Florian Wirtz has been backed to come good by a former Liverpool player who also arrived at the club with high expectations on him.
Wirtz has had a miserable start to his Anfield career, failing to register a goal or an assist in the Premier League since his transfer from Bayer Leverkusen.
He has missed the last couple of games due to injury, and Liverpool was beaten heavily in both of them – confirming that the Wirtz conundrum isn't the only problem that the Reds have.
Ex-Liverpool winger Vladimir Smicer gave his verdict on Wirtz's struggles, tipping the German's quality to eventually shine through.
“Florian Wirtz is a fantastic player and I believe he will show his quality sooner rather than later," Smicer told Boyle Sports. "He's a great player, and the pressure is certainly there, but that's part of the game.
“The high transfer fee, of course, isn't his fault, it was a decision between the clubs. But this is the world of football, it's not always Christmas. This is war. Football games are war, and he must show he's a warrior.
“He needs to demonstrate that he can play, even in the Premier League. I saw him in the game against Newcastle, where he was being tackled hard – that was a real test, a good test. Like an old British game from the '80s or '90s, it was really tough.
“He seemed surprised that everyone was kicking him and giving him a hard time, but this is the Premier League, and I think he will adapt.
“It will take some time, and he's taking his time, but the pressure is constant. This is the Premier League, you signed for Liverpool, a Premier League winner, for a lot of money.
“This is the pressure. You need to deal with that. I know this from my own experience. When I signed for Liverpool, I replaced Steve McManaman. People expected me to replace him from the first game.
“It was difficult, I was under pressure. I felt the pressure, especially from the fans. But this is Liverpool, you need to perform. That's just how it is.”
Former Liverpool player Vladimir Smicer
Former Liverpool player Vladimir Smicer (Image: 2023 UEFA)
Smicer thinks that Liverpool's malfunctioning system is currently causing Wirtz some problems.
“At Leverkusen, everything revolved around Wirtz," Smicer added. "At Liverpool, we play a slightly different system, and it seems he's currently searching for his space and best position within the team.
“His performances in both the Champions League and Premier League are consistent, so you can't say he's only struggling in the Premier League and excelling in the Champions League.
“The Premier League is the best league in the world, and Florian Wirtz is recognizing the difference between Liverpool and his previous club.
“He is definitely a quality player with good touch and vision. However, as an offensive player who cost a lot of money, people, including myself, expected him to perform better for Liverpool.
“Despite this, I still have confidence in him and hope he will soon show his full potential, find his rhythm, and combine better with his teammates. I loved what he showed in Germany and was very excited when he signed for Liverpool. I'm still excited that he's playing for us.”