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Liverpool should build its team around Florian Wirtz with Arne Slot needing to show more courage in his team selection. That is the view of former England ace Chris Waddle.
"On Sunday, Wirtz was on the left, and I think they need to be braver," Waddle said. "Wirtz has to play off a striker as he did at Leverkusen.
"That’s where he was so good. Either you build the side around him or you conclude he’s not the right player to fit Liverpool’s approach, and it was a mistake to buy him. You need to ask if the Premier League is too quick or physical for him.
"I think their task for now is to work out how to get the best from him. But looking at his body language, he does not look confident at all."
In time, Waddle has no doubts regarding Wirtz's ability level. The German playmaker scored 57 times and created 65 for his teammates during his time with Bayer Leverkusen.
"Of course, Wirtz has proven already that he’s quality," Waddle said. "We know he has ability and now the job for Arne Slot is to get the system right to fit him in.
"But even if and when he does that, the main concern for the team is their defensive weaknesses.
"Manchester City ran right through them at times, and I think this season has drained Liverpool already. They have Europe and the Premier League, and all their players have international duty.
"The players are a year older, and it’s not easy to stay fit, mentally and physically. Looking at Liverpool compared to City, City looked sharp, fresh and fit. Jeremy Doku was on fire, the movement was superb.
"Liverpool had a few moments, don’t get me wrong. But really City were on top and dominated, and it’s looking like it’s going to be a long season for Liverpool. I think the Premier League is beyond them this year with the way they play.
"But I would say, with the players they have, they might have a better shot at winning the Champions League, but it’s taking longer than we thought for Slot to get the best out of this collection of players."
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Now eight points behind Arsenal in the Premier League standings and playing catch-up, Waddle says his pre-season prediction is coming true, with Slot's men firm outsiders to win the title from this position, even at this early stage.
"I said at the start of the season that I didn't fancy Liverpool for the league because they can't defend properly," Waddle, speaking to She Kicks, continued.
"They do concede and it doesn't matter how good you are as a team — I think Liverpool do concede goals quite easily as well, at times. So they didn't address that problem.
"They needed a center half, they needed a right-back too, really. They didn't address that. They spent their money on Florian Wirtz and two center-forwards, who all cost a fortune.
"I think I can see why Arsene Wenger is saying [Wirtz has unbalanced the team]. The midfield was very strong last year. Energetic, capable of putting the foot in, box-to-box. They could make goals and score them.
"Obviously Wirtz has come on the market and he was sensational in Germany, and so they took a look at him. He was cruising in the Bundesliga, he ran most of the games and he was electric.
"But the Premier League is a different set of demands. It’s more physical; it drains the legs. It’s more demanding.
"Liverpool are a big club, and now they are champions, there are even more reasons why clubs will want to beat them, and then they haven’t come out of the blocks quickly at all.
"Alexander Isak is still sitting on the bench. You have to say that the signings have unsettled the side more than they’ve improved them so far."
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