What Florian Wirtz did on international duty proves Arne Slot is using him wrongly at Liverpool
As Liverpool entered the international break on the back of three straight losses, Florian Wirtz was barraged with criticism.
Liverpool broke the bank to sign Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, but so far, the German has struggled to translate his quality across to the Premier League.
The 22-year-old has failed to register a goal or an assist in any of his nine appearances, and with the massive price tag weighing him down, Jamie Carragher has claimed Wirtz is a ‘problem’ for Liverpool.
That is because the introduction of the silky playmaker has changed how the Reds operate, and a team that was once incredible at pinning opponents in their own half is now carved open at will.
Paul Scholes feels Liverpool’s teammates are failing Wirtz, and that is a valid point, but Arne Slot must also take some of the responsibility.
Arne Slot needs to try Florian Wirtz on the left wing more often
Wirtz has predominantly been used as a number 10 since moving to Anfield, and while that was his preferred position at Leverkusen, he has created an imbalance in the Liverpool system.
Unlike the pressing machine, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wirtz is more of a creative metronome, someone who can unlock defences with his intricate passing.
Unfortunately, with Liverpool being overrun in midfield in most games, the German international has found space hard to come by, and in some instances, he’s even been fazed out of matches.
A solution to this issue could be switching Wirtz to the left wing and keeping Szoboszlai in a midfield three with Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch.
Although Cody Gakpo is Liverpool’s preferred left winger currently, how Julian Nagelsmann deployed Wirtz for Germany against Luxembourg should inspire Slot to use his big-money signing as a winger.
| Florian Wirtz stats vs Luxembourg |
| 90 minutes played |
| 5 shots |
| 4 key passes |
| 1 big chance created |
| 88% accurate passes |
| 2 attempted dribbles |
Despite failing to register a goal or an assist during Germany’s 4-0 win, the 2003-born attacker did create a big chance for Nick Woltemade, who fluffed his lines, while constantly looking dangerous down the left flank.
Of course, the level of opposition was far lower than what he faces in the Premier League, but deploying him on the flank with the license to cut inside would arguably suit Liverpool better in transition.
Wirtz has already revealed his favourite position
Wirtz has mainly been used centrally throughout his professional career, with 103 goal involvements in 168 appearances as an attacking midfielder.
| Florian Wirtz played as | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attacking Midfield | 168 | 48 | 55 |
| Centre-Forward | 11 | 4 | 4 |
| Right Winger | 11 | 4 | 3 |
| Left Winger | 9 | 2 | 3 |
| Central Midfield | 5 | – | 3 |
According to Wirtz himself, being deployed as a number 10 behind the striker is his favourite position, with his former coach Martin Heck giving him the freedom.
“He [Martin Heck] gave me the freedom on the pitch,” Wirtz told Sky Sports. “He put me in the position where I have to be, like behind the striker on the No.10 and just gave me the freedom.”
Wirtz’s preference perhaps points to him continuing as a central playmaker; however, with Liverpool allowing the wingers to cut inside and occupy space centrally, starting on the left flank can give him the best of both worlds.