Liverpool’s new head coach Andoni Ira ola has publicly reaffirmed his confidence in two of the club’s most expensive summer signings, Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola, after they faced criticism from pundits and fans alike. The German midfielder, who joined from Bayer Leverkusen for £116 million, has yet to deliver the impact expected of a player of his price tag, while the French winger, signed from PSG for £123 million, has struggled to find his footing in his first six appearances.
Ira ola, who took over the Reds in the summer, said in a post‑match interview that “Bradley and Flo have had good and bad games this season like everyone else, but we know their level, and for sure we know they will give us good performances.” He added that the club’s current injury crisis—missing top scorers Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai—has put extra pressure on the new arrivals to step up. “We need our players to give us those numbers; we trust the players we have now to play in those positions,” the coach explained, underscoring that the responsibilities of all squad members remain the same.
The criticism intensified after Liverpool’s 3‑0 defeat to Manchester City, where Wirtz was unable to influence the match despite his team’s early lead. Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher called for the midfielder to be dropped, arguing that the club’s investment had not paid off. Carragher also suggested that the club should give Barcola more time, noting that the winger had only been at Liverpool for six weeks and had missed pre‑season training. “It would be harsh to be going with him right now; it’s not harsh to be having a go with Wirtz right now,” Carragher said, highlighting the growing frustration among supporters.
Ira ola countered the negative sentiment by pointing to Wirtz’s performances for Germany during the recent international break, where the 21‑year‑old scored a goal and displayed “good games” for his national side. He stressed that the club must evaluate the players collectively rather than focusing solely on individual statistics. “I don’t care if one scores or the other scores, it is a more collective thing,” he said, emphasizing that the team’s overall performance is the priority.
Looking ahead, Liverpool face a congested schedule with a Champions League match against LASK in Austria, followed by domestic fixtures against Brentford, Villarreal and Brighton. The coach admitted that “freshness reasons and some niggles will make it difficult to put the same starting XI out tomorrow,” suggesting that squad rotation may be necessary. As the Reds navigate the remainder of the season, the fate of Wirtz and Barcola will hinge on whether they can translate their high expectations into consistent contributions on the pitch.