Liverpool could do more to ‘help’ Florian Wirths, says Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann, as key statistics reveal

He was also left out of the starting lineup at times as head coach Arne Slott looks to turn things around after a difficult start to the season.

“To be honest, the whole situation is not easy for Flo,” Nagelsmann said.

Slot: Van Dijk’s header disallowed decision: ‘Obviously wrong’

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“This year the whole club is not as stable as last year, it is much more difficult to integrate into the team.

“If you look at the game against City, they were actually the worst team throughout the whole 90 minutes, so it’s also difficult for flow to have a big impact.

“Ultimately, the whole situation is that he just needs a little more time. That’s normal. You’ll see that with other players moving to the Premier League.”

Wirtz was considered one of Europe’s most exciting talents when he joined Liverpool following his impressive spell at Bayer Leverkusen.

He was a key figure in Leverkusen winning the league and cup double in the 2023/24 season and reaching the UEFA Europa League final.

In the 2024/25 season, he will win the UEFA Champions League Man of the Match award five times, the most ever for a player.

“We all know what he’s capable of,” Nagelsmann added. “And it’s quite normal for players of his age to experience some dips in form. We can’t expect him to perform at the same level three years in a row.

Wirths misses out on a great chance to open a Liverpool account with a tie

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“Instead, we all need to support him a little bit and allow him to clear his head here. Then maybe Liverpool can also help him by scoring some of the chances he creates.”

“That’s one way of thinking about it, because he creates very few chances. It’s just that they’re somehow reluctant to put the ball into the shot. That’s part of the truth as well.”

Does Nagelsmann have a point?

Liverpool’s decline in form this season may not have helped bring out the best in Wirtz.

Another factor could be the number of new players Slott is trying to integrate into the squad, having become well-established during last season’s title-winning campaign.

But is Nagelsmann right in saying that Liverpool could also help him by converting some of the chances he creates?

Liverpool have scored 18 goals this season, the sixth most in the Premier League.

They also rank 6th in xG (expected goals) with 17.91.

Wirtz himself has had 12 shots in the Premier League, three of which were on target, but Opta reports that he has only created one big chance, and that was his brilliant spin to set up Mohamed Salah against Chelsea.

Florian Wirtz, 2025/26 PL Total PL Rank Total shots 12 = 59 Shots on target 3 = 88 Chances created 16 = 16 Big chances created 1 = 87 Passes into the box 35 = 47

Statistics: Opta

In total, they created 16 chances at a rate of 2.08 per game, ranking 16th in the entire PL and 8th among players who played over 500 minutes.

His 28 shot involvements are the most in the Premier League without scoring or assisting (Anthony Gordon’s 21 are the next most), and his expected assists of 1.19 rank him tied for 38th in the league.

So while he’s not among the top PL creators, he’s done enough to generate assists, but it hasn’t been a domino effect yet.

Compare this to the Champions League, where Wirths ranks first in several attacking categories.

He is top of the table in expected assists with 2.1, and is also top of the league in chances created (16) and big chances created (4).

Highlights: Wirtz shines as Liverpool beat Frankfurt

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Liverpool have won three of their four matches in the Champions League, including defeating Real Madrid and defeating Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1.

Where should Wirtz play?

Another dilemma for Slott appears to be where to play Wiltz to maximize his talent.

At Leverkusen, he was mainly used behind the striker in a 3-4-2-1 formation.

In the Champions League match against Real Madrid, he started on the left of the front three and made a good impression.

He continued his role against Manchester City, but struggled to make an impact on the game as he was silenced by Matheus Nunez.

Regarding his starting role against Madrid, Wertz said: “It was fun to play. First of all, I didn’t know if I could play or not, so I was happy to play. I just got into the position the manager wanted me to play.”

“Of course, I am familiar with this position, but I can also play in the middle, as a number 10 or on the left, and I always try to do my best and be an important part of the team.

“I think I already have a good relationship with my team-mates on the pitch. Of course, the numbers aren’t that high right now, but I try to give my best every game. That’s what I always do. I’m happy to be able to create chances.”

“Hopefully I can score more in the coming weeks and months, but I’m just trying to help the team with my strengths.”

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