Mansion Sports – Florian Wirtz was once again in the spotlight after his performance for Liverpool against Bournemouth.

Although The Reds managed to secure a narrow 1-0 victory, the German midfielder’s performance raised plenty of questions.

Jamie Carragher even delivered strong criticism of Wirtz’s contribution, particularly because of the huge expectations that came with his transfer fee.

However, behind the criticism, Carragher still sees an opportunity for Wirtz to bounce back. The presence of Jürgen Klopp as Germany’s national team coach could be an important factor in helping the player rediscover his best form.

Carragher Questions Wirtz’s Contribution and Price Tag

Carragher did not hold back in his assessment of Wirtz after an unconvincing performance against Bournemouth.

Although The Reds secured a narrow 1-0 victory at Vitality Stadium, attention was instead focused on the German midfielder’s inability to influence the course of the match.

During the first half, Carragher was particularly vocal about the 23-year-old’s contribution while working as a co-commentator.

“Wirtz has been really poor again,” he said. “There is nothing there. Absolutely nothing is happening there.”

“That was one of the worst performances I have seen from him in a Liverpool shirt,” he said on the Jamie Carragher Podcast. Explaining his concerns further, he admitted,

“I have been critical of the fact that he does not have good statistical numbers. But usually when you watch Wirtz, he is neat and composed, he is able to retain possession, there are things you like.”

He added, “He can get out of difficult situations when normally you would expect your player to lose the ball. But the reason I am concerned is, I do not think Wirtz has been in poor form since coming to Liverpool.”

“I actually think what we are seeing is a picture of who he is. And I was actually concerned about Wirtz around 12 months ago. Maybe it was too early to say that at the time, but I did not say it. It was just something that was in the back of my mind.”

Tactical Concerns and the Szoboszlai Effect

The tactical impact of putting Wirtz in the starting lineup has also become one of Carragher’s concerns.

He believes using Wirtz in the number 10 position forces other key players to operate outside their natural positions, particularly Hungarian international Dominik Szoboszlai.

“The concern for Wirtz now is that his performances so far, or what he has given Liverpool, have been very low,” Carragher said.

“We expected him to take Liverpool to another league title, to take Liverpool to the Champions League title. The distance he has to go to almost justify what people expect from him, I think it is almost too great. You cannot get there.”

Demanding a Major Decision from Iraola

With an important match against Manchester City awaiting at Anfield on October 11, Carragher urged manager Andoni Iraola to make a firm decision.

The pundit stressed that based on his current performances, there is no reason for Wirtz to start against the defending champions.

“I think going forward Iraola has a decision to make here. Wirtz would not get into my Liverpool team,” he stated.

The pundit highlighted Wirtz’s passing accuracy, which stood at just 63 percent against Bournemouth, the lowest figure among Liverpool players on the pitch.

For comparison, Milos Kerkez and Alexander Isak both recorded passing accuracy of 75 percent.

“Manchester City at home, for me, he cannot be in the team,” Carragher added firmly.

Can Jürgen Klopp Save Wirtz’s Season?

Despite the strong criticism, Carragher believes there is one potential avenue that could help Wirtz regain his confidence: the international break.

With former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp now in charge of the Germany national team, Wirtz will spend three weeks under the guidance of someone who understands the demands at Anfield better than most.

Klopp included the midfielder in his squad for the upcoming Nations League matches against Serbia and Greece.

“One hope for Liverpool supporters now is that Klopp is the Germany manager,” Carragher said. “Wirtz goes away with the Germany team for three weeks, and of course he is one of the best players in Germany, that is how they see him.”

Carragher acknowledged that Klopp’s unique player-management style could be key to bringing out the best in Wirtz.

“Jürgen is one of the best managers in the world, we know that. And what he gets out of players may be more than most managers because of his personality, and hopefully something can happen for him.”