'Be smarter': Julian Nagelsmann suggests Florian Wirtz should listen to advice being given to him at Liverpool
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Florian Wirtz has been thrust into the spotlight ever since making his £116m move to Liverpool.
When a new signing arrives, there is always a significant amount of pressure on their shoulders to perform, no matter the price tag.
But when a player costs a British record transfer fee, the pressure only increases and every little thing is scrutinised, something Wirtz is finding out the hard way.
Although the German has not necessarily done anything bad so far at Anfield, his lack of contributions has caused the 22-year-old to face some criticism, something he will likely be able to take in his stride.
But now, while away on international duty, his manager Julian Nagelsmann has been left unhappy with something the playmaker did, or in this case, did not do, with it also something that frustrates Arne Slot.
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When Wirtz first signed, Liverpool fans could not quite believe as all the hype around him made it sound like they had brought in an absolute world-beater.
Of course there is still plenty of time, but he has not quite shown that just yet, with the German not able to show his ball-carrying abilities to good effect.
The intensity of the league might play a factor in this, with the 22-year-old needing to use his skills to win free-kicks and carry his team up the pitch, something Nagelsmann is also wanting from him at national level.
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However, during their loss to Slovakia, his manager was unhappy that Wirtz did not try to make the most of the fouls, urging him to “be smarter.”
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“I didn’t speak to him about that scene, but if I did I would’ve told him that he should fall to the ground because it was a clear foul,” Nagelsmann said as per the Liverpool Echo.
“It wasn’t a regular goal.
You should be smarter in the situation and fall, because it was a clear foul.”
A reason why this would also frustrate Slot is because the Dutchman has been urging his players to do the exact same thing, with the Liverpool boss even suggesting his players should dive to some extent.
Slot was frustrated that Ryan Gravenberch was sent off at the end of last season for receiving two yellow cards, the first of which came from a dive.
He then blamed his team for being too nice, insisting they need to make more of the fouls and going to the ground is the only way to do this, as per the Independent.
Of course, this should not be the case but it seems like it has to be done nowadays if a foul is to be given, something Nagelsmann clearly agrees with and something that Wirtz will need to learn.