Iraola Defends Wirtz: Focus on Team Play Over Stats

Andoni Iraola is refusing to reduce Florian Wirtz to a column of numbers.

The Liverpool manager has thrown his weight behind the £116m Germany international, insisting the playmaker should be measured by his influence on the team rather than his modest Premier League return of one assist and no goals.

Wirtz shone in Liverpool’s midweek win over Atlético Madrid, adding to a string of sharp Champions League displays last season. At the same time, he has been scrutinised for giving the ball away too often and for his lack of end product in the league.

Iraola is having none of it.

“Flo played very well against Atlético Madrid and I also think he has been unlucky,” he said, pointing to the “goal” at Nottingham Forest that was ruled out by VAR. “He could have had very good assists but we haven’t finished them. That is why you cannot just play because of the numbers.”

For Iraola, the bigger picture matters. “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. I am not too focused on numbers.”

In an era where every touch is charted and sliced into data, Iraola is pushing back. “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. Someone will score the goals and I don’t care if it is the midfielders like it was the other day. Someone will score the goals if we are doing well collectively.”

The signs of that collective understanding are starting to appear. Wirtz carved out a superb chance for Bradley Barcola against Atlético and Iraola expects the 23-year-old’s influence to grow as he beds in with Barcola and fellow new arrival Victor Muñoz.

“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. And, also, Bradley in just his second game you could see they already had a good association. I am not very worried.”

The numbers will come. Iraola is betting on the football that leads to them.