Florian Wirtz dilemma grows for Arne Slot as Liverpool’s fragile revival hides bigger issue
Florian Wirtz, a major summer acquisition, has been demoted to a bench position at Liverpool, and his late cameo against Aston Villa provided a dismal image of his current situation.
But how can he rejoin this team? Compared to the starting eleven Arne Slot used against Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, Liverpool’s lineup for their Premier League match against Aston Villa was more identifiable.
With only Giorgi Mamardashvili and Hugo Ekitike added to the mix at the top and tail of the 4-2-3-1 formation, it actually resembled a Liverpool squad from the previous campaign.
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Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz, two of Liverpool’s other significant summer additions, were among the replacements.
It was Wirtz’s third start on the bench in four Premier League games. It was unexpected given that he was rested versus Palace.
Several well-known Liverpool accounts on X were perplexed when the lineups were revealed. On Wednesday, we gave Wirtz a full day off and started Mac Allister, who looked terrible (and has all season).
Today, we bench Wirtz and start Mac Allister again, even though it is obvious that he needs time off the squad. That makes perfect logic,” LFC Laurie wrote.
“Florian Wirtz was benched once more for the same midfield that failed against their previous match. I simply don’t understand. If he can’t make it into our starting eleven, how is he supposed to shine? Samuel LFC thought.
“It’s ridiculous that Wirtz isn’t starting,” LFC Transfer Room grumbled. “If Wirtz doesn’t start games, how is he supposed to adjust to the Premier League?” posed lfccxt.
Do you Think Arne Slot Should Include Wirtz In Their lineup?
Slot is currently facing a significant conundrum. To put it plainly, Wirtz isn’t performing as expected and not helping Liverpool reach their desired level in the Premier League.
The head coach must decide whether to give Wirtz a run of games to boost his confidence or remove him from the team, which was thought to be the wisest course of action a few weeks ago and was backed by players like Jamie Carragher. Right now, neither approach appears to be effective.
Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, and Dominik Szoboszlai made up Liverpool’s starting midfield versus Villa, which was their tried-and-true lineup from the previous campaign.
Mac Allister and Gravenberch scored their second goal together after the former passed to the latter, whose shot was deflected by Pau Torres.
Additionally, Szoboszlai, who initially appeared to be the player most threatened by Wirtz’s summer arrival, produced a number of excellent passes during the game, winning TNT Sports’ player of the match award.
Eventually, in the 77th minute, Wirtz entered the game to replace center-forward Hugo Ekitike. He essentially assumed the role of a false nine, but in reality, he was more of an attacking midfielder.
A few minutes later, he misaimed a pass and played the ball into touch. He shouldn’t have been forcing his way back into Slot’s plans in this way. The phrase itself is concerning.
Wirtz became Liverpool’s record signing, costing them almost £100 million, until they paid even more for Alexander Isak.
On paper, Liverpool would never have anticipated that he would need to push his way into the squad.
However, Wirtz is currently in that situation, and he must use his performances to alter the story as quickly as possible.
However, how? Wirtz would be ideal as the centre attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 formation, so if Slot decides to remain with it, he might be thinking what he needs to do to solidify his position.
This season, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, and Szoboszlai have started together five times, including against Villa.
Wirtz was just a starter in one of the games (the September match against Crystal Palace), where he was positioned on the left wing.
It’s interesting to note that Wirtz had his best performance as a Liverpool player during the Champions League victory over Eintracht Frankfurt, where he recorded a double assist while playing as a winger on the right.
Given the previously noted worries about Mac Allister’s performance levels this season, it’s not a given that Liverpool would always start with their three midfielders from the previous campaign, but if they do, Wirtz could need to demand more time on the wing.
After overcoming his recent struggles, Mohamed Salah scored the first goal from the right flank with a first-time finish after intercepting a pass from Emiliano Martinez.
Wirtz would therefore have to start competing from the left flank, where Cody Gakpo is the guy to remove.
Alternatively, Szoboszlai, who has performed well wherever he has played this season, will adjust his role while Wirtz strives for a run of games in his preferred no. 10 position.
However, the German will need to demonstrate that by being more involved and assertive. The Wirtz issue is an ongoing burden even though Liverpool’s losing streak has stopped.
