Ex-Liverpool star defends "quality" of Florian Wirtz as true reason for quiet form emerges

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His performance is exactly the same, but we will all say, 'he played really well with an assist.'"Bradley and Flo are players that I trust 100 per cent."While Iraola remains steadfast, former Liverpool stars have been far more clinical in their assessment of Wirtz’s adaptation period.Steve McManaman, who knows a thing or two about driving at Premier League defences from midfield, believes Wirtz must quickly adapt to the sheer physicality of English football if he is to turn his exquisite technique into match-winning outcomes."What we are waiting for is how much of his strength he can turn into results," McManaman noted, praising Wirtz's elegant ball control while calling for a sharper understanding of the league's relentless tempo.Former Chelsea and Liverpool winger Joe Cole offered an even starker assessment, questioning whether the 23-year-old is simply getting overpowered in the middle of the park:"It's a mixture of a lot of things," Cole admitted. Iraola was quick to highlight Wirtz’s recent international displays as proof that the quality remains firmly intact:"He probably didn't have his best game [against City] but has had good games this season with us,"Iraola added.

He had some good performances in the national team; he scored one goal. Sometimes in Premier League games I look at him and he looks like he's being overrun.

He's losing silly balls. It moves too fast for him."But you have to factor in that he's a young man and that the team is not operating well around him.