The Reasons Why Liverpool Aren't Getting the Optimal from Wirtz Yet

Analysis of the German midfielder's first nine appearances for the Merseyside club has typically reached the identical verdict - it has been an underwhelming beginning.

Some have been more critical. Ex- England striker Wayne Rooney stated the expensive acquisition "damages the equilibrium" of Liverpool's setup.

"He is a top player and I'm confident he will get better - but he's had a gradual beginning and I believe there's no denying that," commented Rooney.

The young German is yet to score or provide an goal contribution for his new club, but is that showing the complete story?

Here we explore how good he has performed, why he isn't performing as anticipated yet, and how the club could get the maximum out of him.

Liverpool's balance is off, but they are clearly experiencing a period of change.

Head coach the Dutch tactician has altered his tactical setup this campaign - and perhaps the absence of defender Trent Alexander-Arnold created greater challenges than anticipated.

Following a comparable pattern to the manager's previous club team, the Premier League side are attempting to play with a increased frequency of positional switches between players, progressing through the middle of the field with rapid, small-space combination play.

It therefore makes sense for Wirtz to be the primary creative hub to knit everything collectively.

But, in reality, he has been tasked to do a function that is somewhat altered from the position he is used to.

This has reduced how frequently he finds himself in situations to find the net or assist.

This setup fails to extract the best out of the player as an singular talent, but he hasn't been bad in this less-than-ideal role.

Wirtz is getting the possession deeper with increasing frequency.

The right-back was impressive in his capability to distribute the play when operating in defensive areas, and Liverpool seem sorely missing that attribute.

Skipper the Dutch defender's diagonal passes to attacker Mohamed Salah is a effective way for them to get the play forward reliably. Alternatively, Liverpool are missing the passing quality in their defensive line to locate team-mates up the field.

That responsibility has fallen on Wirtz at certain moments. He has been retreating deeper to get the possession before changing direction and attempting to drive it up the pitch. He is capable to perform this role because of his technical quality, but it is reducing the time he spends close to the opposing goal.

Should build-up responsibilities can be shouldered by another player, it possibly enables the attacker to operate more advanced the field.

Curtis Jones has the ability to do this in a central midfield partnership or on the left wing, and could represent an option the manager could turn to as he aims to enhance the German's natural game.

One of the biggest differences the player is experiencing in the English top flight is the limited space and increased pressure applied to him.

Positioned through the middle between the defensive units against very organized opposing teams such as Crystal Palace, Wirtz has been positioned with reduced opportunity and room to play.

For his former club, there were games in which Wirtz would stand on the left flank while his team-mates progressed the play up the pitch before passing to him.

Alternatively, he would position himself in middle attacking midfield positions, particularly against sides that provided more space between the defensive units in matches that became more counter-attacking in style.

Ex- Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso utilized Wirtz well because both of these scenarios would allow him to receive the ball with space - meaning he could receive and carry forward with room between himself and a opponent.

To get the maximum out of Wirtz, getting the possession to him when there isn't immediate pressure on him is optimal.

Whenever he is capable to collect the ball on the half-turn and carry it forward - with space between himself and the nearby opponent - he is able to use deceptive movements and a variation in speed to destabilize rival defensive structures.

Comparably to the Merseyside club forward the England international, his best performances both on the ball carrying and in his distribution comes from situations in which he is driving with the possession and running at players.

This is why several of Wirtz's best instances this season have occurred in counter-attacks.

Separation can be found by positioning him on the wing initially or by finding him in the midfield quickly. When he is positioned between the defensive units, particularly when an rival team's defensive shape is spread, team-mates must therefore execute forward passes to locate Wirtz.

England's top division's physical demands has strategic implications but also affects players personally - and Wirtz appears to have still not fully adapted to this change.

With Slot's quicker and more position-switching style of attack, Liverpool are vulnerable to fast breaks, with fewer players behind the ball. This requires forward players like Wirtz to press immediately with energy when the ball is turned over.

Wirtz has fully committed to the defensive instructions and has pressed energetically. In attack, he is being instructed to retreat to assist in constructing play while maintaining the licence to contribute to attacks on both the left side and right flank.

This combination is demanding on fitness, and several of his subpar on-the-ball decisions could be down to tiredness. Among all players to feature significant game time in the Premier League this season, the German has covered the fifth most ground per 90 minutes and the highest of all club teammate.

In a recent interview with German media, the player spoke about the difference in his displays this campaign versus last.

He said Slot had voiced a opinion "it could be because we harass a frequently and I run a considerably".

The midfielder added: "For example, the distance covered statistics: I am consistently at the forefront there because I attempt to exert maximum effort and execute what the manager demands. I require a lot of strength and energy for that. Whenever I have the possession, I might be lacking a little bit. That it will simply come step by step, as I gain more experience, improve physically, be able to perform actions more easily, and then, when I have the ball, become {fit|conditioned