Overview

• Rudi Völler publicly urged Florian Wirtz to stay calm, describing his issues as routine adjustment to a new club and league and expressing full confidence he will succeed.
• Wayne Rooney questioned whether Wirtz suits Liverpool’s system, while Jamie Carragher called him the clearest imbalance and suggested taking him out of the lineup.
• Wirtz has one contribution from the Community Shield in nine appearances and struggled in the loss at Galatasaray with 14 turnovers and a 31% duel win rate.
• The €125 million summer fee from Bayer Leverkusen has heightened scrutiny as English outlets reported he looks lost and burdened by expectations.
• Liverpool’s problems extend beyond Wirtz, with consecutive defeats, heavy rotation that benched Mohamed Salah in the Champions League, and a defense that has conceded 13 goals in 10 matches.