Florian Wirtz's first season at Liverpool fell well short of expectations. The 23-year-old managed only seven goals and 10 assists in 49 appearances across all competitions, with inconsistency plaguing much of his debut year at Anfield.
That could now change. Andoni Iraola has replaced Arne Slot as Liverpool head coach, bringing an aggressive, attacking philosophy that promises a return of excitement to Merseyside. Wirtz is expected to be a key figure in that system.
Adding to the optimism is Jurgen Klopp's appointment as Germany national team boss earlier this month, following the four-time world champions' World Cup round-of-32 exit to Paraguay. Klopp has already made clear how he believes Wirtz should be used.
Klopp: Give Wirtz the ball
Speaking about Wirtz's display against Curacao, Klopp said: "The important thing is that we involve him in the game." He added: "There were moments against Curacao when I thought, just give him the ball. Not even because he was the best passing option, but because, as a teammate, I want Flo Wirtz to feel good. If I were (Nico) Schlotterbeck, I’d just give him the ball five times for no particular reason and see what he does."
"If you really want Flo Wirtz to get into a rhythm, if you want the place to really be buzzing, then give him the ball, because that’s when the lad feels completely at home. I was incredibly grateful to him. I thought he was really, really good, especially in how tactically disciplined he was."
Keeping Wirtz in the final third
One criticism of Wirtz last season was that he frequently dropped too deep to collect the ball, limiting his impact in attacking areas. Klopp picked up on that during the World Cup, explaining: "He can’t keep dropping back to his own penalty area, pick up the ball and do everything himself. We have to find situations where we can use him in those positions, because his positioning creates so much space for Nmecha, for Adeyemi, for everyone making runs into those areas."
Iraola will hope to apply the same thinking at Liverpool. Wirtz joined up with his team-mates in Chicago over the weekend and could make his pre-season debut against Leeds United on Sunday, offering the first glimpse of how he fits into Iraola's style and whether he can succeed Mohamed Salah as the Reds' go-to man.
