Iraola defends Wirtz: "Judge him by how he plays"
According to Soccernews.
Why it matters
Andoni Iraola's defense of Florian Wirtz highlights the importance of maintaining fair standards for all Liverpool players. In a Premier League context, where expectations are high, the pressure on Wirtz is palpable, especially after his costly transfer. His ability to adapt and contribute to the team's play will be crucial for the rest of the season.
Key points
- Iraola defends Wirtz: "Judge him by how he plays."
- Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola defends Florian Wirtz from the attacks he receives for his performance, asking to judge him for his way of playing.
- 'I rate Florian highly' – Iraola hits back at Wirtz critics over Liverpool form.
Andoni Iraola believes that Florian Wirtz should not be held to different standards than other Liverpool players, and has asked everyone to judge him on his way of playing. Wirtz joined the Reds last season, following a €116 million transfer from Bayer Leverkusen, but has yet to perform at the expected levels. In his time at Liverpool, the 23-year-old has scored 7 goals and 9 assists in 54 appearances, but has only collected one assist this season. This season, only Dominik Szoboszlai (16) and Cody Gakpo (10) have created more scoring chances than Wirtz (9), but his performances have been questioned by many. Wirtz did not take part in Wednesday's match against Tottenham in the League Cup, which Liverpool won 3-1, as he was rested ahead of Sunday's match against Bournemouth, Iraola's former team, in the Premier League. A predecessor of Iraola, Jurgen Klopp, called up Wirtz for his first German international but said fewer "special moments" should now be expected from the talented former Leverkusen man.
"He has to be judged like everyone else. If he plays well, if he doesn't play well, I always say: 'how does the team play when you're on the pitch?' Iraola said about Wirtz.
"I respect Florian a lot, he understands what we need from him, he is trying to help us in all aspects of the game. Obviously he will also want to add assists or goals, but he is helping us in many other aspects. Also we were able to give him a break [against Tottenham] which he needed, because he made a great effort in the previous games."
Iraola will face his former club Bournemouth for the first time, while no Liverpool manager has faced a former Premier League team since March 2015, when Brendan Rodgers won 1-0 against Swansea. The managers who have managed Liverpool are unbeaten against their former clubs (5 wins and 2 draws) in their last seven games, since their last defeat, which dates back to April 2012, when Kenny Dalglish lost 2-0 against Newcastle. Iraola guided Bournemouth to qualify for the Europa League last season, while the team's new manager, Marco Rose, achieved a victory in his first European match in charge of the Cherries, beating Real Sociedad 2-1.
However, Bournemouth are yet to win this season in the Premier League (3 draws and 1 defeat), and the only previous time they failed to get wins in their first league games was in the 2023-24 season, when they didn't win in their first 9 games.
"I don't think they've changed much, especially when it comes to names. They're almost always using the same starting eleven, with few changes. They lost Marcos Senesi and got Antonio Silva, who is a very similar player. The ideas and playing philosophy have remained the same. I was also lucky enough to speak to Marco Rose before leaving Bournemouth, and not much has changed. They are still a very dangerous, very strong team."
Iraola also commented on the national team call-ups of Rio Ngumoha and Alex Scott, both called up by Thomas Tuchel for the upcoming Nations League matches.
"I'm very happy for both of them, they deserved it," said Iraola. "They were very good, indeed, they were very good at deserving this call-up. They also went to do some work with the national team before the start of the tournament, and I'm sure they did well. I can speak very highly of both of them, they deserved it, they are ready, and I hope they enjoy this call-up to the fullest."
What happens now
With the next match against Bournemouth, Iraola's former team, Wirtz will have the opportunity to prove his worth. His performance could influence not only the outcome of the match, but also his future at Liverpool. The team will need all its key players to face the challenges in the Premier League and improve its position in the table.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the score of the Liverpool vs Bournemouth match?
The match has not been played yet, it is scheduled for Sunday.
How does the Liverpool vs Bournemouth match affect the league table?
The impact on the standings will depend on the result of the match, which is still to be played.
When will Liverpool's next match be played?
Liverpool's next match will be against Bournemouth on Sunday.
How many goals did Florian Wirtz score for Liverpool?
Florian Wirtz scored 7 goals in 54 appearances for Liverpool.
Why didn't Florian Wirtz play against Tottenham?
Florian Wirtz was rested ahead of the match against Bournemouth.
