German media share brutal Florian Wirtz verdict as Liverpool star's struggles continue

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Liverpool Echo IconSportFootballFlorian WirtzWe take a look at what the German media had to say about Florian Wirtz as the midfielder sought to leave his Liverpool woes behind while on international dutyIf there was any hope that Florian Wirtz might regain his form during the international break, it appears to have since been quelled. The midfielder is a player clearly lacking in confidence ever since his then-record breaking £116million transfer to Liverpool in June.He arrived at Anfield with plenty of expectation, having been considered one of the gems of German football and snubbed interest from Bayern Munich to join the Premier League champions.

But aside from flashes of his obvious quality, it’s fair to say the 22-year-old’s start to life on Merseyside has not gone as expected.Particularly disappointing has been his end product, having failed to score for the Reds as of yet and still not registering an assist in 11 Premier League matches, though he ironically notched two on his Champions League return to Germany against Frankfurt.READ MORE: Mohamed Salah verdict delivered as Liverpool star warned when he could be dropped amid poor formREAD MORE: Liverpool star's new injury message as update shared after latest setbackDespite the narrative forming around the playmaker in the media, Wirtz was selected by Julian Nagelsmann for this month’s World Cup qualifiers against Luxembourg and Slovakia.He played the full 90 minutes of the first encounter on Friday, featuring in his favoured No.10 role, while he has recently had to play in a multitude of positions across the front line and in midfield under Arne Slot.However, the overwhelming consensus among the German press was that he struggled. They managed to disrupt Luxembourg's high press simply by being present and, at least, gained some ground on the pitch.“Florian Wirtz also gave the impression that he had finally substituted himself in, although his efforts during this phase seemed more well-intentioned than well-executed.”Liverpool knocks 50% off kits and merchThis article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it.

They described him as being sometimes invisible and “lacking physical intensity in almost all of his actions”, before delivering a hammer blow by saying: “He repeatedly dribbled himself into trouble and lacked any spark or inspiration.”Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung noted his deflected shot which went wide in the 39th minute and said he “squandered” the chance to give Germany a first half lead. However, they did note that the second goal came from his clearance attempt at the other end of the pitch.It’s fair to say Wirtz’s limited impact for club and country this season has frustrated him and others, and we await to see how he fares in Germany’s next match.