Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has called for the club to drop Florian Wirtz to the bench, branding the current state of affairs at Anfield as a ‘mess’. The Reds endured a 1-0 loss against Galatasaray on Tuesday night, with Victor Osimhen’s first-half spot-kick proving decisive. The defeat represents a second successive loss for boss Arne Slot, coming on the back of a 2-1 reverse to Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Whilst the campaign has largely proved fruitful, recent displays have laid bare weaknesses and sparked doubts over Liverpool’s capacity to retain their Premier League crown. Wirtz, who arrived at Liverpool in a £116million transfer, was expected to reproduce his outstanding displays from the Bundesliga. But after eight outings in the Premier League and Champions League, the 22-year-old has failed to deliver a meaningful contribution.
Carragher, who claimed Champions League glory with Liverpool in 2005, reckons it could be the moment for Wirtz to occupy a place among the substitutes to assist the side in rediscovering their rhythm.
“I’m not watching a top team,” he told CBS Sports. “Liverpool are not playing football, they are playing basketball. And I told Slot this on the first game of the season against Bournemouth.
“They obviously have a fantastic manager. Liverpool last season were a top team, but also a workman-like team, which they’ve sprinkled a bit of stardust on in terms of the transfers they have brought in. And they haven’t gained anything going forward, but they’ve lost a lot defensively.
“I think for the manager now, he know needs to really earn his money. He did last season, by winning the Premier League, but there are few problems he has got to fix.
“It will be really interesting how he does about it, because he spent a lot of money on certain players. Right now, the balance of the team is not right, and the obvious one that stands out is Florian Wirtz, who is just not at the races at all. He’s a young boy, coming to a new league, and has plenty of time to go.
“But right now, he needs to come out of the team, Liverpool go back to what they were last season, and try to build some confidence and some stability. Right now it looks like a mess.”
This follows a damning assessment during his Sky Sports punditry. The former centre-back emphasised that Alexis Mac Allister’s difficulties haven’t assisted Wirtz’s adaptation and called on Liverpool to do more to facilitate his adjustment.
Speaking on Monday, Carragher said: “I think we should be analysing someone who cost that money. He has come in as a renowned star, Bundesliga player of the year two seasons running, won the Bundesliga, seasoned international with Germany.
“I think it’s fair to say he hasn’t been great for Liverpool so far, but also I don’t think Liverpool have been great for him so far. They have to come together and try to make things work as best as they possibly can.
“Liverpool have got to do more for him also, as he’s not getting the ball anywhere near as often as before. He has found it tough. Newcastle away was always going to be a baptism of fire in that left-half position, but you’re coming up against that midfield, I can understand that. Against Burnley is where I thought we might see him at his best, he did okay.
“This is happening quite a bit where he’s trying to get his shots off and people are just on top of him a little bit quicker. We know the standards of the Premier League are better than the Bundesliga. It’s probably quicker. he’s not being allowed to get his shots off.
“In this situation, it’s faster, people are on top of him more, it’s more physical he’s a young boy, trying to meet the demands of the league, there’s no doubt about that.”
