Former Liverpool defender, Jamie Carragher, has called for Germany international Florian Wirtz to be dropped after criticising the midfielder’s performance in Liverpool’s 1-0 Premier League victory over Bournemouth on Sunday.
Wirtz, who joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for a reported £116m, has struggled to meet expectations since his move to England, with Carragher describing his latest display as one of his worst since arriving at Anfield.
Speaking on his podcast, Carragher said, “That was one of the worst displays I’ve seen him give in a Liverpool shirt.”
The former England international added, “I’ve criticised his lack of statistics. But usually when you watch Wirtz, you find him an elegant, organised player who keeps the ball, and there are things you like about him. He gets out of difficult situations where you would normally expect your player to lose the ball.”
Carragher argued that Wirtz’s struggles may not simply be a temporary dip in form, stating, “But the reason I’m worried is that I don’t think Wirtz has been in poor form since he came to Liverpool. In fact, I think what we’re seeing is who he really is.”
He also questioned whether the German has done enough to justify the expectations surrounding his transfer, adding: “I think the gap he needs to close to justify what people were expecting is far too big. You can’t get there.”
Carragher continued: “Even if he improves a little and gets there, it’s still not what Liverpool thought they were getting.”
The former Liverpool star also raised concerns about the effect of Wirtz’s role on the team’s midfield structure, saying, “It’s not just about Wirtz alone, it goes beyond him to other effects. When he plays in the playmaker role, it means Dominik Szoboszlai will have to play in midfield. I don’t think Szoboszlai is a midfielder, I don’t think so.”
Liverpool manager, Andoni Iraola now has a three-week international break to assess his options before the Reds return to Premier League action against Manchester City on October 11.
Carragher was clear about his own selection preference, saying, “Iraola has a decision to make here. Wirtz would not be in my Liverpool team.”
He added, “I think the Bournemouth match was an important game for Wirtz. Because if he didn’t put in a good performance (against Bournemouth), he would get a three-week break.”
Carragher believes the extended break could increase the pressure on Wirtz to improve, saying, “By the time we’re back, we’ll be into October. And before we know it, Christmas will be here within six to eight weeks, or we’ll feel like we’re approaching Christmas. He has to do something!”
He concluded “Wirtz would not be in my Liverpool team. As for the Manchester City match on our ground, I couldn’t include him in the team.”
