Florian Wirtz called 'passenger' as Arne Slot told he has Liverpool 'problem'
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Florian Wirtz has enjoyed his time away from the Liverpool spotlight, scoring a world-class free kick while on Germany duty.
But when you're a potential record signing, you don't even get three games before people start writing you off.
Of course, that moniker has already been taken from Wirtz by Alexander Isak, potentially lifting some of the pressure.
But it's also true that his price tag does not imply Liverpool envisages him sitting out too many big contests.
This, says Steve Nicol, is a problem for Wirtz and Liverpool.
Wirtz has the most shot-creating actions of anyone in the Liverpool squad so far, helping to tee up almost four efforts on goal per game.
That reflects one of his chief skill-sets, taking the ball in dangerous areas and finding ways to advance it into even more promising positions while under pressure.
Wirtz won't be guaranteed his place forever, as Nicol articulated:
"The problem he’s got is because of Isak coming in, because of Ekitike coming in, because how good Gakpo’s been..
That front four plus Wirtz would be an attacking line-up, to say the least.
So perhaps in a way Slot really does have a problem