Liverpool picked up a 1-0 win at Bournemouth to move up to sixth in the Premier League with nine points, a result that came at the former home ground of their own manager, Andoni Iraola. But the win did little to settle the growing debate around Florian Wirtz, who once again failed to leave much of a mark on the game.
Wirtz played 71 minutes at Vitality Stadium and finished with no shots on target from four attempts, 15 possessions lost and just one successful tackle from three tries. He did register three key passes and four defensive contributions, but it was another largely quiet outing for a player who has managed only one assist in six appearances and six starts across the Premier League and Champions League this season.
Iraola stood by his player afterward. "He started the game slowly, I agree. In the first minute they came out with a lot of intensity and we weren't fully switched on. After that first phase, I think we improved, and Florian helped us improve. He played much better in the second half, finding better positions to receive the ball and turn. He didn't find the final shot or the right moment to score, but I'm much happier with his second half than his first."
Carragher's harshest assessment yet
Jamie Carragher was far less forgiving in his analysis on Sky Sports, calling it "one of the worst performances I've seen from him in a Liverpool shirt." The former Liverpool defender, who has faced criticism from some supporters for his previous comments on Wirtz, went further than before.
"I've been critical of the fact that he hasn't got good numbers, but normally when you watch Wirtz, he's neat and tidy and he keeps possession. When you watch him, there are things you like. He can get out of difficult situations where normally you'd expect a player to lose the ball. But what worries me is that I don't think Florian Wirtz has been out of form since he came to Liverpool. I actually think what we're seeing is what he is. I had concerns about Wirtz 12 months ago. Maybe it was too early to say it, although I had it in my mind, but I didn't say it. The price for that type of player should be half of what Liverpool paid."
Carragher also argued the issue ripples through the rest of the team. "It's not just that Wirtz isn't performing, there's a domino effect on the rest of the midfield. When he plays as a No. 10, that means Dominik Szoboszlai has to play in midfield, and I don't think Szoboszlai is a midfielder."
His most direct comment came when discussing Iraola's options going forward. "Wirtz wouldn't be in my Liverpool team. He wouldn't... He has to do something." Carragher pointed to other Premier League attacking midfielders producing more consistent returns, name-checking Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall at Everton, Morgan Gibbs-White and Emi Buendía as players who, in his view, are "giving something to their club" in ways Wirtz currently isn't.
A break, and a reunion with Klopp
Wirtz managed seven goals and eight assists last season, his first at Anfield after his move from Bayer Leverkusen for a fee that briefly made him the most expensive signing in Premier League history. Iraola has since given him a central No. 10 role with license to roam the final third, hoping to recreate the form that made him one of the Bundesliga's standout talents. So far, that version of Wirtz has been hard to find.
Asked whether the upcoming international break, during which Wirtz will link up with the German national team under Jürgen Klopp, might help him find his rhythm, Iraola pointed to the timing. "Yes, and for this international break he's done something that I think is very intelligent. He's named two squads, so he'll be able to see more players, and it will also give the players some time off. In cases like Flo's, where he'll have a few days to rest during the first part of the break, that will be very good for us, for the player, for Liverpool and also for the German national team. He's handled it very intelligently."
