Andoni Iraola Needs to Make a Tough Decision ‘Sooner or Later’ on Struggling Florian Wirtz

Jamie Carragher has challenged manager Andoni Iraola to make a tough decision on Florian Wirtz because, just over a year into his Liverpool career, the German No. 10, who was supposed to define the next Anfield chapter, might not be any more than a “neat and tidy” player worth half what the Reds paid last summer.

Wirtz was Liverpool’s first player signed for over £100 million ($133.9 million), a club-record buy until Alexander Isak also arrived a few weeks later. He was a Bundesliga champion at Bayer Leverkusen and a reliable source of goals and assists in the German scene—good but not outstanding numbers. Wirtz largely got the benefit of the doubt during his underwhelming debut season in England, but there are fewer and fewer places to hide with each passing match.

Carragher called Wirtz “really poor again” when Liverpool narrowly beat Bournemouth on Sunday. He started in the No. 10 role and was credited with three chances created, but his expected assists (xA) was just 0.05, while his expected goals (xG) was barely better at 0.22. Wirtz took no shots that weren’t blocked the moment the ball left his foot. His all-round game was only O.K. and he contributed very little where it actually mattered.

“Nothing is happening there at all,” Carragher sighed on Sky Sports.

“That was one of the poorest I’ve ever seen him in a Liverpool shirt. I’ve been critical of the fact that he hasn’t got the numbers. But normally when you watch Wirtz, he’s neat and tidy, he keeps possession, there’s things that you like. He gets out of a tight situation where you're normally expecting your player to lose the ball.”

But where the perception is now starting to change is Carragher no longer believes it is solely a matter of temporary form. Is this all that Florian Wirtz is?

“I worry [because] I don’t think Wirtz is in poor form since he came to Liverpool. I actually think what we’re seeing is what he is. It was just in the back of my head [for 12 months].

Florian Wirtz vs. Bournemouth — Wirtz does not threaten enough. | Robin Jones/AFC Bournemouth/Getty Images

“I don’t see how he’s going to hurt you. It’s just neat and tidy. And in some way, the price tag for that type of player should be half of what Liverpool have paid. The worry for Wirtz now is that his performances so far, or what he’s given Liverpool, is so low. Where we were expecting him was to take Liverpool to another league title, to take Liverpool to a Champions League.”

Carragher went on to suggest that the “gap” between the expectation and reality is “almost too big” for Wirtz to close. “You can’t get there. Even if he improves a bit and gets there, it’s still not what Liverpool thought they were getting.”

Carragher namedropped Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Everton), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest) and Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa) as attacking midfielders doing more for their respective clubs than Wirtz is at Liverpool. “No one out there would say Dewsbury-Hall is a better player than Wirtz … but every three or four weeks he scores a goal. These players aren’t going to get over £100 million, but they’re still giving their clubs bits every few weeks.”

Why Dropping Wirtz Is Helpful to Szoboszlai

Dominik Szoboszlai is best used further forward. | Steve Bardens/Getty Images

Carragher doesn’t believe Iraola would be scared of making a big decision like benching Wirtz, especially with the Reds returning to Premier League action after the international window against Manchester City—it was a Wirtz performance against City in November of last season that prompted Gary Neville to brand him a “little boy” playing against men.

Iraola has seen fit to bench an underperforming Ryan Gravenberch for much of this season.

“Wirtz wouldn’t be in my Liverpool team. Manchester City at home, for me, he can't be in the team,” Carragher said. “The things I’ve liked so far about Iraola, he’s had the courage to make big decisions. Ryan Gravenberch has just signed a hefty contract on a five-year deal on massive money. He’s not playing. Sooner or later he's going to have to make a decision on Florian Wirtz. I hope it’s sooner. Not because I don’t like Florian Wirtz, I’m desperate for the kid to do well. I just want Liverpool to win.”

Wirtz moving to the bench would leave a perfect Dominik Szoboszlai-sized hole in the No. 10 berth. The Hungarian has generally been considered Liverpool’s best player since the start of last season, but has been accused in the early weeks of 2026–27 of lacking the positional discipline—through a natural keenness to be involved all over the pitch—of a traditional central midfielder.

If Szoboszlai gets into the No. 10 role at the expense of Wirtz, Liverpool get the best of him without the risk of leaving great holes in the middle of the pitch. If anything, Wirtz and Szoboszlai being in the same team means the latter has to play deeper and, as Carragher puts it, “I don’t think Szoboszlai is a central-midfield player, I don’t.”

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