Florian Wirtz Liverpool decision made as Arne Slot faces up to first-time issue

Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot is facing some tough decisions ahead of their Premier League clash with Chelsea , with Florian Wirtz's performances being closely watched. The Germany international hasn't scored a goal or provided an assist since the Community Shield loss to Crystal Palace in August.

The stats show that Liverpool 's £116million signing has gone eight matches in all competitions without making a significant contribution. Wirtz's performances for Liverpool have been under the microscope, with Jamie Carragher and Wayne Rooney criticising the midfielder's start at the Premier League champions.

Slot is experiencing his first difficult patch since taking over the Reds, as the defeat to Galatasaray marked the first time that Liverpool have suffered consecutive losses since March and only the second since he took over from Jurgen Klopp last year.

The Reds could lose their top spot before even kicking a ball in London this weekend, and the pressure will be on in their final match before the international break, especially with a face-off against Manchester United looming when top-flight football resumes. Carragher suggested that the 22-year-old should be benched for Liverpool ahead of their third away game of the week at Stamford Bridge on Saturday (5pm kick-off).

Mirror Football writers have given their opinions on whether the former Bayer Leverkusen star should stay in the team....

At the start of the season, I boldly predicted on the Blood Red podcast that Florian Wirtz would be Liverpool's standout player. However, less than two months in, I find myself reassessing that optimistic forecast.

Wirtz showed promise in the first half at Wembley, but since then his impact has been noticeably lacking. The pressure of a record-breaking transfer fee doesn't help, but it's something both Liverpool and the player must contend with.

There's no doubting his talent, but whether he can effectively fit into Arne Slot's team is up for discussion. A lack of goals and assists could be overlooked if there were near misses, but those have been few and far between.

To put it bluntly, I expected more from him at this stage. My main worry about the German midfielder is that he seems to take too long on the ball and hasn't fully adjusted to the physicality of the Premier League or the high work rate demanded by Slot.

For these reasons, I believe Slot should start with Wirtz on the bench against Chelsea and opt for a more robust midfield, similar to the one that effortlessly clinched the Premier League title last season. Liverpool are spoilt for choice when it comes to attacking talent, but getting everyone to gel might take a bit longer.

Benching Florian Wirtz could potentially hinder his development, despite his stats not painting the most flattering picture, he has shown flashes of brilliance that Liverpool can benefit from.

It's worth noting that the German international has joined a Liverpool squad that isn't as defensively solid as they were last season and with a significantly altered attacking line-up.

However, given the media scrutiny surrounding Wirtz, a decision regarding his selection needs to be made, and it might be best to take him out of the spotlight for now. The debate has centred around whether his presence is disrupting Liverpool's balance and if the team needs time to regain stability after a series of concerning performances.

That said, one must wonder what benching him would achieve if he's struggling to adapt to the existing structure. Arne Slot has attempted to utilise his skills, and while the Reds had a tough time against Crystal Palace, having Wirtz come off the bench against Chelsea could prove beneficial.

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