Data: Trust, Adaptation, Positional Tweak Behind Florian Wirtz’s Improved Form at Liverpool

The German international has been in very good form since the end of the November international break

Written on 31/12/2025

If you are Florian Wirtz, or among those who trusted that the German would come good once he played more and adapted to the Premier League, you would be happy heading into 2026.

The former Bayer Leverkusen star has been, by far, Liverpool’s most influential player in December and is only getting better as the second part of the season approaches.

One can talk about the impact Hugo Ekitike has had since his arrival (and rightly so), but it was always clear that if Wirtz began to find his rhythm, it would help the team play better, particularly in the final third and beyond.

After a settling first three months marked by peaks and troughs, the German international did not start the first two games after the November international break due to a minor injury. Liverpool lost both matches at Anfield by an aggregate score of 7–1.

Wirtz has started every league game since then, six in total, registering a goal and an assist, while also contributing heavily to much of what Liverpool have done well, particularly in chance creation and breaking down low blocks.

So, what has changed? It is difficult to pinpoint a single factor, but a major part may be the tactical tweak following the defeat to PSV, and Arne Slot accepting that he may need to start with narrow wingers and advanced full-backs. This, in turn, accommodates Wirtz on the left wing, giving him the licence to drift inside and operate almost as a left-sided number 10, a role in which he excelled at Leverkusen.

How does that look on the tactics board? Have a look below:

Curtis Jones fills the space on the left when Milos Kerkez pushes forward to support Wirtz, who combines well with Ekitike in the left and left-centre zones. There is a clear connection between those four players that is making the left-hand side function well at the moment, with Wirtz at the heart of it.

How does the German’s numbers look like if we divide his season in two parts: before and after the November international break?

Having averaged close to 62 minutes per appearance in his first 11 games, Wirtz is now lasting longer in league matches, owing to his improving fitness and adaptation.

Although the 22-year-old still struggles to complete a full 90-minute game, he can now sustain his best periods of play from around 40–45 minutes earlier to 60–65 minutes now. It is clear that after 75 minutes there is little left in his legs, but hopefully the next step in his endurance will come soon.

In terms of involvement and trust, the German international is seeing more touches in open play and receiving significantly more passes, with a higher proportion being progressive. This indicates that he no longer needs to drop deep to aid the build-up, as that responsibility is currently handled by Jones.

He is attempting more take-ons, demonstrating greater confidence in taking on players in tight situations. His touches in the final third have also increased by over 6%, reinforcing the point from the previous paragraph: he is now more involved in the areas where he is most effective, rather than having to drop into midfield to help build play.

What all of this has done is resulted in the German creating more open-play shot-creating actions, providing more key passes, and playing more passes into the opposition box during this period compared to the early part of the season.

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