Liverpool’s summer signing Florian Wirtz has failed to hit the ground running in the first few months of the season.
Expectations were high for Wirtz’s arrival on English soil, but so far in the Premier League he has seemed unable to click with his new teammates, having failed to register a goal or assist in the first six games of the league season.
Liverpool tend to do good business and very rarely splash as much cash as they have on the attacking midfielder.
Time is really of the essence for him and Arne Slot to work together and figure out how to unlock his full potential, especially with the Reds being thrown right into a title race with Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.
So, what is hindering the German international from lighting up English football?
As seen below, Wirtz at Liverpool is operating in much less dangerous areas, like along the touchline on the left wing, far outside the opponent’s 18-yard box or even on the wrong side of the halfway-line, which should be occupied by someone like Ryan Gravenberch.
When compared to one of Wirtz’s best games at last season against Borussia Monchengladbach, where he scored two goals and grabbed an assist.
The differences are stark, showing that Alonso was using him in areas where he could affect the game much more like in the left half-space and arriving late around the penalty spot.
These heatmaps could offer Slot something to think about, as he could make changes to the squad to clear the way for their star signing to play in the areas where he makes the most damage.
However, this would come at the expense of another attacker like Cody Gakpo who managed to score in Liverpool’s last game at Chelsea, so it would be a tough decision of the Dutch coach.
Another area for improvement is in Wirtz’s touches, where he is averaging over 20 less touches in England than he did in Germany.
The data above suggests that Wirtz might be suffering the effects of a transition from a squad where he is the focal point to a club where there is an embarrassment of riches and he must take a less important role for the team to succeed.
