Jurgen Klopp shares his feelings on Florian Wirtz in Germany squad announcement | OneFootball

Florian Wirtz at Liverpool, Why Goals and Assists Are Only Part of the Story

Florian Wirtz has one assist in five appearances for Liverpool this season and no goals. For a player who cost £116m, that is the number many will go straight to. It is also the easiest way to miss what is actually happening.

There is no point pretending the output has been good. It has not. Liverpool need end product from attacking players, particularly one signed to change games. There have already been spells when Wirtz has drifted out of matches and looked short of authority when the side needed imagination. That part is real.

So is the other part. His work rate has stood out, and his game without the ball has clearly caught the eye. The message here is simple, judge him on the full picture, not only the numbers at the end of it.

Klopp backs Wirtz beyond the scoreboard

The most pointed defence of Wirtz came from Jürgen Klopp, who made it clear that Liverpool supporters, and everyone else, should widen the lens. He said: “The exchange with Flo was very pleasant. We’re keeping in touch from time to time. I think he’s the player who covered the most ground at Liverpool this season, so the willingness is absolutely there.

“We have to move away from expecting to see special moments from him. He needs to help us as a team. We have to make sure that Flo feels comfortable with us. When the team works, then every player shines as a consequence. We need to be satisfied when Flo Wirtz plays a game in which he gave everything but didn’t register a goal or assist.

“We simply need to give the boy the feeling: ‘That was more than good enough today. You helped us as a team. We won 1-0 or 2-0,’ and then all the experts in the world sit there and discuss why he still hasn’t worked out. There are just as many reasons to say: ‘He’s working perfectly well.’ Now let’s take the next steps together.’ – that applies for Flo and all the others.”

Photo: IMAGO

Liverpool need more from a £116m signing

That does not mean standards should drop. Wirtz was brought in to influence matches in decisive areas. At Liverpool, attacking midfielders and forwards are judged on what they create and what they finish. That is how elite football works.

Still, there is a difference between poor form and a poor player. Wirtz looks more like a player searching for rhythm than one out of his depth. The running numbers matter. The willingness matters. The tactical discipline matters. Coaches always notice those things before supporters do.

Patience may define Wirtz’s Liverpool impact

If Liverpool become a coherent attacking side, Wirtz will have a better platform. That is usually how this goes. Creative players thrive when structure around them is clear and movement ahead of them is reliable. Until then, every missed final pass and every blank scoresheet will be magnified.

The argument is not that output does not matter. It does. The argument is that five games is a poor sample size and a lazy verdict. Right now, Florian Wirtz remains a high-value talent still finding his place in this Liverpool attack. That is the truth, whether the goals arrive immediately or not.