The Reasons Why Liverpool Haven't Yet Found the Best from Florian Wirtz Yet

Assessment of the German midfielder's initial nine games for Liverpool has generally landed at the identical verdict - it has been an underwhelming beginning.

Several commentators have been more critical. Ex- England striker the Manchester United legend said the expensive acquisition "disrupts the equilibrium" of Liverpool's setup.

"He is a quality footballer and I'm confident he will improve - but he's experienced a gradual beginning and I think there's no denying that," said the former striker.

The young German is still without a goal or provide an assist for his new club, but does that paint the whole picture?

In this analysis we explore how effective he has been, why he hasn't been delivering as anticipated so far, and how Liverpool could extract the maximum out of him.

The squad's equilibrium is disrupted, but they are clearly experiencing a period of change.

Head coach the Dutch tactician has altered his tactical setup this season - and perhaps the loss of defender the England international created bigger questions than expected.

Following a comparable pattern to Slot's Feyenoord team, Liverpool are looking to operate with a increased frequency of rotations between players, progressing through the middle of the field with quick, tight-area interplay.

It therefore makes sense for Wirtz to be the primary attacking force to knit all elements together.

But, practically, he has been asked to perform a role that is somewhat altered from the position he is used to.

And that has reduced how often he positions himself in positions to score or assist.

This setup fails to extract the maximum potential out of Wirtz as an individual, but he hasn't performed poorly in this less-than-ideal role.

The midfielder is getting the ball further back more often.

The right-back was outstanding in his ability to pass the ball when operating deep, and Liverpool appear to be sorely missing that quality.

Captain Virgil van Dijk's diagonal passes to attacker Mohamed Salah is a great way for them to move the ball up the pitch consistently. Alternatively, the squad lack the distribution ability in their defensive line to locate team-mates up the field.

That responsibility has fallen on the young German at certain moments. He has been dropping deep to get the possession before turning and attempting to carry it forward. He is capable to perform this role because of his skill level, but it is limiting the opportunities he spends near the opposing goal.

Should possession duties can be shouldered by a different teammate, it possibly allows the attacker to operate higher up the pitch.

The academy graduate has the capability to do this in a double pivot or on the left flank, and may be an option Slot could turn to as he aims to complement Wirtz's natural game.

Among the biggest contrasts Wirtz is experiencing in the English top flight is the limited room and heightened pressure exerted to him.

Operating centrally between the defensive units against extremely compact defensive sides such as Crystal Palace, Wirtz has found himself with reduced opportunity and space to operate.

For his former club, there were games in which the midfielder would stand on the left wing while his team-mates progressed the play forward before passing to him.

In other situations, he would operate in middle attacking midfield areas, especially against sides that provided more space between the defensive units in games that became more counter-attacking in style.

Former Bayer boss Xabi Alonso profiled Wirtz well because both of these situations would allow him to get the ball with space - meaning he could receive and carry forward with room between himself and a defender.

For extracting the best out of Wirtz, delivering the possession to him when there is not immediate marking on him is optimal.

Whenever he is able to collect the ball on the turn and drive it ahead - with space between himself and the nearby opponent - he is able to use body feints and a variation in pace to destabilize rival defences.

In a similar manner to the Merseyside club attacker the England international, his best work both on the dribble and in his passing originates from situations in which he is driving with the possession and running at players.

This is why many of Wirtz's most impressive instances this season have occurred in transitions.

Space can be created by positioning him on the wing initially or by passing to him in the midfield quickly. When he is positioned between the defensive units, especially when an opposition's defensive shape is stretched, team-mates must therefore play direct passes to locate Wirtz.

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

Under the manager's faster and more rotation-based style of attack, Liverpool are vulnerable to fast breaks, with reduced bodies supporting the play. This demands forward players like the midfielder to press immediately with intensity when the ball is turned over.

Wirtz has completely dedicated himself to the defensive directives and has pressed energetically. In attack, he is being encouraged to drop deep to assist in building up while maintaining the licence to participate to offensive moves on both the left and right.

All of this is taxing on fitness, and several of his poor possession decisions could be attributed to fatigue. Among all footballers to feature significant game time in the top division this season, the German has run the fifth most ground per full match and the highest of all club player.

In a recent interview with Sky Sports Germany, Wirtz discussed the difference in his displays this season compared to the previous year.

He said the manager had expressed a view "it might be because we press a frequently and I cover ground a lot".

The midfielder continued: "For example, the running stats: I am always at the top in that category because I attempt to push hard and execute what the coach asks. I require a lot of power and stamina for that. Whenever I have the possession, I could be lacking a small amount. That this will simply develop progressively, as I gain more experience, get fitter, be able to do things more effortlessly, and then, when I have the ball, become {fit|conditioned