Pundit claims Iraola is blowing his top with Liverpool star | OneFootball

Florian Wirtz Under Scrutiny Despite Alexander Isak Winner for Liverpool

Liverpool left Bournemouth with a 1-0 victory on Sunday, but the wider conversation centred on Florian Wirtz after another difficult display in the Premier League. The Germany international supplied the assist for Alexander Isak’s decisive goal after the break, yet his overall contribution again came under the microscope.

There was visible frustration around the game as Liverpool struggled for rhythm in possession during the first half. Wirtz, operating in an advanced midfield role, ended the opening 45 minutes with the lowest passing accuracy of any Liverpool player, completing 63 per cent of his attempts. For a player brought in to sharpen Liverpool’s attacking flow, that metric captured part of a broader issue.

Wirtz form raises fresh questions

Troy Deeney’s  assessment on talkSPORT of his display was particularly damning: “Florian Wirtz for me, it’s the first time I’ve seen him live. He just doesn’t look like he belongs in this league. What I mean by that is, he’s clearly talented, clearly he’s got the technical ability. But it’s like he doesn’t believe he’s going to score and doesn’t believe he’s going to impact the game. Liverpool need more from him. The rest of the team are starting to disbelieve because every time it goes to him, the tempo slows down. That means (Bradley) Barcola doesn’t get the ball quick, (Cody) Gakpo doesn’t get the ball quick, it allows Bournemouth to get back. And when they get back, it slows the whole thing down. Iraola just in front of us was absolutely blowing his top.”

Photo: IMAGO

That view reflected the pattern of the contest. Liverpool had territory and moments of control, but their attacks often lacked speed through central areas. Bournemouth were able to recover their shape, and Andoni Iraola’s irritation on the touchline was noticeable as openings appeared and then faded.

Alexander Isak decisive again

The game changed after half-time when Isak, continuing his strong start as Liverpool’s main striker, took the chance created by Wirtz to settle the match. Even then, scrutiny of the playmaker did not disappear. His further verdict followed: “His brain’s working quicker than his body. He’s not playing free. In the warm-up, he looks unbelievable. It looks effortless, but when he plays, he’s overthinking everything.”

For Liverpool, the immediate priority was three points. For Wirtz, the longer-term picture remains more complicated.

Liverpool future still in focus

The 23-year-old arrived from Bayer Leverkusen for £116.5m and, after a mixed first season that yielded seven goals and nine assists in all competitions, expectations remain high. He has yet to record a goal or assist in six appearances this term, a run that has intensified attention on his adaptation to the Premier League.

His contract runs until 2030 and there has been external interest reported, including from Bayern Munich. Internally, Liverpool will hope moments such as the assist for Isak can act as a platform, because the talent is clear even if the consistency has not yet followed.