Berlin (Germany), Nov 11 (NationPress) With a modest grin, Florian Wirtz made his entrance onto the field at the quaint AOK Stadion in Wolfsburg. The home ground of VfL Wolfsburg's women's and youth sides was alive with cheers from around 4,000 supporters for the underperforming Liverpool forward.

Germany's coach Julian Nagelsmann resonated with many through his remarks. In an impassioned speech, the 38-year-old emphasized the need for patience and encouragement for the 22-year-old striker, while pointing out Liverpool's inability to capitalize on his opportunities. "He generates numerous chances, yet they remain unconverted. That’s part of the reality," Nagelsmann remarked. "We all must support him so he can clear his mind and deliver his best performance - both here and at Liverpool."

Nagelsmann further noted that Liverpool was lacking in team cohesion. "Each of the five forwards believes he should be in the starting lineup," he observed.

Since his transfer to Liverpool from Leverkusen for a reported 150 million euros, Wirtz has frequently found himself warming the bench. Nagelsmann described the situation as "complex," mentioning that the club's overall performance has been inconsistent compared to the previous season, according to reports from Xinhua. "At his age, fluctuations are to be expected," he explained. "You can't anticipate him to maintain peak performance non-stop for three years."

Nevertheless, Nagelsmann commended Wirtz's increasing intensity and advancements. "Flo has been improving week by week," he stated. "We all recognize his potential - both for us and for any team."

Despite facing scrutiny over his recent play, Nagelsmann remarked that Liverpool's recent victories against Aston Villa and Real Madrid were "encouraging," despite a "minor setback" in a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City. "I’m in the right place and aim to contribute to Liverpool's success," Wirtz had expressed earlier.

Nagelsmann advised him to utilize the international break to rebuild his confidence. Germany is set to face Luxembourg on Friday and Slovakia on Monday in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, needing two victories to secure the top spot in their group.

Nagelsmann called for enhanced efficiency from his forwards ahead of the group’s final two qualifiers against Luxembourg and Slovakia.

Germany is currently grappling with a shortage of strikers, putting the depth of the 2014 FIFA World Cup champions to the test.

While Newcastle's Nick Woltemade, Frankfurt's Jonathan Burkardt, and Dortmund's Maximilian Beier continue to seek their first national team goals, injuries and setbacks have constrained coach Julian Nagelsmann's options. "We don’t always have a top squad available to us," the German coach noted, as Niclas Fullkrug, Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala, Tim Kleindienst, and Deniz Undav remain unavailable ahead of their trip to Belfast.

Of the 51 goals Germany has netted in Nagelsmann's 25 matches at the helm, 28 came from the absent forwards. The fact that three of the four goals in the recent victory against Luxembourg were scored from set pieces illustrates the story, as Germany's illustrious era of dominant strikers seems to be waning. All three goals came from defenders.

Kleindienst was the last traditional forward to score for Germany, netting in a 3-3 draw with Italy in March 2025.

Once celebrated as a nation of prolific strikers - from Miroslav Klose, Rudi Voller, and Jurgen Klinsmann to Gerd Muller and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge - Germany now finds itself in an unusual drought.