The German media has provided a clear verdict on Florian Wirtz’s performance, as Germany all but completed World Cup qualifying with a 4-0 victory over Luxembourg on Friday night. The former Bayer Leverkusen playmaker has struggled to establish himself in the Premier League since joining Liverpool for £116 million in the summer.
There are certainly some teething issues at Anfield early in the season. While Wirtz – Bundesliga Player of the Season for the past two years – has showed flashes of brilliance, he has yet to demonstrate that he can take the Arne Slot era to the next level. Currently, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, and even Curtis Jones appear to be ahead of him in terms of form.
Initially, it appeared to be a Liverpool issue, but Wirtz’s most recent outing for Germany reveals his luck has run out across the board. The building elements are present, but the finished product – goals, assists, and the ability to influence play – is lacking. Right now, he appears to be looking for a spark rather than grabbing the bull by the horns, as he once did.
German Media Cast Florian Wirtz’s verdict following Germany’s 4-0 victory over Luxembourg
A home game against Luxembourg, which is rated 96th in the FIFA world rankings, should have given Wirtz the opportunity to do what he does best: weave his magic and generate great opportunities for his teammates in front of goal.
For the most part, he did exactly that. Over 90 minutes, he generated one major opportunity, made four critical passes, and completed 88% of his passes. However, he botched both dribbling efforts and did not win a single ground duel. The German press commented that, while Wirtz showed signs of quality, the 22-year-old lacked a cutting edge. Buli News gave him a 7/10 match rating and wrote (see out his highlights below):
“Germany’s player of the year struggled with confidence early in the game; Wirtz appeared hesitant in several dribblings at first, but he was able to turn it around after Germany’s second goal.
“Should’ve received an assist, but Woltemade was unable to complete Germany’s counter-attack in the 33rd minute. Side note: another excellent freekick from him, this time against the woodwork.
BILD were significantly more critical of the Liverpool midfielder, awarding him a score of four, where one is the best and six is the worst. They did, however, express hopes for his salvation, as they wrote:
“Our super-magician in the first half, as in the previous one in Liverpool, tried but was dissatisfied with numerous acts. A Luxembourg leg was always in the way, and his wonderful free kick in the second half bounced off the outside post. “We wish him the much-needed redemption.”
Der Spiegel provided a full review of Wirtz’s performance that night, writing: “He evaded the close marking by heading to the wing, filled with enthusiasm, even if he initially got caught up in his dribbling.
“On a counterattack in the 32nd minute, he set up Woltemade perfectly, and then Kimmich shortly before halftime, but, as in Liverpool, his teammates’ proliferation of chances seemed to deny him the assists he deserved.” It appeared to be another nearly night for Wirtz, as the outlet concluded: “Just over an hour later, his free kick hit the post.” It appears he is under a spell.”
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