Florian Wirtz has admitted Liverpool need to be more ruthless in front of goal, while Jürgen Klopp is arguing that Florian Wirtz should be judged by how the team functions when he is on the pitch. The midfielder has only four Premier League appearances so far and one goal involvement, so the scrutiny is already landing early. Liverpool have drawn three of their four Premier League games and dropped six points.

Klopp's case for Wirtz

Klopp's point is about work as much as output. He said Wirtz was the player who covered the most ground at Liverpool this season and added that the team should stop waiting for special moments before deciding whether he has done his job.

Speaking to Bavarian Football Works, Klopp said: "When the team works, then every player shines as a consequence. We need to be satisfied when Flo Wirtz plays a game in which he gave everything but didn’t register a goal or assist." He also said, "We have to make sure that Flo feels comfortable with us."

That view fits the numbers Liverpool are showing around him. Wirtz has been deployed centrally as the team's No.10, has already logged 332 Premier League minutes and still sits on a modest 6.49 rating in league play. He is doing plenty of the unglamorous work, but Liverpool are still waiting for that to translate into cleaner attacking returns.

Wirtz's own frustration with the attack

Wirtz is not hiding from the attacking numbers either. Speaking to Mirror, he said: "I think we had a few games where we could have scored more goals to win the game. I have also the expectations for myself to decide games. We need me and the attackers to finish the games off, so we definitely try to work on that."

That is the fairer criticism at this stage. Liverpool's start has been slow, and Wirtz's own words point to a side that knows it has left points behind rather than one that has settled into its final level. His role in the middle gives Klopp reason to focus on team contribution, but Wirtz is also right that the finishing has to improve if the results are going to follow.

Liverpool's next league game will tell more about whether that changes quickly, but the current story is simple: Wirtz is asking for more from the attackers, and Klopp is asking for more patience with the player in the No.10 role.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →