Florian Wirtz

[justme]

Can't honestly say i saw much of him..The ball hardly went left..

[Steveo]

He wasn’t great and I do think he is a squad player really but Macca was abysmal and Grav wasn’t good

[justme]

They have proven it though..Something not right with Macca though.. I think hes suffering from fatigue. bit early in his career. sadly.. Hes played a lot of football in his career.. Klopp was right on player burn out.. They ain't machines

[Steveo]

Indeed and playing high intensity calls for a larger squad NOT a smaller one.

[Insidious]

The money spent on Carrol was at least covered by the fee for Torres. And he chipped in with the odd goal now and then. This poor fucker on the other hand is absolutely wank.

Talent is absolutely there, which is the more frustrating bit about it.

Jozza makes some good points about it. Occasionally in post-match when someone is good at finding pockets of space they'll show that graphic (a circle) showing a player surrounded 8-10 yards of space in all directions, because their understanding of space is so good.

I lose count quickly of the amount of times Wirtz finds a pocket and isn't located. It's infuriating.

Not to say that he has been brilliant, or that he should be immune from criticism, as he needs to do better. He does though have so much going for him at 22 and I hope we see the best of him, as he'd absolutely thrive for a side like PSG, Barcelona or Real Madrid in my view, so should be able to thrive here once things click and once we tailor his conditioning for a spell.

[Nineteenx]

A lot needs to hook him when it’s not working instead of persisting he should have been off before Teacake

[Kev0909]

The worst signing in the Club's history by a mile. 100 million, jesus fucking christ. He's absolute shite.

Erm done more than isak so far

you don't just turn shit, tactics and the team not helping.

[pob]

Erm done more than isak so far

you don't just turn shit, tactics and the team not helping.

Isak clearly isn't fit yet so unfair to judge him yet imo. Wirtz isn't completely shit obviously, I was pissed and fuming after the game when I wrote that. But he's never going to make it. He's neat and tidy, but he's too slow and lightweight, and the one basic requirement you need in this league is pace.

[redgold]

He's neat and tidy, but he's too slow and lightweight, and the one basic requirement you need in this league is pace.

This, right here, is the issue - not skill or ability or vision. And, incidentally, I fancy the same is true for Frimpong, which is alarming as it suggests that either the transfer committee don't understand the league properly, or worse, Arne hasn't really adapted to its mechanics, even after a year and one title win...

[jozza800]

So the only way to be successful is to have strong and fast players?

Someone should have mentioned that to the likes of Bobby, Silva (both), Zola, Palmer, De Bruyne, Thiago, Mata, Scholes...

We'd be better served with someone like Adama Traore...

[Insidious]

So the only way to be successful is to have strong and fast players?

Someone should have mentioned that to the likes of Bobby, Silva (both), Zola, Palmer, De Bruyne, Thiago, Mata, Scholes...

We'd be better served with someone like Adama Traore...

Modric too - I am sure plenty wrote him off - great career. Even Yossi Benayoun didn't do too badly.

I've said it a number of times and still feel the same way about the fact that we bought a cluster of players that are here for the next 5 years. If they have a difficult 12-18 months (but we remain in the Champion's League) only to go on to greater things for the other 42-48 months of that 60-month period, I'll take it.

I can't foresee most/all of Mamardashvili (bought the season before, I know) Kerkez, Frimpong, Wirtz, Ekitike and Isak failing to work here.

The massive question for me is why our recruitment was so biased to one area - Kerkez's underlaps will take him into the left half-space, Wirtz adores the left half-space, Ekitike and Isak both find space in the left half-space before driving into the box...... that's been a really strange decision by Hughes and co as we have a bunch of individuals who would all fetch excellent money in the market (because they're good players) but it feels like we didn't quite get the planning/coherence quite right, which isn't typically "us" so-to-speak.

Anyways - I really hope Wirtz gets the required time. If he does indeed adjust to the pace of things (younger than Elliott, remember) he could get provide 4-8 years of excellent service for us. It's quite the shame that almost the entire side (well, not Szoboszlai) seem to be below their best, including the Manager. Klopp have adored Florian's adeptness and vision in transitions on the pitch.

[Steveo]

The size issue is nonsense - ‘top class’ players are top class players - David Silva the best we have seen in an age in Premier league football since this fella:

If Wirtz gets halfway to the level of Luka Modric he will be rated as the greatest player m in history. Germany does not produce that level of technique. Kroos about as good as it gets for the Teutons… The Luka level is a pipe dream. But still IF Florian has the technique he can be a superb Premier league player. His size isn’t the issue. It might be IF he is to play the Bobby role - but won’t be IF he tries to emulate David Silva…

Here’s to hoping

[miller0863]

Credit where it’s due, Wirtz has had a marvellous first half in Germany’s winner take all qualifier with Slovakia.
He’s been everywhere, capping off his performance with two absolutely sumptuous assists.

Germany playing 4231 with Wirtz on the left of the 3. Germany 4-0 up at half time.

Can we have a performance like this in a red shirt young man??

[Gurthers]

He's played very well to be fair .

Can we adapt these tactics? Grasping at straws here lol.

What about Woltemade? Looking pretty good
Did we buy the wrong player?

[Kev0909]

He's played very well to be fair .

Can we adapt these tactics? Grasping at straws here lol.

What about Woltemade? Looking pretty good
Did we buy the wrong player?

yes we did one is just taking a while to get going, maybe when we had trent or played Under Hodgson/Rafa he'd have been perfect

Woltemade.... still not helping newcastle that much 11 from 11 and sit in 14th place.. think they're missing a fit isak more tbh.