Why The Reds Haven't Yet Found the Best from Florian Wirtz So Far

Assessment of Florian Wirtz's initial nine games for Liverpool has typically reached the identical verdict - it has been an underwhelming beginning.

Some have gone further. Former England striker the Manchester United legend said the expensive acquisition "disrupts the equilibrium" of the team's setup.

"He is a quality footballer and I'm confident he will improve - but he's had a gradual beginning and I believe there's no denying that," said the former striker.

Wirtz is yet to score or register an goal contribution for his new club, but is that showing the whole picture?

Here we explore how effective he has performed, why he hasn't been delivering as expected yet, and how the club could extract the best out of him.

The squad's balance is disrupted, but they are clearly experiencing a phase of change.

Head coach the Dutch tactician has changed his approach this campaign - and perhaps the absence of defender Trent Alexander-Arnold created greater challenges than expected.

In a similar approach to the manager's previous club team, the Premier League side are attempting to operate with a greater number of rotations between players, advancing through the middle of the pitch with quick, small-space combination play.

This logically explains for the attacking midfielder to be the central creative hub to knit all elements collectively.

However, in reality, he has been tasked to do a role that is somewhat altered from the position he is familiar with.

And that has minimised how frequently he finds himself in positions to score or create chances.

It doesn't get the best out of the player as an individual, but he hasn't been poorly in this sub-optimal role.

The midfielder is receiving the ball further back more often.

The right-back was outstanding in his capability to distribute the play when playing deep, and Liverpool appear to be significantly lacking that quality.

Skipper Virgil van Dijk's diagonal passes to attacker the Egyptian winger is a great way for them to move the play up the pitch consistently. Alternatively, Liverpool are missing the distribution ability in their defensive line to locate teammates up the field.

That responsibility has been placed on the young German at certain moments. He has been dropping deep 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 limiting the opportunities he operates close to the opposition net.

Should possession responsibilities can be shouldered by another player, it possibly enables Wirtz to position himself more advanced the pitch.

Curtis Jones has the capability to perform this function in a double pivot or on the left flank, and could represent an alternative Slot could consider as he looks to enhance Wirtz's natural game.

Among the most significant contrasts Wirtz is encountering in the English top flight is the limited space and increased pressure exerted to him.

Positioned through the middle between the defensive units against extremely organized defensive sides such as the London club, the German has been positioned with reduced time and room to operate.

During his time at Bayer Leverkusen, there were matches in which the midfielder would position himself on the left flank while his team-mates progressed the ball up the pitch before passing to him.

Alternatively, he would position himself in central advanced midfield areas, particularly against sides that offered more space between the lines in games that developed into more transitional in style.

Ex- Bayer boss Xabi Alonso profiled the talent well because each of these situations would enable him to get the possession with space - meaning he could receive and drive forward with room between himself and a defender.

To get the maximum out of the player, delivering the possession to him when there is not instant pressure on him is optimal.

When he is able to receive the ball on the half-turn and carry it forward - with space between himself and the nearby opponent - he is able to use body feints and a variation in speed to destabilize opposition defensive structures.

In a similar manner to the Merseyside club attacker Jack Grealish, his finest performances both on the ball carrying and in his passing comes from situations in which he is carrying the possession and running at players.

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

Space can be created by deploying him on the left flank initially or by finding him in the center quickly. If he is operating between the defensive units, especially when an rival team's structure is stretched, colleagues must accordingly execute forward passes to locate the midfielder.

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

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

The young talent has fully dedicated himself to the defensive instructions and has pressed intensely. In attack, he is being encouraged to drop deep to help in constructing play while having the freedom to contribute to offensive moves on each of the left and right.

This combination is demanding on fitness, and some of his poor possession decisions could be attributed to fatigue. Of all players to play significant game time in the Premier League this season, the German has covered the fifth-highest distance per full match and the most of all club teammate.

In a recent interview with German media, Wirtz discussed the difference in his performances this season versus last.

He stated the manager had expressed a view "it could be because we press a frequently and I cover ground a considerably".

The midfielder continued: "For example, the distance covered statistics: I'm always at the forefront there because I attempt to exert maximum effort and execute what the manager demands. I require a significant power and energy for that. Whenever I have the possession, I could be missing a little bit. That it will simply develop step by step, as I gain more experience, improve physically, be able to perform actions more easily, and subsequently, when I have the play, be {fit|conditioned