Germany legends Oliver Kahn and Rudi Voller are sure Florian Wirtz will come good for Liverpool after a disappointing start at Anfield.<\/p>\n
The Reds made a good start to the new Premier League season with five wins from their first five fixtures as Liverpool built a lead at the top of the table<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n Liverpool<\/strong><\/a> have since lost two matches in four days in all competitions with their 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace<\/strong><\/a> quickly followed by a 1-0 loss to Galatasaray<\/strong><\/a> in the Champions League.<\/p>\n The performances of some of Liverpool\u2019s underperforming players have now been highlighted with Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Ibrahima Konate and others coming in for criticism.<\/p>\n Wirtz \u2013 who signed from Bayer Leverkusen for an initial fee of \u00a3100m which could rise to \u00a3116m \u2013 is yet to contribute a goal or assist in his nine appearances in all competitions.<\/p>\n Amid calls to drop the Liverpool attacking midfielder, Germany legend Kahn has revealed his \u201cgreat respect\u201d for Wirtz and expects him to come good.<\/p>\n MAILBOX:\u00a0The \u2018lazy and utter nonsense\u2019 narrative on whether Salah and Van Dijk have \u2018downed tools\u2019\u2026<\/a> Kahn told\u00a0Welt.de<\/a>:\u00a0\u201cIf we start to condemn such a great player now \u2013 people, then something is going wrong.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s just the tough professional business, and the wind blows completely differently in the Premier League. But that\u2019s good for his development.<\/p>\n \u201cI always have great respect for players who say: I\u2019m taking the big step. He comes from the safe home of Leverkusen, where he was the hero, and suddenly he has to take the back seat everywhere and realises: \u2018Oops, everyone here is as good as me, or many are as good as me.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t buy a player of that age for that much money and then immediately smash him. They\u2019ll give him a certain amount of time.\u201d<\/p>\n Another of Wirtz\u2019s compatriots, Voller, reckons the Liverpool star is going through \u201cnormal adjustment problems\u201d and will \u201cmake the breakthrough\u201d at Anfield.<\/p>\n Voller told Bild<\/a>:\u00a0\u201cFlorian shouldn\u2019t let himself get carried away. I have no concerns about that: He\u2019ll show the English what he\u2019s made of.<\/p>\n \u201cFlorian is playing in a new league and a new club. These are normal adjustment problems.<\/p>\n \u201cAlmost every professional has them. I have no doubt that with his running and playing ability, he will make the breakthrough.\u201d<\/p>\n MORE ON LIVERPOOL ON F365 Former Liverpool winger\u00a0Vladimir Smicer is also convinced Wirtz will be a great player for the Reds eventually, he told Boyle Sports:\u00a0\u201cHe\u2019s a fantastic player and I believe he will show his quality sooner rather than later. He\u2019s a great player, and the pressure is certainly there, but that\u2019s part of the game.<\/p>\n \u201cThe high transfer fee, of course, isn\u2019t his fault, it was a decision between the clubs. But this is the world of football, it\u2019s not always Christmas. This is war. Football games are war, and he must show he\u2019s a warrior.<\/p>\n \u201cHe needs to demonstrate that he can play, even in the Premier League. I saw him in the game against Newcastle, where he was being tackled hard \u2013 that was a real test, a good test.<\/p>\n \u201cLike an old British game from the \u201980s or \u201990s, it was really tough. He seemed surprised that everyone was kicking him and giving him a hard time, but this is the Premier League, and I think he will adapt.<\/p>\n \u201cIt will take some time, and he\u2019s taking his time, but the pressure is constant. This is the Premier League, you signed for Liverpool, a Premier League winner, for a lot of money.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the pressure. You need to deal with that. I know this from my own experience. When I signed for Liverpool, I replaced Steve McManaman.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople expected me to replace him from the first game. It was difficult, I was under pressure. I felt the pressure, especially from the fans. But this is Liverpool, you need to perform. That\u2019s just how it is.\u201d<\/p>\n
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