Why The Reds Aren't Getting the Best from Wirtz Yet

Analysis of the German midfielder's initial nine games for the Merseyside club has generally landed at the identical verdict - it has been an disappointing beginning.

Some have gone further. Ex- Three Lions striker the Manchester United legend stated the expensive acquisition "disrupts the balance" of Liverpool's setup.

"He is a quality footballer and I'm sure he will improve - but he's had a slow start and I think there's no denying that," said Rooney.

Wirtz is yet to score or register an goal contribution for his current team, but does that paint the complete story?

Here we examine how good he has performed, why he isn't performing as anticipated so far, and how Liverpool could extract the maximum out of him.

Liverpool's balance is disrupted, but they are clearly experiencing a period of change.

Head coach Arne Slot has altered his approach this campaign - and possibly the absence of right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold created greater challenges than expected.

In a similar approach to Slot's previous club team, Liverpool are attempting to play with a increased frequency of positional switches between teammates, advancing through the central areas of the field with rapid, tight-area combination play.

It therefore makes sense for the attacking midfielder to be the central attacking force to connect everything together.

However, in reality, he has been asked to do a role that is somewhat altered from the position he is used to.

And that has reduced how frequently he positions himself in positions to find the net or assist.

This setup fails to extract the maximum potential out of the player as an singular talent, but he hasn't been bad in this less-than-ideal role.

Wirtz is getting the possession deeper more often.

The right-back was outstanding in his capability to distribute the ball when operating deep, and the team seem significantly lacking that quality.

Captain the Dutch defender's long switch to forward the Egyptian winger is a effective method for them to get the ball forward reliably. Alternatively, Liverpool are missing the distribution ability in defence to find teammates up the field.

This duty has been placed on the young German at certain moments. He has been retreating deeper to receive the possession before changing direction and trying to drive it up the pitch. He is capable to perform this role because of his skill level, but it is reducing the opportunities he spends near the opposition net.

If build-up responsibilities can be shouldered by a different teammate, it possibly enables the attacker to operate higher up the pitch.

Curtis Jones has the capability to perform this function in a double pivot or on the left wing, and could represent an alternative the manager could turn to as he aims to enhance Wirtz's natural game.

One of the biggest differences the player is encountering in the English top flight is the limited space and increased intensity exerted to him.

Operating centrally between the defensive units against very organized opposing teams such as Crystal Palace, the German has been positioned with less opportunity and room to operate.

During his time at Bayer Leverkusen, there were matches in which the midfielder would stand on the left wing while his team-mates progressed the ball forward before finding him.

In other situations, he would operate in central attacking midfield positions, especially against opponents that offered more space between the defensive units in games that became more transitional in nature.

Former Leverkusen boss the Spanish manager profiled the talent well because both of these scenarios would enable him to get the possession with space - meaning he could collect and drive forward with room between himself and a defender.

To get the best out of Wirtz, delivering the possession to him when there isn't instant pressure on him is ideal.

When he is able to collect the ball on the turn and drive it ahead - with space between himself and the nearby player - he is capable to use body feints and a variation in speed to disrupt opposition defences.

In a similar manner to Everton attacker Jack Grealish, his finest performances both on the dribble and in his passing originates from situations in which he is driving with the ball and running at defenders.

This is why many of the German's most impressive moments this campaign have come in counter-attacks.

Space can be created by deploying him on the wing initially or by finding him in the center quickly. When he is operating between the defensive units, especially when an rival team's defensive shape is stretched, team-mates must accordingly play forward passes to locate the midfielder.

England's top division's physical demands has strategic consequences but also impacts players personally - and Wirtz seems to have not yet completely adjusted to this transition.

Under Slot's quicker and more rotation-based approach of offensive play, the team are vulnerable to counter-attacks, with reduced bodies behind the ball. This demands forward players like Wirtz to counter-press with intensity when the ball is turned over.

The young talent has fully committed to the defensive instructions and has harassed intensely. In attack, he is being instructed to retreat to help in constructing play while having the freedom to contribute to offensive moves on both the left side and right.

All of this is demanding physically, and several of his subpar possession actions may be attributed to tiredness. Among all players to feature significant game time in the Premier League this campaign, the midfielder has run the fifth-highest distance per 90 minutes and the highest of any club player.

During a recent discussion with Sky Sports Germany, Wirtz spoke about the difference in his displays this season versus the previous year.

He said Slot had voiced a opinion "it could be because we press a frequently and I cover ground a considerably".

The midfielder added: "For example, the distance covered statistics: I'm always at the top there because I attempt to push hard and do what the manager demands. I require a significant power and energy for that. Whenever I have the possession, I could be lacking a little bit. The expectation it will simply develop step by step, as I gain more experience, improve physically, be able to perform actions more effortlessly, and then, when I have the ball, be {fit|conditioned