Sean Dyche has become the latest football personality to weigh in on Florian Wirtz’s performances for Liverpool, with the former Everton manager sharing his belief that the Germany international has looked ‘boyish’ in the Premier League.
The Reds agreed a deal worth up to £116m to sign Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen last summer, but he endured a turbulent maiden campaign in England as Arne Slot’s side fell dismally short of defending the Premier League title.
The 23-year-old has also found his performances on the international stage the subject of increasing scrutiny back in his homeland, with his new national team coach, Jurgen Klopp, having come out to defend Wirtz more than once after he was partly scapegoated for Germany’s premature 2026 World Cup exit.
Slow Start Under Iraola
The midfielder has started the new season slowly at Anfield under new head coach Andoni Iraola, failing to score and recording just one assist from his opening six appearances.
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has been one of Wirtz’s biggest critics, recently insisting he should be dropped after the Sky Sports pundit was left unimpressed by his showing in the 1-0 win over AFC Bournemouth.
Dyche's Assessment
Dyche recently appeared alongside Carragher on the latest episode of The Overlap Fan Debate, sponsored by Sky Bet. But while he conceded that Wirtz is yet to adjust to English football, he suggested the Reds star could still live up to expectations and just needs more time to adapt.
“Players can get fearful when the expectation on them is so big,” he said. “They can get fearful of being in the right place. They hover around the box.
“As you know, when forwards are flying and absolutely purring, they're in the box every time the ball is in there.
“He [Florian Wirtz] still looks a little bit boyish to me in the Premier League. I still think he looks like that on the eye, just visually he's a little bit boyish in how he plays.
“But that could come with knowing and learning about the Premier League. Some players go in like hand in glove, for others it takes time, and they build up to the Premier League.”
Such comments came after Carragher had again suggested that Wirtz might need to come out of Iraola’s starting XI, saying: “They're (Isak and Wirtz) the two most expensive players we signed last year. Alexander Isak is now getting the goals and coming into it, but it's still not happening for Florian Wirtz.
“I'm not going to say any more on it, but I wonder if there are other options in the squad to maybe change this.”
Tah's Defence
One of Wirtz’s team-mates has now leapt to his defence amid the ongoing scrutiny from pundits such as Carragher.
Fellow Germany international Jonathan Tah, who also played alongside the Reds No.7 at Leverkusen, insists the criticism is too extreme.
“Of course I’m aware of how people are talking about him, but I can’t quite understand it,” he said. “I know what kind of player he is. I know he’ll perform even better and shine even brighter.
“But I find it a bit extreme how he’s being attacked right now. He should just keep going.
“I watch every Liverpool game where Flo plays, he’s not playing bad games - sometimes the last moment is missing to score a goal or play a decisive pass. But that will come.”
