“He was finished on Friday evening and was probably not at his best, but he still had a few silky, beautiful details and if you see him play, there is something there. I am already looking forward to see him next Monday.”
Jamie Carragher's judgment about the Premier League debut of Florian Wirtz reflected the fact that the record signing of Liverpool did not register any goal or an assist in their chaotic 4-2 victory over Bournemouth in Anfield. The champions entertained but also looked vulnerable.
It caused concern that Liverpool was too open, both in the full-back positions and because of the recording of Wirtz to support a front three. Against Newcastle on Monday evening football, Arne Slot can consider using the German in the front three instead.
But before an idea assumes that Wirtz is a luxury player, it is worth remembering one aspect of his game that may have been lost in the midst of the excitement about what Wirtz can bring to the Premier League. His off-the-ball movement is really exceptional.
It was something that Atakan Karazor, the Stuttgart captain, said on the eve of Wirtz's Liverpool debut that remained in the spirit. “The thing that people don't know, or maybe not seeing on the field is that Wirtz is running every time. He doesn't stop,” said Karazor.
“You see the current statistics of Florian Wirtz. You can see them in Kicker after the competitions.” That is a reference to the German magazine that publishes the data every week. “Every time Florian Wirtz is between 12 and 13 kilometers in every game,” adds Karazor.
“Of course, technology, dribbling, everything. And also the IQ for football is at a high level, at a level of world class. But I think this is the most special thing about Florian Wirtz. He doesn't stop for 90 minutes.” The statistics against Bournemouth propagate this.
It is not only the general current statistics, but the intensity of that running. Wirtz was the player who made the fastest runs during the opening weekend of the Premier League season. In fact, he was the only player to cover in a kilometer with high intensity.
There were two examples within the first few minutes of his Premier League career that emphasized why this could be so important for Liverpool when they try to open the opposition this season. The first came only 105 seconds in the match in Anfield.
Wirtz was in the number 10 position and was marked when Virgil van Dijk received the goalkeeper's ball. His immediate response was to run to the left, drag his opponent with him and open the space for Alexis Mac Allister to receive possession.
As soon as Mac Allister ran in Bournemouth, Wirtz did not stay wide. Instead, his next movement was to shoot inside, making the run from inside. It was an unparalleled move. He did not receive the ball himself, but his movement was the next decision by Mac Allister.
The passing lane to Cody Gakpo was opened and Wirtz was now the goal of his Marker Tyler Adams, something that was a characteristic of the game. It happened again in the fourth minute. Initially, Adams was in a good position to deal with Wirtz – but not long.
The Germany -International was on the road and only six seconds later he had freed himself from the attention of Adams and went behind the defense and had positioned himself between two defenders to get to Mohamed Salah at the end of a possible cross.
The Egyptian actually chose to cut inside and shoot himself, which means that in neither of these two examples so much Wirtz hit the ball. And yet on both occasions, Adams would certainly have been aware of the problem that Karazor refers to.
“As an opponent you can't get one minute off,” he explains. “Because if you only sleep 10 or 20 seconds, you will see Florian Wirtz on the other side, because he doesn't stop running. And with this kind of quality he can punish you in the game.”
Finding balance will still be a challenge for Slot. “We have players who may be looking for a last pass or a difficult solution in the final phase of an attack a little more – because they also have these steps – than we had last season,” he told Sky Sports.
The two attacking players to lose the most possession during the opening weekend were Salah and Wirtz. Undoubtedly, a Liverpool product that sees so much of the ball in dangerous areas, but it is also an indication of the risk that is inherent in their approach.
But whether Wirtz's use of the ball is good, bad or indifferent, it is already clear that it is his off-the-ball work that can also separate him from the rest. They know how difficult that can be to stop in the Bundesliga. They will quickly discover it in the Premier League.