"The £116m signing on the chopping block": Carragher calls for Liverpool star to be dropped immediately
"He was signed to be a star"
After joining Liverpool for £116 million, Florian Wirtz is struggling to prove himself, and the patience of the Liverpool supporters is beginning to run out. Following another disappointing display against Manchester City, some are calling for the German international to be dropped from the starting line-up.
Scathing criticism has followed him around England, with a large section of the fanbase believing he no longer deserves his place in the starting eleven.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher pointed in particular to his lack of attacking impact. The attacking midfielder is yet to score a single goal in the Premier League this season.
Speaking on Sky Sports after his former side's 3-0 defeat to Manchester City, Carragher didn't hold back.
He said: "He should not be in the Liverpool side right now. What Florian Wirtz is giving Liverpool is not enough at the moment. Wirtz does not look capable of scoring a goal."
Wirtz has had enough chances to prove himself, he noted. Nevertheless, the former England international had pinned one last hope on the influence of Jurgen Klopp, who played alongside Wirtz for the German national team.
That hope wasn't enough. The attacking midfielder is still struggling under Andoni Iraola.
A major struggle for Wirtz
The statistics show just how much the 23-year-old is struggling. In six Premier League matches this season, Wirtz has failed to score and has managed just one assist.
Since joining Liverpool, he has scored seven goals and provided eleven assists in 56 matches.
Against Manchester City, his impact was far smaller than that of City midfielder Elliot Anderson.
A comparison published by "The Telegraph" had Wirtz touching the ball only 46 times and completing 20 passes, compared with 100 touches and 71 passes for his opposite number.
The German won just four duels. Anderson won eleven.
He simply has to improve his performance, particularly in matches of this importance. He was generally ineffective and made poor decisions, added the BBC, which gave him a rating of 4/10.
"He was signed to be a star"
Carragher continued on Sky Sports: "I find it hard to remember one game that Liverpool have won or in which he has been named man of the match. He was signed to be a star in the Premier League. I thought he could be the Kevin De Bruyne who, at times, led Manchester City to victory."
He added: "Wirtz has played between 55 and 60 matches here, which is a big achievement, and I do not see that changing. It is almost certain that Wirtz will play every week in the playmaker role (the number 10). That has to stop. I think he needs to leave the team. I have said it before, and I will say it again."
With Liverpool having to cope with the absence of Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo, the club's biggest signing has been under the microscope. But between a start to the season without a league goal and performances considered disappointing, Wirtz now finds himself under pressure, to the point where his place in the starting line-up is in direct doubt.
