Iraola Defends Wirtz Amid Stats Debate

Andoni Iraola is in no mood to judge Florian Wirtz by a numbers column.

Liverpool’s £116m playmaker shone again in the midweek win over Atlético Madrid, extending a pattern from last season when some of his sharpest displays came under the Champions League lights. At home, though, the debate has been less kind. One assist, no Premier League goals, and a growing focus on how often he loses the ball.

Iraola is having none of it.

“Flo played very well against Atlético Madrid and I also think he has been unlucky,” the Liverpool manager said, pointing straight to the fine margins that have shaped the narrative. He namechecked the disallowed strike against Nottingham Forest – given on the pitch, scrubbed by VAR – and the chances Wirtz has created that teammates have failed to finish.

“He could have had very good assists but we haven’t finished them. That is why you cannot just play because of the numbers.”

The criticism has centred on risk. Wirtz tries things. Sometimes he gives it away. Iraola’s view is that Liverpool need exactly that type of courage between the lines, especially as a new attack beds in.

“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,” he said. “I am not too focused on numbers. 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.”

The Atlético game underlined that point. Wirtz slid a superb chance on to the boot of Bradley Barcola, a glimpse of the combinations Iraola expects to see more often as the front line settles. The manager is convinced that understanding with Barcola and fellow new signing Victor Muñoz will sharpen quickly.

“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 only just walked through the door, but the link already looks promising. “Bradley in just his second game you could see they already had a good association,” Iraola added. “I am not very worried.”

The numbers will come if the relationships do. That is the bet Iraola is clearly prepared to make.