for Wirtz to be the central creative hub to knit everything collectively.

However, in reality, he has been asked to do a function that is slightly different from one he is used to.

This has reduced how often he finds himself in situations to find the net or create chances.

It doesn't get the maximum potential out of Wirtz as an individual, but he hasn't performed poorly in this sub-optimal position.

Wirtz is receiving the ball further back more often.

The right-back was impressive in his ability to distribute the ball when playing in defensive areas, and the team seem significantly lacking that quality.

Skipper the Dutch defender's long switch to forward Mohamed Salah is a great method for them to move the ball forward consistently. Alternatively, the squad lack the passing quality in their defensive line to find team-mates up the field.

This duty has been placed on Wirtz at times. He has been retreating deeper to get the ball before changing direction and trying to drive it forward. He is able to do this because of his technical quality, but it is reducing the opportunities he operates near the opposition net.

Should possession duties can be taken by a different teammate, it possibly allows Wirtz to operate more advanced the pitch.

Curtis Jones has the capability to do this in a double pivot or on the left wing, and could represent an option Slot could turn to as he aims to enhance the German's preferred style.

Among the most significant contrasts the player is experiencing in the English top flight is the limited room and heightened intensity exerted to him.

Positioned centrally between the lines against very compact opposing teams such as Crystal Palace, Wirtz has found himself with reduced time and room to play.

During his time at Bayer Leverkusen, there were games in which Wirtz would stand on the left flank while his colleagues progressed the play up the pitch before passing to him.

In other situations, he would operate in middle attacking midfield positions, especially against sides that offered more room between the lines in matches that became more counter-attacking in style.

Former Bayer boss the Spanish manager utilized the talent effectively because each of these scenarios would enable him to get the possession with space - meaning he could receive and drive forward with distance between himself and a defender.

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

When he is able to collect the play on the half-turn and drive it ahead - with distance between himself and the nearby player - he is able to use body feints and a change in pace to destabilize opposition defensive structures.

In a similar manner to Everton attacker the England international, his finest performances both on the ball carrying and in his distribution comes from scenarios in which he is carrying the possession and running at players.

That is why several of the German's best instances this season have occurred in counter-attacks.

Separation can be found by positioning him on the wing initially or by passing to him in the center quickly. When he is positioned between the defensive units, especially when an opposition's defensive shape is spread, colleagues must accordingly execute direct balls to locate Wirtz.

The Premier League's intensity has tactical consequences but also affects footballers individually - and the German appears to have still not completely adjusted to this transition.

With Slot's quicker and more position-switching style of offensive play, Liverpool are vulnerable to fast breaks, with fewer players supporting the play. This demands forward players like Wirtz to press immediately with energy when the possession is lost.

The young talent has fully dedicated himself to the defensive instructions and has pressed intensely. In attack, he is being instructed to retreat to help in building up while having the licence to participate to offensive moves on each of the left side and right flank.

This combination is demanding physically, and several of his poor possession decisions could be down to tiredness. Among all players to feature 400+ minutes in the Premier League this season, the midfielder has run the fifth-highest distance per 90 minutes and the most of all Liverpool player.

During a recent discussion with Sky Sports Germany, Wirtz spoke about the difference in his performances this campaign compared to the previous year.

He said Slot had voiced a opinion "it could be because we press a lot and I run a lot".

The midfielder added: "To illustrate, the running stats: I'm always at the forefront there because I try to push hard and execute what the manager demands. I need a lot of strength and stamina for that. When I have the possession, I might be lacking a little bit. The expectation it will gradually develop step by step, as I play more games, improve physically, become capable to perform actions more effortlessly, and subsequently, when I have the play, become {fit|conditioned