Has any Liverpool player missed Hugo Ekitike more than Florian Wirtz?
It’s a question I’ve been asking myself lately, because Wirtz looks a completely different player when Ekitike isn’t in the team.
We haven’t seen enough of the Wirtz we were hoping for this season. The clever touches are still there, he still wants the ball, and you can see the quality when he gets into the right positions. But too often, Liverpool’s most expensive attacking signing has looked frustrated, short of ideas and unable to make the difference when his team needs him.
And I keep coming back to Ekitike.
I don’t think the Frenchman is just another striker in this Liverpool side. He could be the player who helps Wirtz finally look like the footballer we expected to see at Anfield.
Ekitike gives Wirtz something Liverpool are missing
One of the things I like about Ekitike is that he doesn’t simply stand between the centre-backs waiting for the ball.
He moves. He drops deeper. He runs in behind. He can carry the ball himself, combine with teammates and create space for other attackers.
That matters enormously for a player like Wirtz.
Wirtz is at his best when he can receive the ball between the lines, turn towards goal and play those little passes that open up a defence. But he needs movement ahead of him. He needs runners who understand what he’s trying to do.
Ekitike looks like somebody who can provide that.
The two have already shown signs of developing an understanding. During Liverpool’s 4-1 win over Newcastle earlier this year, Ekitike scored twice while Wirtz scored and assisted, with the pair combining brilliantly in an attacking performance that showed what they might offer together.
That’s the sort of football I want to see more often.
Wirtz finding Ekitike’s runs. Ekitike bringing Wirtz into the game. Both players making Liverpool more unpredictable.
It looked exciting because there was a genuine connection there.
Without Ekitike, Wirtz looks isolated
This is where I think Liverpool have a problem.
When Ekitike isn’t available, Wirtz can end up trying to make things happen without having the same movement around him. He can receive the ball, look up and find that the runs simply aren’t there.
That doesn’t excuse everything. Wirtz is a £100m-plus player, and he has to find ways to influence matches even when his preferred teammates are missing.
But football is a team game. The best players need the right connections around them.
Look at the Manchester City defeat. Wirtz was involved, but involvement isn’t the same as influence. Liverpool needed somebody to produce a moment of quality, and he struggled to deliver before being substituted after Ryan Gravenberch’s dismissal changed the game.
I don’t think we should ignore that.
But I also don’t think we should judge Wirtz as though the attacking structure around him makes no difference.
For me, Ekitike’s absence is one factor worth examining.
The injury is a huge blow
Unfortunately, this isn’t a case of Ekitike simply missing a couple of games.
Liverpool confirmed that he suffered an Achilles rupture, an injury that has ruled him out for a substantial period. The club have since indicated that a return before the end of the season remains a possibility, but he is not someone Liverpool can rely on in the immediate future.
That’s a serious setback for the team.
Ekitike was still developing his game at Liverpool, but his movement and link-up play offered plenty of encouragement. Losing him means Iraola has to find another way of getting the best from Wirtz and the rest of the attack.
And that won’t be easy.
Liverpool have other forwards, but they don’t all offer exactly the same qualities. A different striker brings different runs, different combinations and different spaces for Wirtz to exploit.
The manager has to find a solution rather than simply expect Wirtz to carry the creative burden himself.
Wirtz still has to take responsibility
I want to make one thing clear: I’m not blaming everything on Ekitike being absent.
Wirtz has to do more.
There have been matches when his final ball hasn’t been good enough, when his shooting has let him down and when he’s struggled to impose himself. His price tag means people will scrutinise him, and that’s part of playing for Liverpool.
But I’m not ready to write him off.
We’ve seen what he’s capable of, and his performances alongside Ekitike give us a reason to believe the two could develop into an important partnership.
The challenge now is finding a way to get Wirtz playing with confidence while Ekitike recovers.
Maybe that means changing the shape. Maybe it means giving Wirtz a different supporting forward. Maybe it means getting the ball to him earlier and allowing him to play on the front foot rather than asking him to do too much defensive work.
Whatever the answer, Liverpool cannot afford to let a player with Wirtz’s ability drift through matches.
I still believe there is a brilliant player in there
I’ll be honest: I’m frustrated with what we’ve seen from Wirtz at times this season.
I expected more. I wanted him to arrive at Anfield and start dictating games, creating chances and making Liverpool’s attack tick.
That hasn’t happened consistently enough.
But I still believe there is a brilliant player in there, and I think Ekitike could be a key part of bringing the best out of him.
The Newcastle game showed the possibilities. The movement, the understanding and the quality were all there.
Now Liverpool have to find a way to recreate some of that without their injured striker.
Has anyone at Liverpool missed Ekitike more than Wirtz?
I genuinely think there’s a strong argument that he has.
That doesn’t absolve Wirtz of responsibility. He still needs to step up, particularly with Liverpool short of attacking options.
But perhaps the answer isn’t to give up on him. Perhaps it’s to recognise what he needs around him to succeed.
Because if Liverpool can get Wirtz firing again, the whole attack could look very different.
And when Ekitike eventually returns, I want to see that partnership given every opportunity to flourish.
We’ve seen enough to believe it could work. Now Liverpool need to find a way forward until they can play together again.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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