Paul Merson reveals how Liverpool can get the best out of Florian Wirtz
Paul Merson has urged Liverpool to consider a change for Florian Wirtz.
Wirtz joined Liverpool in a £116million move from Bayer Leverkusen, but he has struggled to make an impact for Arne Slot’s side.
He has been outshone by Dominik Szoboszlai, despite the Hungarian playing at right-back on several occasions, but his underlying numbers are impressive.
Wirtz has been backed to eventually star for Liverpool, and Merson believes that it the case, rather than him being a flop.
Florian Wirtz tipped to star in new role vs Everton
Wirtz has been accused of slowing Liverpool down too much, and is yet to find his feet at Anfield after his mega-money move.
However, Merson thinks that a switch to the left wing could do him the world of good, as he can be more decisive from the flank.
The change could happen against local rivals Everton, who the Reds face at home on Saturday, 20 September.
In his weekly predictions column for Sportskeeda, he said: “What I’d like to also see is Florian Wirtz playing on the left, it will give him more space to create problems.
“At the moment, it feels like he’s a bit claustrophobic in midfield. Wirtz should play just like how Jeremy Doku did against Manchester United, if he does that, it will be hard for teams to pick him up.
“I have no doubt that Wirtz will eventually come good wherever he plays because he’s top-drawer. But this change to the left will give him a better chance of shining in the next game.”
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Liverpool face a new dilemma if Wirtz is shifted to the left
The likes of Cody Gakpo and Rio Ngumoha are Slot’s current options on the left side of his attack, and they have started the season well.
Shifting Wirtz to the flank may restrict their game time, as the Reds are going to want their £116m man to play as much as possible, given the huge fee that was paid for his services.
- Wirtz featured on the left nine times in his career
- He has played 165 times in the attacking midfield role
- The German has featured six times for the Reds, with one goal contribution
That would severely hamper Ngumoha’s chances of making more appearances, and Gakpo is a very dangerous player on his day.
It may well be the solution that unlocks Wirtz’s true ability on Merseyside, but it could come at a significant cost for the champions, if they have to leave Gakpo or Ngumoha out to accommodate him.
It remains to be seen if Slot decides to make the change in the Merseyside derby, but it is an exciting option, for sure.
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