Liverpool legend not yet convinced by Florian Wirtz ahead of Burnely match | OneFootball

Florian Wirtz Still Searching for Rhythm at Liverpool

Liverpool’s signing Florian Wirtz continues to dominate discussion among supporters and pundits alike, and his name was front and centre again in the latest Molby On The Spot podcast with Jan Molby and host Trev Downey. The pair dissected Wirtz’s mixed early performances and the challenge of integrating such a gifted player into Arne Slot’s side.

Encouragement from Arsenal cameo

Molby was clear in his view that Wirtz’s performance against Arsenal was the most promising sign yet of what the German can bring. “Yes and no,” he replied when asked if Wirtz is finding his Premier League legs. “I thought it was definitely his best game for Liverpool but then he had a worrying outing for Germany again in their first game where he didn’t play particularly well.”

Photo: IMAGO

Despite the inconsistency, Molby identified flashes of the Wirtz who made his reputation in the Bundesliga. “He was imposing himself on the game and we started to see little Florian Wirtz bits like forcing his way between a couple of players and pushing a ball around the corner and getting the ball back,” Downey had suggested. Molby agreed there were moments to build on, adding, “He would be encouraged by the second half against Arsenal, because sometimes you just need little bits and bobs that go your way.”

Pressure of expectations

The conversation turned to the weight of expectation that follows such a high-profile move. Molby emphasised that the anticipation around Wirtz has been almost unfair. “When somebody costs that type of money, and it’s not fair for him, but that’s what we expected, that this boy is going to settle in from day one. It hasn’t quite been like that. Ability is still there, I think we’ll be absolutely fine.”

Molby admitted that his own vision of Wirtz at Anfield remains vivid. “My expectation is him floating across Anfield playing long range passes and the other passes like where he pushes the ball in behind and does his little… we haven’t quite seen that so I still think there’s work to be done.”

System still finding balance

Downey questioned whether Liverpool are almost forcing Wirtz into a central creative role before the system is ready to maximise his strengths. “It seems that like we’re trying to force Wirtz to be the fulcrum,” he observed. “It feels an awful lot of the time like there’s someone really close to Florian Wirtz and the system doesn’t seem to be there yet.”

Molby’s response was emphatic. “Absolutely spot on Trev. It is a fact that we want to go through him, but he has to find some space and he has to be able to find some time to do what he does, and that might just take a little bit longer than we thought.”

The former Liverpool midfielder underlined the importance of patience in the process. “When we all settle down and everything is rolling then the way he plays will improve. I have no doubt about that.”

Long-term outlook

For Molby, the conclusion was one of reassurance rather than concern. “There’s things in the game today that will give him encouragement,” he said, reflecting on Wirtz’s Arsenal display. “He’d have gone home and thought, this will be okay. There’s nothing worse than where you always feel like you’re climbing a mountain.”

As Slot’s team continues to adjust after a summer of change, the spotlight on Wirtz will not dim. His quality is undoubted, yet as Molby reminded listeners, it will take time before Liverpool see the full measure of their new playmaker.