Florian Wirtz Faces Criticism from Jamie Carragher After Bournemouth Performance

Jamie Carragher did not bother dressing it up. For him, this was Florian Wirtz’s lowest point in a Liverpool shirt.

The former Liverpool defender, on Sky Sports co-commentary at the Vitality Stadium, tore into the German during a laboured 1-0 win over Bournemouth. As Liverpool struggled to impose themselves, Carragher’s verdict on Wirtz cut straight through the noise.

“Wirtz has been really poor again,” he said during the first half. “It's just nothing. Nothing is happening there at all.”

The performance did nothing to change his mind after the final whistle. If anything, it hardened it.

“That was one of the poorest I've ever seen him in a Liverpool shirt,” Carragher said on his Jamie Carragher Podcast for Sky Sports. And then came the line that will sting around Anfield: he does not believe Wirtz will ever reach the level many expected when he arrived.

‘What we’re seeing is what he is’

Carragher has criticised Wirtz before for his lack of end product. This time, it went deeper than goals and assists.

“I've been critical of the fact that he hasn't got the numbers,” he admitted. “But normally when you watch Wirtz, he's neat and tidy, he keeps possession, there's things that you like. He gets out of a tight situation where you're normally expecting your player to lose the ball.

“But the reason I worry is, I don't think Wirtz is in poor form since he came to Liverpool. I actually think what we're seeing is what he is.”

This is not a snap judgement, either. Carragher revealed those doubts have been building for a year.

“I was worried for Wirtz probably 12 months ago. And maybe that was a little bit early to say that, but I didn't say it. It was just in the back of my head.

“I commentated on Liverpool away at Burnley and Liverpool won with a late penalty from Mo Salah. And when I was watching that game it was what I've seen for the last 12 months: I don't see how he's going to hurt you. It's just neat and tidy.

“And in some way, the price tag for that type of player should be half of what Liverpool have paid.”

The issue, in Carragher’s eyes, is not just that Wirtz is underwhelming. It’s the scale of the gap between what Liverpool thought they were buying and what they are actually getting.

“The worry for Wirtz now is that his performances so far, or what he's given Liverpool, is so low. Where we were expecting him was to take Liverpool to another league title, to take Liverpool to a Champions League.

“The gap he's got to get to almost justify what people were expecting, I almost think is too big. You can't get there. Even if he improves a bit and gets there, it's still not what Liverpool thought they were getting.”

And there’s a tactical price as well.

“When he plays at No 10, it means Dominik Szoboszlai has to play central midfield. I don't think Szoboszlai is a central-midfield player, I don't.”

‘He can’t be in the Man City team’

The timing could not be more brutal. Liverpool are heading into a defining spell after a three-week international break, starting with Enzo Maresca’s Manchester City at Anfield on October 11, live on Sky Sports.

Andoni Iraola’s side then take on Brentford and Brighton in the league, and face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on October 1. Between those domestic tests, Liverpool must deal with Champions League ties against LASK and Villarreal, plus a Carabao Cup fourth-round clash with Chelsea.

Carragher is adamant: Wirtz should not be anywhere near the XI when City come to town.

“I think going forward Iraola's got a decision to make here. Wirtz would not be in my Liverpool team,” he said.

“I thought this Bournemouth game was a big game for Wirtz. Because if he doesn't produce [against Bournemouth], he's then going to have a three-week break. By the time we come back, we're into October. Before you know it, it'll be Christmas in six to eight weeks, or it'll feel like we're getting to Christmas. He has to do something!”

Carragher then widened the lens. Forget £100m-plus valuations, forget elite clubs. Look at what ordinary Premier League creators are delivering.

“If you go through the Premier League and think of players in his position - not just for the top teams, forget the top teams who we should be judging him against, I'm talking about normal Premier League players in the middle of the table - who have done more for their clubs.

“I think of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall at Everton. No one out there would say Dewsbury-Hall is a better player than Wirtz, or would go for more money than Wirtz, or would cost £120m. But every three or four weeks he scores a goal.

“I watched Morgan Gibbs-White for Nottingham Forest last week at Aston Villa, and in the second half he put in a performance in 45 minutes that Florian Wirtz has never done before for Liverpool.

“I've seen a goal Emiliano Buendia scored for Aston Villa at Tottenham. Again, these players aren't going to get over £100m, or £120m, but they're still giving their clubs bits every few weeks.”

Then came the blunt conclusion.

“Wirtz wouldn't be in my Liverpool team. Manchester City at home, for me, he can't be in the team.”

Iraola’s courage – and the next big call

Carragher does at least see one positive sign for Liverpool: Iraola has already shown he is not scared of big dressing-room decisions.

“The things I've liked so far about Iraola, he's had the courage to make big decisions,” Carragher said. “Ryan Gravenberch has just signed a hefty contract on a five-year deal on massive money, because they thought him and Szoboszlai were going to be the future of the midfield going forward. He's not playing.

“Now, I can imagine the guys at the top of the club looking at that, thinking we've just given him a hefty contract. But no, he's not playing.

“The full-back situation, he keeps changing the full-backs, he's dropped Jeremie Frimpong straight away. Milos Kerkez has been in and out. So he's made decisions.

“But sooner or later he's going to have to make a decision on Florian Wirtz, and, for me, I hope it's sooner. Not because I don't like Florian Wirtz, I'm desperate for the kid to do well. I just want Liverpool to win. That's it, basically.”

Klopp, Germany and one last hope

For all the criticism, Carragher does see a possible lifeline for Wirtz. It lies away from Merseyside, in the hands of a familiar figure.

Jurgen Klopp, now in charge of Germany, has called Wirtz into one of his two Nations League squads. The Liverpool midfielder will get a breather before potentially featuring in Germany’s final two games of the window, against Serbia and Greece.

“The one hope for Liverpool supporters now is Jurgen Klopp is the Germany manager,” Carragher said.

“Wirtz goes away with the Germany team for three weeks, and he's obviously one of the best players in Germany, that's how they see him. Can Jurgen Klopp sprinkle a bit of stardust on him in that position?

“Jurgen is one of the greatest managers in the world, we know that. And what he gets out of players is probably more than most managers because of the nature of his personality, and fingers crossed something can happen for him.

“There's a scenario there that Jurgen Klopp and Germany have a great international window, he gets loads of goals, assists and comes back on a high. Manchester City's the next game, he impacts that, all is forgotten, all is forgiven. There's a potential turnaround there.

“I would love that to happen, I'd love him to be the match-winner against Manchester City.”

For now, though, the reality is harsher. Liverpool paid for a game-changer. As City loom on the horizon, they are still waiting to see if Florian Wirtz can become one.