4 hours ago
4
Following a summer of significant changes, Liverpool deserves immense praise for its strong start to the season.
As the defending champion, Liverpool currently leads the Premier League table with five victories from five matches.
The Reds have also advanced to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup after a largely altered team secured a 2-1 home victory against Southampton on Tuesday. Their Champions League campaign has also started on a winning note. A quick look at the squad that head coach Arne Slot now commands suggests that the Reds are precisely where they ought to be. However, this overlooks the substantial alterations made to his squad during the offseason.
Far from resting on their laurels after bringing the Premier League trophy back to Anfield, Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes orchestrated an unprecedented spending spree, largely financed by several high-profile departures.
Given the number of players departing and new arrivals, it's reasonable to suggest that it was always going to take time for Liverpool to gel. Indeed, despite the team's record of seven wins from seven in all competitions following a Community Shield penalty shootout loss to Crystal Palace, it's fair to say that the Reds have yet to reach peak performance.
Florian Wirtz, who was initially set to be Liverpool's standout summer signing until the last-minute acquisition of Alexander Isak from Newcastle, certainly fits this bill. Wirtz, the golden boy of German soccer, was always going to be under scrutiny given the hefty fee Liverpool shelled out to lure him away from Bayer Leverkusen.
There have been flashes of his brilliance - he was outstanding against Palace at Wembley and, prior to the international break, his influence grew in the crucial home win over Arsenal.
The 22-year-old retained his spot in the squad for the victories over Burnley and Atletico Madrid following the resumption of club soccer, but he began on the bench in the Merseyside derby triumph over Everton before being rested for the midweek match against Southampton.
Whether he'll start this Saturday's game against Palace - the only other undefeated team in the top flight this season - is yet to be determined. However, there are still questions about when Reds fans will truly witness the undeniable talent that attracted serious attention from Bayern Munich, Manchester City, and Real Madrid before he opted for Liverpool.
Perhaps it's worth revisiting what those who have observed Wirtz more closely and played alongside him have to say. Accolades are abundant, with recent remarks from Germany and Bayern Munich icon Philipp Lahm highlighting what a talent Liverpool has.
"Liverpool, the English champions, have specifically strengthened their stable formation with him," wrote 2014 World Cup winner Lahm in The Guardian. "It takes time to fit into a team. This is especially true for a player who makes a difference.
"So far, he is getting into his groove and adapting to the pace and intensity of the Premier League. He passes the ball early, which gives him increasing confidence and allows him to gradually take more risks."
Lahm added: "Wirtz's qualities are becoming increasingly apparent at Liverpool. Under the caring guidance of Arne Slot, something interesting seems to be emerging in Liverpool. Something you want to be a part of.
"I can well understand why Wirtz was convinced. I experienced it myself at Bayern from 2010 to 2017 and with Germany from 2004 to 2014. Both teams went through a long process, becoming stronger through transfers or new players coming through. In the end, the sum was greater than the individual parts."
English (US) ·