Florian Wirtz has struggled to settle in since his summer move from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool, with fans and pundits alike calling on Arne Slot to axe the attacking midfielder
Former Premier League midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker reckons Arne Slot must deploy Florian Wirtz in the number ten role after his disappointing start to life at Liverpool following his summer move from Bayer Leverkusen. The German international has struggled to make an impact at Anfield since his £116million arrival.
Wirtz showed glimpses of his quality during the Community Shield clash against Crystal Palace at the beginning of the campaign, teeing up Hugo Ekitike for the opener inside four minutes. However, Oliver Glasner's Eagles fought back to claim the silverware on spot-kicks.
Wirtz hasn't found the net or provided an assist since then, sparking debate about how the Liverpool manager can unlock the 22-year-old's potential, reports the Liverpool Echo. "I don't feel that Arne Slot has found the right way to put him in this Liverpool side with other players around him," Reo-Coker told CBS Sport after Tuesday evening's Champions League loss to Galatasaray.
"He's a number ten for me. He's a number ten that has to be behind the striker. You have to have him in the middle of the pitch on the half turn and make things happen.
"I'll make a comparison to Eze at Arsenal - very similar. Eze is at his best when he's in the number ten role. Florian Wirtz has to be a number ten.
"For me, you have to start putting a bit more responsibility on these players. They're not performing, really and truly. He's one of the players that has gone to the club, you talk about creativity and making chances happen, he's not making it happen."
Ex-Reds defender Jamie Carragher also expressed his concerns about Liverpool's current form, suggesting that Wirtz should be dropped from the starting line-up.
"There's a few problems there that he's got to fix, and it'll be really interesting how he goes about it because he's spent a lot of money on certain players," he said.
"But right now, I don't think the balance of the team is right, and the obvious one that stands out right now is Florian Wirtz. He's just not at the races at all. He's a young lad coming into a new league. He's got plenty of time to go as a Liverpool player.
"But right now, I think he needs to come out of the team, Liverpool get back to what they were last season, and then go from there and try and build some confidence and build some defensive solidity because right now, it just looks a mess."
When quizzed about Liverpool's goal-scoring woes, Slot remarked: "For me it was a different loss to the one we had against Palace because there was a lot more to like, especially in the first half.
"In the second half it became harder and harder for us to create because first of all they were fighting with all they had and you have to give credit to them, and secondly the ball was hardly in play in the second half."