Why Liverpool Aren't Getting the Best from Wirtz Yet

Assessment of the German midfielder's first nine appearances for Liverpool has generally landed at the identical verdict - it has been an underwhelming beginning.

Several commentators have been more critical. Former England striker the Manchester United legend stated the £116m signing "disrupts the equilibrium" of Liverpool's structure.

"He's a quality footballer and I'm sure he will get better - but he's had a gradual beginning and I think there's no denying that," said the former striker.

Wirtz is still without a goal or provide an goal contribution for his current team, but is that showing the whole picture?

In this analysis we explore how good he has performed, why he hasn't been delivering as anticipated yet, and how Liverpool could extract the best out of him.

Liverpool's balance is disrupted, but they are evidently experiencing a phase of transition.

Manager Arne Slot has altered his approach this season - and perhaps the loss of defender Trent Alexander-Arnold created greater challenges than anticipated.

In a similar approach to the manager's Feyenoord team, the Premier League side are attempting to play with a greater number of positional switches between teammates, advancing through the middle of the pitch with quick, tight-area interplay.

It therefore makes sense for Wirtz to be the primary attacking force to connect everything together.

However, in reality, he has been tasked to do a role that is slightly different from the position he is used to.

This has minimised how often he finds himself in positions to score or create chances.

It doesn't get the best out of Wirtz as an singular talent, but he hasn't performed bad in this less-than-ideal position.

Wirtz is receiving the possession deeper more often.

The right-back was impressive in his capability to pass the play when operating in defensive areas, and the team seem significantly lacking that quality.

Captain the Dutch defender's long switch to attacker Mohamed Salah is a great method for them to get the ball forward consistently. Otherwise, Liverpool are missing the distribution ability in defence to locate team-mates up the field.

This duty has been placed on the young German at certain moments. He has been dropping deep to get the ball before turning and attempting to carry it up the pitch. He is able to perform this role because of his technical quality, but it is reducing the opportunities he spends near the opposition net.

If possession duties can be taken by another player, it possibly allows Wirtz to position himself more advanced the field.

The academy graduate has the ability to perform this function in a central midfield partnership or on the left wing, and may be an option the manager could turn to as he looks to enhance Wirtz's preferred style.

One of the most significant differences Wirtz is experiencing in the English top flight is the reduced space and increased intensity applied to him.

Positioned through the middle between the lines against very organized opposing teams such as the London club, Wirtz has been positioned with less time and space to play.

For his former club, there were matches in which the midfielder would position himself on the left wing while his colleagues advanced the ball up the pitch before finding him.

In other situations, he would operate in middle advanced midfield areas, particularly against sides that offered more space between the defensive units in games that became more counter-attacking in nature.

Ex- Bayer boss Xabi Alonso utilized the talent effectively because each of these situations would allow him to receive the ball with space - meaning he could receive and carry forward with room between himself and a defender.

For extracting the maximum out of the player, getting the possession to him when there isn't instant marking on him is ideal.

Whenever he is capable to receive the play on the turn and drive it ahead - with space between himself and the closest player - he is capable to use body feints and a change in speed to disrupt rival defences.

In a similar manner to Everton attacker the England international, his best performances both on the ball carrying and in his distribution comes from situations in which he is carrying the possession and running at players.

That is why many of the German's best instances this campaign have come in counter-attacks.

Space can be created by positioning him on the wing initially or by finding him in the midfield early. If he is positioned between the defensive units, particularly when an opposition's structure is spread, colleagues must therefore execute direct balls to locate the midfielder.

The Premier League's physical demands has strategic consequences but also impacts players individually - and the German appears to have not yet completely adjusted to this change.

Under Slot's faster and more rotation-based style of offensive play, the team are susceptible to fast breaks, with reduced players behind the play. This requires forward players like the midfielder to press immediately with intensity when the ball is lost.

Wirtz has completely committed to the out-of-possession instructions and has harassed intensely. In attack, he is being instructed to retreat to assist in constructing play while having the licence to contribute to offensive moves on both the left and right.

All of this is demanding physically, and some of his subpar on-the-ball actions could be down to fatigue. Of all players to feature significant game time in the top division this campaign, the midfielder has run the fifth-highest ground per full match and the highest of any club player.

In a recent interview with Sky Sports Germany, Wirtz spoke about the difference in his performances this season versus the previous year.

He said Slot had expressed a opinion "it might be because we harass a frequently and I run a lot".

Wirtz added: "To illustrate, the running stats: I'm always at the forefront there because I attempt to push hard and do what the coach demands. I need a lot of strength and energy for that. Whenever I have the ball, I might be missing a small amount. The expectation it will gradually come progressively, as I play more games, get fitter, be able to do things more easily, and then, when I have the ball, be {fit|conditioned