Director of Pharmaceutical Factory: Wirtz is essentially a team player, and it will be difficult for him to perform without the Red Army forming a team

Hupu, November 16th: Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes recently defended Wirtz, believing that the German genius's difficult start in Liverpool was related to the team's overall running-in. In the summer window of this year, the Red Army introduced Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for a record-breaking fee of 116 million pounds in team history, and then signed Alexander Isak for a British transfer fee of 125 million pounds, but the two new players have not yet fully blossomed at Anfield.

The 22-year-old Wirtz once shone under Xavi Alonso, contributing 57 goals and 65 assists in all competitions. However, after moving to Liverpool, he only provided three assists in the Community Shield match against Crystal Palace and the Champions League victory over Frankfurt, and has yet to show his dominance in the Bundesliga. The attacking midfielder's position under coach Slott is not fixed this season, and his best position in the Red Army's new system remains to be determined.

In Liverpool's 0-3 defeat against Manchester City before the international break, Wirtz's struggling performance triggered sharp criticism from Manchester United star Neville, who bluntly said "Mr. 120 million was as helpless as a child on the court." However, the German team coach Nagelsmann was the first to speak out, pointing out that the Red Army's forwards repeatedly squandered the opportunities created by Wirtz. Data shows that if his teammates had not missed many excellent opportunities, Wirtz's assist data could have been even more impressive.

Rolfes analyzed when accepting "Cologne City News": "Despite his outstanding personal ability, Wirtz is essentially a team player. He is good at cooperating and penetrating, and Liverpool as a whole has not yet formed a chemical reaction - which makes it difficult to display his characteristics."

In addition, joining Newcastle this summer Sil's German teammate Walter Mader also expressed support: "It is not easy to adapt to the new league. Wirtz's actual performance is better than the data reflects. He is heavily involved in offensive organization and is extremely threatening every time he touches the ball."

Despite the initial difficulties, the industry generally believes that Wirtz needs time to adapt to the rhythm of the Premier League. As Liverpool gradually improves its tactical system, the true value of this talented midfielder is expected to be verified in the coming months.