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Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann has outlined his theory for why the Liverpool playmaker Florian Wirtz has made a slower-than-ideal start to life in the Premier League.
Wirtz was criticized by Gary Neville this weekend, with the Sky Sports pundit claiming he was "mauled" by Manchester City and unable to compete physically. The 22-year-old has generally performed to a decent level, however, even if he is yet to score or assist for Liverpool in the English top flight (at least in part because of some poor finishing from his teammates).
"I always speak to Flo, regardless of his situation," Nagelsmann said during a press conference ahead of Germany taking on Luxembourg. "It’s a very complex and difficult situation when you look at his club.
"Last year, they won the Premier League and played very attractive football. This year a few players left them, and they invested a lot of money on new players.
"So the entire mix is very complex — each of the five attacking players wants to be the 'star player'. This situation doesn’t make it easy for Flo — because the entire club is not as stable as they were last season.
"I watched the game against Manchester City and they were the worst team over 90 minutes. It’s not easy for Flo to make his mark in such a situation.
"We can see that a lot of players struggle when they move to another club where there have been many changes. In the end, I can’t influence his performances at Liverpool.
"I can only influence what he does here. I think he made steps in the right direction in October. We all know what he can do; it’s normal to have a dip in form. We’ll help and support him to keep a clear head."
Wirtz scored a superb free-kick during the September international break. He remains a key man for his country and Liverpool will continue to work with him as he adjusts to life in a different league.
"If I say we are not under pressure, it is weird," Dominik Szoboszlai told TNT Sports last week. "We have time. We have to find the solution as a team.
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"[Wirtz] can have a good game, Milos [Kerkez] can have a good game, everyone can have a good game — but if we don’t perform as a team, then it won’t help."
Liverpool is next in action in the Premier League against Nottingham Forest at Anfield on November 22. Before Christmas, its fixture list looks a lot kinder than of late, which should allow Wirtz to showcase some better form.
Liverpool.com says: Wirtz is going to be a success at Anfield. His talent is clear and while he didn't shine at the Etihad, neither did any of his teammates. Playing well in a struggling side is difficult, but when other parts click, he should thrive.
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