The exciting wonderkid is ready to replace it Florian Wirtzalthough it would be strange.
The German has found himself under a bit of pressure at Anfield recently. Florian Wirtz arrived with huge expectations and was thought to be Liverpool’s next superstar.
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But things did not go well for the plan.
He has struggled to find his place in Andoni Iraola and has not always looked more comfortable in the pace and physicality of English football. Iraola left with some headache.
Because of the money Liverpool spent on him and the hype surrounding his arrival, the Reds can’t afford to give Wirtz that much. They have to maintain it and hope things go down.
But how long does that patience last? Especially with Bayern Munich reportedly having an eye on the situation, and it seems to be more than a happy advantage.
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Why is Florian Herbipolense working at Liverpool?
Wirtz is at his best when he can work between the lines, drift into the left midfield and receive the ball facing goal. He wants to connect with the runners, find the pockets and then make the final pass or reach around the box.
In Liverpool, though, he can sometimes occupy spaces that have already been taken. With the left wing pushing inside, the No.9 occupying the central channel and the midfielders willing to carry the ball forward, Wirtz may become another player looking for the same space rather than a player who connects everything.
Transit is also an issue. Iraola likes intensity without the ball, pressing and attacking attackers. Wirtz is an intelligent presser, but Liverpool’s current midfield balance may leave him to do more defensive than exemplary work.
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That is, the best qualities are not always maximized. Instead of getting between the receiving lines and dictating attacks, he is often asked to play faster, wider or deeper than he would naturally like.
Liverpool is a surprising solution to replace Wirtz
The simple truth is that Iraola’s reasoning does not really fit Wirtz. Before Iraola’s no.10 were all goal-scorers. Just look at Eli Junior Kroupi or Antoine Semenyo – both are in the role of great players on the ball and were goal-scorers rather than connectors and creators.
For this reason, the obvious solution for Iraola is to replace Wirtz with Louis Koumas.
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So Walls doesn’t have those polished and technical qualities that Wirtz does. But he is working very hard, because Iraola’s system will do better and take some of the load off the midfield and attack on the press.