Thierry Henry suggests Florian Wirtz’s £116m move to Liverpool has been challenging because his Bundesliga experience did not adequately prepare him for the Premier League’s intensity and tactical nuances.
According to a report from the Liverpool Echo, Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has offered an insightful theory on why Florian Wirtz, who joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, has struggled to make a significant impact.
Despite arriving with a stellar reputation and contributing three assists in 16 games for his new club, Wirtz is yet to find consistent success at Liverpool.
The article highlights that Wirtz’s previous performances over two seasons in the Bundesliga have not translated into consistent success, and his current manager, Arne Slot, has struggled to find the optimal position for the playmaker in his 4-3-3 formation.
Critics have emerged, including Gary Neville, who “harshly described him as being ‘like a little boy'” during Liverpool’s 3-0 loss to Manchester City.
While discussing Arsenal’s 4-1 victory over Tottenham on Sky Sports, Henry shared his thoughts on the difference in leagues, stating:
“It’s not easy to arrive in a team and perform straight away, as we can see with Florian Wirtz at Liverpool. But I always have a question mark over people who perform in Germany. That’s only me.”
Henry explained his rationale: “I’m not saying they won’t perform in another league, I’m just saying because of the way the league is there, really stretched, if you can run well you’re going to have a lot of opportunities, goals and assists. People can run with you in this league, so it’s very difficult.”
He also suggested that current tactical approaches that “control everything to make sure they don’t get countered” do not favor creative players like Wirtz.