Adebayo Akinfenwa Explains What Florian Wirtz Needs to Improve at Liverpool

Akinfenwa Explains What Florian Wirtz Needs to Improve at Liverpool

Adebayo Akinfenwa believes Florian Wirtz's struggles at Liverpool are partly physical and partly mental, with the former Premier League striker urging the German midfielder to become more aggressive in midfield.

Wirtz has faced scrutiny during the early stages of his Liverpool career following his big-money move from Bayer Leverkusen. While the Germany international remains highly regarded for his technical ability, questions have been raised about how effectively he can handle the physical demands of Premier League midfield battles.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Akinfenwa said he believes both physical and mental factors are involved.

“I think it’s both, I do. I do think that there’s a mental side of it,” Akinfenwa said.

The former striker felt Wirtz showed signs of improvement in the second half of a recent match, particularly in his willingness to compete for the ball.

“But at the same time Wirtz’s default setting is he’s a ball player,” he added.

Akinfenwa acknowledged that Wirtz's relatively slight frame can make him vulnerable when opponents put him under physical pressure.

“So listen, he’s small, he’s slight, and he can be pushed off the balls,” he explained.

However, Akinfenwa believes Wirtz can compensate for his size by developing a more aggressive mentality. He pointed to Crystal Palace defender Daniel Muñoz as an example of a player who competes aggressively despite not being physically imposing.

“Because you see Munoz who’s tenacious. He’s small but he’s got that tenaciousness which we’ve only seen in a couple of games,” Akinfenwa said.

For Akinfenwa, the issue is therefore not simply about gaining muscle. He wants Wirtz to develop the mentality to enter physical contests without being intimidated by bigger opponents.

“So that’s a mental side of being like ‘it doesn’t matter how big you are, I’m gonna be able to come in there aggressive’,” he said.

Nevertheless, Akinfenwa believes Wirtz would also benefit from adding more physical strength to his game.

“But you can’t get round Wirtz. He’s small he’s slight, so he does need to bulk up, because the Premier League is probably one of the most physical leagues in the world,” he added.

Akinfenwa has also joked that he would like to personally put Wirtz through a six-week “beast mode” training programme to help him bulk up and become better equipped for midfield battles.

The comments underline the challenge facing Wirtz as he adapts to Liverpool and English football. His technical qualities remain his biggest strength, but Akinfenwa believes becoming stronger and more combative could help him impose himself more consistently in the Premier League.