Carragher says Wirtz must be dropped after ‘one of worst’ Liverpool performances

Jamie Carragher believes Florian Wirtz should be left out of Liverpool’s team after describing the Germany international’s display in Sunday’s 1-0 win over Bournemouth as one of his worst for the club.

Wirtz, who joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m, has yet to convince since arriving at Anfield. Carragher said the midfielder’s latest performance had intensified concerns about whether he can deliver the influence expected of him.

“​​That was one of the worst performances I have seen from him in a Liverpool shirt,” Carragher said on his new podcast.

“I have criticised his lack of statistics. But usually, when you watch Wirtz, he is a classy and composed player who keeps the ball, and there are things about him that you like. He gets out of situations where you would normally expect your player to lose possession.”

However, Carragher said he was increasingly concerned that Wirtz’s struggles were not simply a temporary loss of form.

“The reason I am worried is that I do not think Wirtz has been in bad form since he came to Liverpool,” he added, as reported by the Daily Mail. “I actually think what we are seeing is what he is.”

The former Liverpool defender said Wirtz had done little in England to justify the expectations surrounding him and that he could not see how the player would damage opposing teams.

“I think the gap he has to close to justify what people expected is absolutely huge,” Carragher said. “You cannot get there.”

“Even if he improves a little and gets there, he is still not what Liverpool thought they were going to get.”

Carragher also argued that Wirtz’s selection affects the balance of Liverpool’s midfield. Playing Wirtz as the attacking midfielder would require Dominik Szoboszlai to move into a deeper role, a position Carragher does not believe suits him.

“It is not just about Wirtz; there are other effects,” he said. “When he plays as the number 10, it means Dominik Szoboszlai has to play in midfield. I do not think Szoboszlai is a midfielder. I really do not.”

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola now faces a three-week international break in which to consider his next decisions before the team returns to action against Premier League leaders Manchester City on 11 October.

Carragher believes Wirtz’s place should be at the centre of that discussion.

“Iraola has a decision to make here. Wirtz would not be in my Liverpool team,” he said.

“I thought the Bournemouth game was an important one for Wirtz, because if he did not perform well, he would get a three-week break.”

“By the time we return, we will be in October. Before we know it, Christmas will be six to eight weeks away, or it will feel as if Christmas is approaching. He has to do something.”

Carragher concluded: “Wirtz would not be in my Liverpool team. In the home game against Manchester City, I could not put him in the side.”