Jamie Carragher's Critique of Florian Wirtz's Performance
Jamie Carragher did not bother softening the blow.
Florian Wirtz, he argued, just produced his worst display in a Liverpool shirt – and on this evidence, the former defender would not trust him anywhere near Andoni Iraola’s line-up when Manchester City come to Anfield.
‘One of the poorest I’ve ever seen him’
On co-commentary duty for Sky Sports at the Vitality Stadium, Carragher’s frustration with Wirtz grew as Liverpool laboured to a 1-0 win over Bournemouth.
“Wirtz has been really poor again,” he said during the first half. “It’s just nothing. Nothing is happening there at all.”
The verdict did not soften after the final whistle. On his Jamie Carragher Podcast, produced by Sky Sports, he doubled down.
“That was one of the poorest I’ve ever seen him in a Liverpool shirt,” Carragher said. “I’ve been critical of the fact that he hasn’t got the numbers. But normally when you watch Wirtz, he’s neat and tidy, he keeps possession, there’s things that you like. He gets out of a tight situation where you’re normally expecting your player to lose the ball.
“But the reason I worry is, I don’t think Wirtz is in poor form since he came to Liverpool. I actually think what we’re seeing is what he is.”
This, for Carragher, is the heart of the problem. He is not talking about a slump. He is talking about a ceiling.
‘What we’re seeing is what he is’
Carragher admitted his doubts go back a year.
“I was worried for Wirtz probably 12 months ago,” he said. “And maybe that was a little bit early to say that, but I didn’t say it. It was just in the back of my head.
“I commentated on Liverpool away at Burnley and Liverpool won with a late penalty from Mo Salah. And when I was watching that game it was what I’ve seen for the last 12 months: I don’t see how he’s going to hurt you. It’s just neat and tidy.
“And in some way, the price tag for that type of player should be half of what Liverpool have paid.”
The issue, in Carragher’s eyes, is not only about value. It’s about expectations that were sky-high when Wirtz arrived.
“The worry for Wirtz now is that his performances so far, or what he’s given Liverpool, is so low. Where we were expecting him was to take Liverpool to another league title, to take Liverpool to a Champions League.
The gap he’s got to get to almost justify what people were expecting, I almost think is too big. You can’t get there. Even if he improves a bit and gets there, it’s still not what Liverpool thought they were getting.”
And there’s collateral damage.
“When he plays at No 10, it means Dominik Szoboszlai has to play central midfield. I don’t think Szoboszlai is a central-midfield player, I don’t.”
Iraola’s big call before Manchester City
The timing could hardly be more awkward for Wirtz. Liverpool now disappear into a three-week international break before a brutal run that will shape their season.
Enzo Maresca’s Manchester City visit Anfield on October 11. Brentford and Brighton lie in wait in the league. Arsenal await at the Emirates Stadium on October 1. Around that, Champions League ties against LASK and Villarreal and a Carabao Cup fourth-round clash with Chelsea cram the schedule.
Carragher believes Iraola has a clear decision to make – and he would leave Wirtz out for City.
“I think going forward Iraola’s got a decision to make here. Wirtz would not be in my Liverpool team,” he said.
“I thought this Bournemouth game was a big game for Wirtz. Because if he doesn’t produce, he’s then going to have a three-week break. By the time we come back, we’re into October. Before you know it, it’ll be Christmas in six to eight weeks, or it’ll feel like we’re getting to Christmas. He has to do something!”
Carragher then widened the lens, comparing Wirtz not with the elite, but with the Premier League’s solid citizens.
“If you go through the Premier League and think of players in his position – not just for the top teams, forget the top teams who we should be judging him against, I’m talking about normal Premier League players in the middle of the table – who have done more for their clubs.
“I think of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall at Everton. No one out there would say Dewsbury-Hall is a better player than Wirtz, or would go for more money than Wirtz, or would cost £120m. But every three or four weeks he scores a goal.
“I watched Morgan Gibbs-White for Nottingham Forest last week at Aston Villa, and in the second half he put in a performance in 45 minutes that Florian Wirtz has never done before for Liverpool.
“I’ve seen a goal Emiliano Buendia scored for Aston Villa at Tottenham. Again, these players aren’t going to get over £100m, or £120m, but they’re still giving their clubs bits every few weeks.”
His conclusion was blunt.
“Wirtz wouldn’t be in my Liverpool team. Manchester City at home, for me, he can’t be in the team.”
‘Sooner or later he’s going to have to make a decision’
Carragher has liked Iraola’s willingness to be ruthless.
“The things I’ve liked so far about Iraola, he’s had the courage to make big decisions,” he said. “Ryan Gravenberch has just signed a hefty contract on a five-year deal on massive money, because they thought him and Szoboszlai were going to be the future of the midfield going forward. He’s not playing.
“Now, I can imagine the guys at the top of the club looking at that, thinking we’ve just given him a hefty contract. But no, he’s not playing.
“The full-back situation, he keeps changing the full-backs, he’s dropped Jeremie Frimpong straight away. Milos Kerkez has been in and out. So he’s made decisions.
“But sooner or later he’s going to have to make a decision on Florian Wirtz, and, for me, I hope it’s sooner. Not because I don’t like Florian Wirtz, I’m desperate for the kid to do well. I just want Liverpool to win. That’s it, basically.”
Klopp, Germany and one last hope
Amid all that criticism, Carragher still sees one possible lifeline for Wirtz – and it comes from a familiar figure on the international stage.
Jurgen Klopp, now in charge of Germany, has called Wirtz into one of his Nations League squads. The Liverpool midfielder will rest initially, then be in contention for Die Mannschaft’s final two games against Serbia and Greece.
“The one hope for Liverpool supporters now is Jurgen Klopp is the Germany manager,” Carragher said.
“Wirtz goes away with the Germany team for three weeks, and he’s obviously one of the best players in Germany, that’s how they see him. Can Jurgen Klopp sprinkle a bit of stardust on him in that position?
“Jurgen is one of the greatest managers in the world, we know that. And what he gets out of players is probably more than most managers because of the nature of his personality, and fingers crossed something can happen for him.
“There’s a scenario there that Jurgen Klopp and Germany have a great international window, he gets loads of goals, assists and comes back on a high. Manchester City’s the next game, he impacts that, all is forgotten, all is forgiven. There’s a potential turnaround there.
“I would love that to happen, I’d love him to be the match-winner against Manchester City.”
The question now is brutal and simple: does Wirtz use this international window to finally become the player Liverpool thought they were signing, or does Iraola return from the break ready to make the biggest call of his Anfield reign so far?
