Jamie Carragher has expressed disappointment with Florian Wirtz's performance at Liverpool, suggesting he should be removed from the team. Carragher initially had high hopes for Wirtz, likening him to Kevin De Bruyne, but admits the midfielder's start at Anfield has been underwhelming, particularly given his £116 million price tag.
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Wirtz has played 39 Premier League games since his transfer last summer, averaging just 0.18 assists and 0.16 goals, while creating 2.2 chances per 90 minutes. Comparatively, De Bruyne significantly outperformed these metrics in his first 39 games at Manchester City. Other players such as Cole Palmer and Martin Ødegaard also had better beginnings in their respective clubs.
Despite defending Wirtz, some argue that assists depend partly on the forwards finishing the chances. Currently, Wirtz is in the 90th percentile for chances created among attacking midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues since last season, but his assist numbers remain below the 50th percentile. Even in expected assists, he lags behind Palmer and Ødegaard during their early seasons.
This season, Wirtz ranks poorly in several key performance metrics. He doesn't rank among the top three players in chances created per 90 for Liverpool, struggles with ball progression, and is not a strong ball-winner. His overall contributions have reportedly diminished under the management of Andoni Iraola, with his chances created and touches in the opposition box dropping to the 30th and 40th percentiles, respectively.
While Wirtz has slightly increased his assists this season, the improvement is modest and contrasts with his past performance. Critics argue that his role has been reduced within Iraola’s system, which focuses heavily on winger play rather than central creativity. With Liverpool’s current tactical setup, Carragher questions the efficacy of keeping Wirtz in the lineup when alternatives might offer more defensive reliability.