Florian Wirtz is struggling to find his form at Liverpool. © ANSA / ERDEM SAHIN

Wirtz criticized in Liverpool: “Not up to par”

After Liverpool FC's defeat in the Champions League at Galatasaray, Reds legend Jamie Carragher has spoken out in favor of leaving Florian Wirtz out for the time being.

01 October 2025

From: dpa/sn

"He's just not at his best," Gallagher said after the Reds' 1-0 defeat in Istanbul, according to the Daily Mail. The balance in the team isn't right at the moment, and the German international is the most obvious case.

Wirtz is a young player who has entered a new league and still has plenty of time ahead of him as a Liverpool player. "But at the moment, I think he needs to be taken out of the team so that Liverpool can return to what they were last season and then build confidence and develop defensive stability from there," said the 47-year-old, who has played his entire career for Liverpool FC. "Because right now, it's chaos."

“The adjustment phase is frustratingly still ongoing”

Wirtz joined the storied English club from Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the summer for up to €150 million. The 22-year-old signed a contract with the Reds that runs until mid-2030. Even in his ninth appearance, Wirtz failed to score. It was Liverpool's second defeat in a matter of days, having previously suffered a 2-1 Premier League loss to Crystal Palace.

"Liverpool need a lot more from a player they've put so much faith in. He doesn't seem confident." Excerpt from the newspaper Express

"The adjustment period is frustratingly still ongoing," wrote the Liverpool Echo. Wirtz is still waiting for his big breakthrough, and Slot needs to quickly figure out how to best utilize the attacking midfielder. The Express also highlighted a few good moves from Wirtz, but emphasized: "Liverpool need a lot more from a player they've put so much faith in. He doesn't seem confident."