Iraola: Wirtz is Key to Liverpool's Attack

Andoni Iraola is refusing to judge Florian Wirtz by a cold line of statistics and insists the Germany international will grow into a driving force for Liverpool’s reshaped attack.

Wirtz shone in Liverpool’s Champions League win over Atlético Madrid on Wednesday, another big-stage performance after some of his best displays last season also came in Europe. At home, though, the £116m forward has been under the microscope: one assist, no Premier League goals, and a tendency to lose the ball have fuelled criticism.

Iraola isn’t buying it.

“Flo played very well against Atlético Madrid and I also think he has been unlucky,” the Liverpool manager said, pointing to the disallowed “goal” against Nottingham Forest that VAR ruled out.

The Spaniard argued Wirtz could already have more assists if teammates had finished the chances he created. That, he said, is exactly why he refuses to be led by spreadsheets.

“Whether a striker scores a lot of goals or he doesn’t, you have to look at the performances. Does he help us to play well? Yes. Well, someone will score the goals and someone will give the assists. I am not too focused on numbers.”

In Iraola’s eyes, Wirtz’s job is to knit Liverpool’s new-look front line together. If the team functions, the goals will come from somewhere – even from deeper runners, as in midweek.

“Nowadays everything is about numbers, everyone tells players you have to assist, you have to score goals. For me, you have to help us play well,” he said. “Someone will score the goals and I don’t care if it is the midfielders like it was the other day. Someone will score the goals if we are doing well collectively.”

The signs of chemistry are already there. Wirtz carved out a superb opening for Bradley Barcola against Atlético, and Iraola is convinced that as the 23-year-old grows in sync with Barcola and fellow summer arrival Victor Muñoz, his influence will only swell.

“There is an argument to make that the wingers have changed more than anywhere else,” Iraola said. “Now we have new weapons we can use with Bradley and Victor. With Florian, he is key for us. I am not worried because he will quickly learn where Victor prefers the ball or where Bradley prefers the ball.”

Barcola has barely arrived and yet that connection is already visible.