Dalglish says Wirtz can “open a can of soup” once connection clicks | OneFootball

Florian Wirtz has been handed advice from one of the club’s greatest ever figures as he continues his early days at Anfield.

Kenny Dalglish discusses Florian Wirtz at Liverpool

(Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Florian Wirtz, who joined us from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m this summer, has already shown flashes of why he was so highly coveted.

But speaking on The Overlap, Kenny Dalglish stressed that the 22-year-old will need time to fully click with his teammates.

“I think the wee fellow Wirtz is a very, very clever boy, right, football wise,” Dalglish explained. “He just needs to get on the same planes as the ones in front of him.”

The Scot went on to highlight the German’s natural ability to take the ball into feet, create space, and pick the right pass, but emphasised that understanding with the forwards is the next crucial step.

“That wee fellow, he could open a can of soup,” Dalglish joked, insisting that once the connection with players like Hugo Ekitike or Alexander Isak develops, Wirtz will become even more effective.

Why Wirtz will be key to Liverpool’s future success

(Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Liverpool supporters don’t need reminding that Wirtz arrived as a two-time Bundesliga Player of the Year, and Dalglish’s words underline how important it will be for him to adapt to English football quickly.

The legendary former manager believes the Reds have already entertained this season, but he warned that the “winning would have been more important than the entertaining”.

Until the last two matches, the Reds have found a way to win but once that stopped, criticism has come for several players and arguably none more so than our No.7.

Jamie Carragher has called for the Germany international to be removed from the team, this was an opinion shared by Wayne Rooney and pressure is mounting on our playmaker.

Dalglish also compared the process to his own partnership with Ian Rush, explaining that those connections are built on the training ground before flourishing on matchdays.

That will excite us as fans, especially given the potential front line combinations involving Wirtz, Ekitike and British-record signing Isak.

Liverpool have already seen what Wirtz can do in Germany and patience is key before judging him too quickly.

Now, guided by advice from legends like Dalglish, the task is making him the creative hub of a team looking to retain the Premier League crown.

You can watch Dalglish’s comments on Wirtz (from 1:10:39) via The Overlap on YouTube:

You can watch Slot’s full post-Galatasaray press conference via Empire of the Kop on YouTube:

Join our channel of readers on WhatsApp to get the day’s top stories straight to your mobile