Liverpool kriisissä Jamie Carragher vaatii Florian Wirtzin pudottamista avauksesta Arne Slotin etsii ratkaisua
The Arne Slot era at Liverpool is only weeks old, yet already it feels as though storm clouds are gathering. What should have been a fresh chapter for the club—energised by a record signing—has quickly veered into uncomfortable territory. Supporters find themselves with little patience, rivals are circling, and one of Anfield’s loudest voices has had enough. Jamie Carragher has spoken, and his verdict could not be clearer: Florian Wirtz needs to sit out.
A red week to forget
Tuesday night in Istanbul was supposed to offer Liverpool a reset, but instead it delivered another jab to a fragile start. A 0–1 defeat against Galatasaray arrived on the back of a damaging 1–2 home loss to Crystal Palace. Just like that, Slot’s honeymoon period has evaporated. Confidence looks shredded, the swagger of old has disappeared, and fans are left muttering about cracks appearing far too early.
And right at the heart of this shift is Florian Wirtz. The German playmaker—signed for roughly €125 million—was meant to be both statement and solution. Yet after more than 600 minutes of football, the harsh numbers stare back: zero goals, zero assists. For a player built up as a generational spark, the silence feels deafening.
Carragher’s warning shot
On U.S. television, Carragher wasted no time cutting to the core of the issue. Wirtz, he argued, is not ready to carry this side, and Slot is paying the price for leaning too heavily on him. In the blunt words of the ex-defender, it is time to restore balance—and that means removing Liverpool’s golden signing from the lineup.
The message was as much about urgency as it was about Wirtz himself. Liverpool, Carragher insisted, do not have months to wait for sparks to appear. Not when so much money and expectation hang in the balance. Results matter now, not narratives of patience.
Is Wirtz really the problem?
Of course, one player alone cannot explain Liverpool’s malaise. The wider picture is grim: an attack that misfires, a midfield lacking rhythm, and a defence prone to lapses. Slot’s preference for possession-heavy play has left the side trapped between identities, far from the ruthless edge they once had.
Then there’s Wirtz’s personal challenge. Thriving at Bayer Leverkusen, he floated into space, dictating tempo and unlocking defences. The Premier League is a different beast entirely—faster, harsher, more unforgiving. He has yet to adapt, and fans, as ever, are not inclined to wait. A fee of this magnitude brings instant demand.
Slot’s looming decisions
So where does the manager turn from here? The options, while clear, each carry risk:
- Bench Wirtz and re-establish the structure that worked last season.
- Reframe his role, protecting him in wider positions or secondary attacking duties.
- Double down and trust that a breakthrough will flip the narrative as soon as he registers a decisive contribution.
Each scenario will test Slot’s resolve and shape his identity as a coach in England. Pragmatist, innovator, or loyalist? This is where his story begins to take form.
A familiar tale in football
Liverpool have seen this before. Big signings sometimes click instantly—think Salah or Van Dijk—and at times, they never do—Andy Carroll, Naby Keïta. Darwin Núñez has lived both realities, swinging between missed chances and flashes of brilliance. Wirtz, only 22, surely belongs to the long-term project. But a generational price tag tolerates very little time in the shadows.
Crunch time at Anfield
Two defeats, questions over leadership, impatience in the stands—it feels like Liverpool are teetering at a crucial point. Wirtz’s story has become the symbol of something far larger: the tension between expectation and reality. For Carragher, the fix begins with one tough call to the bench. For Slot, the decision is less about Wirtz alone and more about how he wants his Liverpool defined.
One certainty remains: the next lineup will be scrutinised more than most, and Wirtz will be at the heart of it all—whether in the starting XI or left watching from the touchline.
Possible headlines
- Liverpool’s €125m gamble: Carragher says it’s time to drop Wirtz
- Two defeats, no goals, and one costly signing—is Liverpool in crisis?
- Carragher blunt on Slot’s dilemma: Wirtz has to sit out
👉 What do you think? Should Slot keep faith in Wirtz through the growing pains, or protect him by easing him out of the spotlight? Your thoughts might reflect what many at Anfield are already debating.