'I would encourage patience with Wirtz'

Liverpool fans had high expectations for midfielder Florian Wirtz, who joined the club from Bayern Leverkusen in a £116 million deal. However, Wirtz, at just 23 years old, has not fully lived up to the £100 million price tag. In the Premier League this season, he has made 55 appearances, scoring seven goals and providing 11 assists, but has yet to find the back of the net in the 404 minutes he has played.

When asked about Wirtz's performance, podcast host Josh Williams acknowledged that his recent play has been disappointing, likening it to a "disgrace" against Bournemouth. Williams believes that a player with Wirtz's price tag should be making a bigger impact, stating that it's not acceptable to have a £100 million player underperform.

Williams does grant Wirtz some credit, pointing to his successful career in the Bundesliga before joining Liverpool. However, over a year into his time in England, Wirtz has not produced the kind of game-changing performances that the £100 million price tag demands. The difficulty in judging Wirtz's performance lies in his youth and the tactical reasons behind his underwhelming start to the season.

Additionally, the recent change in management with Andoni Iraola taking over could be contributing to the challenges Wirtz is facing.

Williams understands the high expectations surrounding Wirtz, especially given his two back-to-back Bundesliga player of the year awards. While he can see why fans are frustrated, he is hesitant to defend Wirtz, as the current form does not justify the accolades from his previous club. Despite the criticism, Williams encourages patience with Wirtz, suggesting that it is unfair to expect immediate results from a player who is still relatively inexperienced in the English Premier League.