‘What does he do?’ – Journalist severely critical of Liverpool star following PSG horror show
Following Liverpool’s dismal 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-final first leg, the spotlight is glaring harshly on Arne Slot’s team.
While manager Arne Slot continues to absorb the brunt of the tactical criticism, individual players are increasingly facing the wrath of the media.
Foremost among them is marquee summer signing Florian Wirtz. Signed for a staggering £100 million plus, the German international was brought in to be the creative fulcrum of Liverpool’s attack.
Yet, after another distinctly anonymous display in the French capital, prominent voices are beginning to openly question his value to the squad.
Liverpool star Wirtz criticised for anonymous performance
Taking to X in the immediate aftermath of the Parisian collapse, football journalist Lewis Steele perfectly encapsulated the mounting frustration surrounding the young playmaker.
He wrote:
“I’ve been quite lenient on Florian Wirtz this season as I am certain he will live up to his price tag in the near future. But so many of these games I am left thinking: what does he do? So ineffective and when you cost £100m, you want way, way more.”
It is a brutally honest, yet entirely valid assessment of a player who has consistently struggled to impose his will on English and European football since his blockbuster arrival from the Bundesliga.
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Steele’s critique feels particularly poignant when analysing the 2-0 loss at the Parc des Princes.
In a match where Liverpool historically failed to register a single shot on target, Wirtz was supposed to be the man unlocking the PSG defense.
Instead, he was completely suffocated, unable to navigate the tight spaces or deliver the killer passes that defined his stellar tenure at Bayer Leverkusen.
Sadly for Slot and his team, this performance was not an isolated incident. Wirtz’s recent form has been a major cause for concern.
When Liverpool’s possession-heavy system bogs down against resilient defensive blocks, Wirtz has too often become a passenger rather than the driving force that breaks the deadlock.
The raw talent is undeniable, his close control and vision remain elite, but the tangible output simply hasn’t matched the massive financial investment.
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