Florian Wirtz

[Steveo]

This was the one thing that was very noticeable early on when he signed.

He's a shy lad and doesn't look like the type that's going to say 'fuck it, i'm going to win us this game'. Which is absolutely fine, not everyone is a 'look at me, give me the ball' type player like Ronaldo or Stevie. So he's going to need to make sure he does enough in the times that he gets the ball and hope that the rest of the team clicks around him.

I think we're just starting to see that. Not often enough, but he does needs help.

Coutinho wasn't the most gregarious.. but the quality dictated and Klopp made the point Über clear.. just give him the ball. It is what Florian was bought for surely?

[JockStrap]

It's been like that all season.

Maybe early on but it's noticeable now how often players look for Wirtz as their first option. He's the main man in the team. No doubt about it. Just didn't happen against City.

[Kev0909]

I thought he took up some great positions but for some reason we choose another pass. We need to get him on the ball more there's no point having a player of that quality and not give him the ball.
He looked very frustrated at times and the Anfield crowd seemed to think the same.
Maybe that wasn't picked up on the tele.

Think he'd shine more without Gakpo and salah personally

can't see them both going and getting 2 new attackers mind

[justme]

I have read the replies to my comment on Lallana and Wirtz...saying they are/were great pressers of the ball

If thats the case the solution in my mind is like this and i have said it a couple of times now. You can't have Wirzt in a 3 in midfield. So why not play him has the false 9 and let him press a bit further forward and let him get into the box more and take responsibility to score more often, It will hopefully stop him trying to be clever with passes to team mates.
obviously can still drop a little and let the likes of Macca and Dom get beyond him. Both are excellent at that..
It also means you have 3 solid midfielders when needs be. we do need a right back to remain fit for that to happen.

Then it comes to the problem of Ekitike, he can easily play off the left and tucked in.Hes a better option than Gakpo, but Slot seems unable to see this. And won't drop Cody for love nor money.

[Nineteenx]

Coutinho wasn't the most gregarious.. but the quality dictated and Klopp made the point Über clear.. just give him the ball. It is what Florian was bought for surely?

Yeah but we didn’t have a Szobo or Macca in our midfield then who made the play perfectly well without him to win a league title

[Nineteenx]

Wirtz tries to place shots too often without enough power and they’re comfortably saved

[Insidious]

Lallana just reminds me of the mediocre dross that we were signing around that time. Him, Sakho, Lovren, Markovic, Balotelli, Moreno, Origi, Emre Can, Benteke, Clyne, Ings and so on. All ok players but taking us nowhere really. Then Klopp arrived, signed Mane and the rest is history.

I will give a quick shout-out to Clyne who, if I recall correctly, played all 38 League games that season where we managed to qualify for the Champion's League again. He's one of our most forgotten players and he did his bit that season.

I also loved that Klopp called him "Clyne-ee"

[jozza800]

Wirtz tries to place shots too often without enough power and they’re comfortably saved

Like his goal against Newcastle?

[JockStrap]

Like his goal against Newcastle?

A thing of beauty

Ladies and Gentlemen ...

You know how this goes ...

[Steveo]

For those who are a little confused at the high expectations... Here is the fella....

...I had hoped and still hope Florian might at least attempt to emulate.. I was at Stamford Bridge back in the late 90's - We were 2 up at HT.. I was bouncing inside but I ain't gonna lie I was keeping a lid on things while surrounded by some really rather nasty Chelsea "fans"...



Then Zola just took the game away from us. His movement - passing and general quality just too much for us even with a 2 goal lead. I mean he simply decided that his team were winning the game...we couldn't get near him. The times he schoolled Carra... I mean made him look like a pub player.. Special... Come on Florian...

This is the level..

[JockStrap]

The only people who are confused around here are those who can't see that Wirtz is a baller.

[Steveo]

I don’t see anyone suggesting he isn’t. a baller..

Thiago was a baller of the very highest order and I was one of his biggest fans - and I argued for what a great signing he was - but ultimately he was too old and way way too injury prone.

Being a baller doesn’t determine IF you will be a success over a contract. I think many (i cannot claim to be one as I was overjoyed with his signing) are concerned that the money spent on 9our current German baller might have been better spent elsewhere.

Perhaps you should try to just accept that it is a valid view up to now.

[JockStrap]

Not all views are valid. The moon isn't made of cheese.

Funny listening to you donks talking about spending 100m better elsewhere as if you'd have the first clue what to do with it.

Wirtz is an incredible footballer. A real pleasure to watch. For those who don't see it, try a different sport.

[Steveo]

Yours certainly aren't when you equate "The moon isn't made of cheese." with the fact that not all ballers end up being worthy of their fee.

Veron?
Shevchenko?
...both top class and both flopped.


Robinho?
Di Maria ?
Gotze ?

too... it happens.. Sometines it doesn't work in a given league or at a certain club... This is common knowledge...Yet you want to suggest that after a few good outings its a done deal.. quite ridiculous.

Wirtz has thankfully improved much of late and we hope he goes on to be a great signing, but many who were questioning him earlier on had every right to do so. Without a single goal or assist in his first 22 appearances amidst some extremely poor results.. it seems that those 'well aware' "The moon isn't made of cheese." were also 'well aware' that more was needed.

Your revisionism on this is like your belated appearances after the fact on match threads to gloat over those who spoke in real time. It's the sort of crap a 12 year old spends their time on.

Face it, you're a fraud. You offer nothing in here beyond the happy clapping of everything that has been put in place by those who are incentivising you.

[Nineteenx]

We’d have been better off if we had retained Diaz and hadn’t signed Wirtz in truth that’s not even a discussion