Wirtz needs ‘a year of beef burgers and deadlifts’: BBC Sport

Florian Wirtz continues to be under pressure after his performances for Liverpool and questions are being asked over whether he can really perform in the Premier League after another tricky performance against Manchester City.

Wirtz is struggling to adapt at Liverpool

The German attacking midfielder has shown glimpses of quality but has yet to assert himself consistently since joining from Bayer Leverkusen this summer.

According to George Mills of BBC Sportsthe 22 year old “Maybe I need beef burgers and deadlifts for a year” to physically cope with the rigors of English football.

Wirtz has started our first four league games but has started just twice in the last five and has failed to score a home goal or provide an assist this season.

Arne Slot has switched him between center and left positions, trying to find a system that maximizes his output.

Statistics of Fbref puts Wirtz in the top 10% of Premier League players in his role for passing, progressive passing and shot-creating actions, yet he remains just outside the top 25% for touches in the penalty area – a sign that he cannot yet influence games in the way Liverpool supporters would expect from such an outlay.

Brilliant moments, such as his swipe at Mo Salah at Chelsea, highlight his technical ability, but consistency is lacking.

As Julian Nagelsmann recently noted, Liverpool would be better off supporting Wirtz by taking advantage of the chances he creates. In doing so, he noted that the current instability at the club makes it more difficult for him to make a major impact.

The pressure on Liverpool’s record purchase is increasing

Gary Neville has also expressed concerns about Wirtz’s physicality and performance levels, describing him as good looking “like a little boy” in our 3-0 defeat to City.

Neville stressed that despite his obvious technical talent, the German is physically overpowered and cannot deliver the quality expected of a record signing.

The Reds’ midfield reshuffle, including the arrival of Florian Wirtz, was intended to boost creativity, but opponents such as Manchester City have already exposed vulnerabilities.

While Wirtz’s Bundesliga pedigree is undeniable, the Premier League remains a different challenge.

Supporters will hope that, with time and careful integration, the German can still become the game changer we invested £116 million for.

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