Jamie Carragher didn’t hold back after watching Florian Wirtz struggle in Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. Speaking on Sky Sports’ co-commentary panel, the former Liverpool defender said the German midfielder delivered what he described as "one of the worst" performances he had ever seen from him while wearing the red shirt. Carragher went on to argue that Wirtz should not be selected for the upcoming clash with Manchester City, warning that the player is far from the level many fans expected when he arrived at Anfield. During the first half of the Bournemouth game, Carragher repeatedly pointed out how ineffective Wirtz looked.
"Wirtz has been really poor again," he said, adding that "nothing is happening" when the midfielder is on the ball. He noted that Wirtz's passing accuracy in that half was a meagre 63%, the lowest figure among all Liverpool players on the pitch.
By contrast, the next worst passing percentage belonged to Alexander Isak and Milos Kerkez, who both managed 75%. After the final whistle, Carragher continued his criticism on the Sky Sports Podcast.
He claimed that the German has never displayed the kind of influence that justified his hefty transfer fee. "That was one of the poorest I’ve ever seen him in a Liverpool shirt," he said, before expanding on why he believes the player is underperforming. Carragher acknowledged that, on paper, Wirtz possesses a tidy style of play: he can retain possession, navigate out of tight spaces, and avoid losing the ball in dangerous areas.
However, the former defender argued that this neatness does not translate into meaningful contributions for the team. "When you watch Wirtz, he’s neat and tidy, he keeps possession, there are things you like. He gets out of a tight situation where you’re normally expecting your player to lose the ball.
But the reason I worry is, I don’t think Wirtz is in poor form since he came to Liverpool. I actually think what we’re seeing is what he is," Carragher explained. He recalled his own doubts about the midfielder dating back roughly twelve months, saying that his concerns were perhaps premature but had lingered in the back of his mind. Referring to a previous Liverpool away match at Burnley, Carragher noted that even when Liverpool secured a late penalty from Mo Salah, Wirtz’s contribution was limited to the sort of "neat and tidy" play he has shown for the past year.
"I don’t see how he’s going to hurt you. It’s just neat and tidy. And in some way, the price tag for that type of player should be half of what Liverpool have paid," he argued.
Carragher stressed that Liverpool had originally hoped Wirtz would be a catalyst for another league title and a deep run in the Champions League. Instead, he believes the gap between expectation and reality is so wide that even a modest improvement would fall short of what the club envisioned. "The gap he’s got to get to almost justify what people were expecting, I almost think is too big. You can’t get there.
Even if he improves a bit and gets there, it’s still not what Liverpool thought they were getting," Carragher said. The criticism extended beyond Wirtz himself.
Carragher argued that the midfielder’s placement at the No.10 role forces Dominik Szoboszlai to operate in central midfield, a position the Hungarian is not suited for. "I don’t think Szoboszlai is a central‑midfield player," Carragher added, highlighting the tactical ripple effect of Wirtz’s underperformance.
Looking ahead, Carragher warned that Wirtz should not be selected for the high‑stakes Premier League encounter with Manchester City on October 11. He suggested that Andoni Iraola, Liverpool’s manager, must make a decisive call about the German’s future. "I think going forward Iraola’s got a decision to make here. Wirtz would not be in my Liverpool team," Carragher said, emphasizing that the Bournemouth match should have been a turning point for the player.
"If he doesn’t produce against Bournemouth, he’s then going to have a three‑week break. By the time we come back, we’re into October.
He has to do something!" To illustrate his point, Carragher compared Wirtz with several Premier League players who, despite commanding far lower wages, consistently deliver tangible results. He cited Everton’s Kiernan Dewsbury‑Hall, who, while not a superstar, scores a goal every three or four games.
He also mentioned Morgan Gibbs‑White of Nottingham Forest, who produced a 45‑minute performance against Aston Villa that Carragher felt Wirtz had never matched for Liverpool. Even Emiliano Buendía, who scored for Aston Villa at Tottenham, was used as an example of a player who contributes regularly without a seven‑figure transfer fee. Carragher also touched on recent squad decisions by Iraola.
He praised the manager for showing courage in making bold changes, such as dropping full‑back Jeremie Frimpong and rotating Milos Kerkez. However, he expressed frustration that despite signing a lucrative five‑year contract for Ryan Gravenberch, Iraola has yet to give the Dutch midfielder meaningful minutes. "He’s not playing," Carragher lamented, suggesting that the club may be overpaying for players who are not delivering on the pitch.
Amid the criticism, Carragher offered a glimmer of hope: the possibility that former Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp, now Germany’s national team manager, could work his magic during the upcoming international break. Klopp has selected Wirtz for Germany’s Nations League fixtures, giving the midfielder a chance to regain confidence and form.
Carragher mused that a strong showing for the German side could rejuvenate Wirtz ahead of the Manchester City game. "The one hope for Liverpool supporters now is Jürgen Klopp is the Germany manager. Wirtz goes away with the Germany team for three weeks, and he’s obviously one of the best players in Germany, that’s how they see him. Can Jürgen Klopp sprinkle a bit of stardust on him?" He imagined a scenario where Wirtz returns from the international window brimming with goals and assists, ready to make a decisive impact against City.
"There’s a scenario there that Jürgen Klopp and Germany have a great international window, he gets loads of goals, assists and comes back on a high. Manchester City’s the next game, he impacts that, all is forgotten, all is forgiven. There’s a potential turnaround there.
I would love that to happen, I’d love him to be the match‑winner against Manchester City," Carragher concluded. In summary, Carragher’s assessment of Florian Wirtz is stark: the German midfielder has yet to justify his price tag, his performances have been underwhelming, and his presence disrupts the balance of Liverpool’s midfield. Unless he can rediscover the form that made him a coveted signing, Carragher believes he should be omitted from the squad that faces Manchester City, and perhaps even reconsidered for the longer term.
The upcoming international break, with Klopp overseeing Germany, may provide the spark Wirtz needs, but the onus now lies with Iraola to decide whether the player stays or goes.