2 hours ago
2
Florian Wirtz looked to have turned a corner at Liverpool with a really promising performance against Real Madrid. Unfortunately, much like the team as a whole, that proved to be something of a false dawn come the next outing.
Liverpool has entered the international break with a bitter taste in its mouth, following a chastening 3-0 defeat at Manchester City. If the refereeing performance was hapless, it was matched only by the showing from Arne Slot's men, who deserved nothing from the encounter.
It's important to assess Wirtz in the context of these collective struggles. But given the reputation and price tag with which he arrived, it's also not unfair to suggest that he should have been able to stand out more than he has done, even in an ailing team.
Even so, the likes of Gary Neville have certainly piled on too strongly. With everyone playing so poorly, the number one focus for scrutiny surely has to be Slot — and yet the media are circling Wirtz like vultures.
Even by the standards of the English press, Wirtz has endured something of a baptism of fire. After the Manchester City defeat, Neville absolutely laid into him.
"Wirtz is a problem, let's call it what it is," Neville said on the Gary Neville Podcast. "It's an issue.
"He's £120m ($158 million) and he looked like a little boy out there. It can't be the case."
For good measure, Neville added that Wirtz had been "mauled" and "chucked around the pitch" by Man City, calling it a "real worry". He dubbed it a "really bad day" for the German international.
So you would be forgiven for wondering where Wirtz's head is at as he jets off to represent his country. But at least according to the national press, he is taking things in his stride.
An article from Bild assures readers that there is no need to feel sorry for Wirtz. That's primarily because he is "not particularly interested" in the comments.
And the piece also notes that the most stinging criticism all appears to have something in common. What Neville has called a "problem", Wayne Rooney has called "damaging", and Rio Ferdinand has referred to as "doubt" about the transfer.
The German outlet notes that all of these players-turned-pundits have a strong Manchester United connection. So their eagerness to tear down an expensive Liverpool recruit is not necessarily all that surprising.
In fairness to Neville in particular, that's probably a little harsh. He is now almost as established as a pundit as he was a Man Utd player, and he does go to lengths to give his honest opinion.
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
And it's not as though there has been zero criticism of Wirtz from Liverpool quarters. Only the most staunch (or perhaps stubborn) supporters would refuse to admit that they expected somewhat more.
Nevertheless, perhaps the Man Utd connections help to explain why the criticism has been so extreme, so early. The Bild article is supremely confident that Wirtz will come good as those around him up their game, a view shared by the vast majority of those who observed him in Germany.
And even if the Man Utd links don't explain everything, Liverpool will not discourage anything that helps Wirtz to brush off the comments and shut out the noise. Slot needs a siege mentality to get his side back to its best, and so repeated attacks from the outside may even be welcome.
English (US) ·