Liverpool’s best player’ – Paul Gorst praises 34-touch Reds magician in first half v West Ham

It is not every day that one player controls the emotion of a football match, but that was exactly what happened when Liverpool travelled to London to face West Ham United. For weeks the talk around the club had been about frustration, pressure, injuries, and disappointing results. Many players had been questioned. Many performances had been judged. The fans wanted answers. They wanted passion, progress and pride. They wanted to see a player who would stand up when the world doubted. And on this cold Sunday afternoon under the London sky, that player was Florian Wirtz.

Before the match began, the conversation around Liverpool was heavy. The team had not been convincing in recent games. People criticised Arne Slot. People doubted the midfield. A section of the fanbase even said Wirtz was struggling to adapt to England after his summer move from Bayer Leverkusen. For somebody who was expected to become Liverpool’s next creative leader, the slow start was painful. Some commentators even called him a disappointment. Former Liverpool star Didi Hamann went further, suggesting that Wirtz might even need a loan move in January to build his confidence again. That statement cut like a knife through the fanbase. To think that the player who was supposed to shine brightest could be pushed out so soon felt unbelievable.

So when the line-up dropped, and Wirtz returned to the XI after his injury concern, there was more than excitement in the air. There was responsibility. There was expectation. There was pressure. The match had not even started yet, but everybody could sense it — this game was going to say something about Florian Wirtz. It was the kind of game where a player either sinks or swims.And then the whistle blew.

From the first moment the ball touched his boots, it was clear that Wirtz came to London with a mission. Every step had confidence. Every touch had personality. Every movement carried electricity. He did not play like a man trying to avoid mistakes. He played like a man trying to prove a point to the world. He wanted the ball, again and again and again. He was turning between defenders with elegance. He was drifting into pockets of space with intelligence. He was controlling the tempo like an orchestra conductor controlling music.It was football poetry.

By the 30th minute, Liverpool fans watching from the stands and from home already felt something special building. Then came the big moment. Wirtz burst forward with pace, gliding through the midfield like he was skating on ice. The West Ham defenders backed off, afraid to commit. His head lifted. His vision sharpened. He spotted Cody Gakpo in the penalty area and sent a perfect pass to his feet — a pass so precise that the only thing left was the finish. But Gakpo’s first touch was too heavy and the chance collapsed. The fans gasped. Wirtz put his hands on his waist for a second, not angry at his teammate, but upset because he knew that moment deserved a goal.

And that is when journalist Paul Gorst typed the iconic comment that exploded across social media. In the Liverpool Echo live blog at exactly 14:38, he wrote, “This been a very encouraging half hour from Wirtz. He’s been Liverpool’s best player, always on the move with the half-turns in an effort to make things happen.” Those words captured the truth perfectly. Wirtz was not waiting for the game to come to him. He was controlling it.

The crowd could feel it. The commentators could feel it. Even opposition fans who might not like Liverpool could see the obvious — the German playmaker was the most dangerous footballer on the pitch. Every attack had his fingerprints on it. Every spell of possession flowed through him. He was not playing like someone still adapting. He was playing like someone who owned the moment.

By halftime, the numbers told their own story. 34 touches of the ball. 28 completed passes out of 29 — a 97% passing accuracy. One key pass. One successful dribble. One shot on target. But statistics were not enough to describe what people were watching. This was not just efficiency. This was artistry. The way he dipped his shoulder to escape markers. The way he received the ball on the half-turn before anybody could close him down. The way he kept dragging West Ham defenders into places they did not want to go. He controlled the match like a chess master.

Even though Liverpool did not score before the break, it was clear to every supporter who the heartbeat of the team was. Wirtz played like a man fighting ghosts — the ghosts of criticism, doubt, impatience and expectations. He played like a man tired of silence. Today he spoke with football.And the crowd loved it.

Liverpool fans online were praising him everywhere. “He’s the best player on the pitch,” many wrote. “This is why we signed him,” others posted. People who doubted him before were suddenly quiet. People who supported him from the start were smiling proudly. It was not about scoring or assisting yet. It was about control. It was about bravery. It was about leadership through football ability rather than noise. He had become the player that everyone wanted to watch.

And what makes the story even more emotional is what Wirtz had been through recently. Missing training sessions earlier in the season. Injury fears. Media pressure from Germany. Harsh comments suggesting Mohamed Salah was blocking his progress. Loud criticism from pundits. Supporters demanding instant results. It was a storm, and most 22-year-olds would crumble inside that storm. But Wirtz didn’t crumble. He grew stronger. He held the weight. And today at the London Stadium, with millions watching, he finally punched back.

Football can be cruel to young talents. People want magic immediately. People forget that adaptation takes time. People forget that even world-class ability needs confidence to shine. But in this first half against West Ham, Wirtz showed why Liverpool signed him. He showed why the club believed in him. He showed why the number 7 shirt was given to him. It was never about potential. It was always about greatness.

There was a moment late in the first half that summed everything up perfectly. Wirtz received the ball near the touchline while surrounded by two West Ham players. Most footballers in that situation would pass backward. But not him. He twisted, he stepped over, he dipped his body shape low, and he escaped. The West Ham players froze, confused. The crowd roared. That was Florian Wirtz. Confidence. Courage. Fire.

Somewhere in the stadium, the Liverpool bench watched him closely. You could imagine Arne Slot standing with arms folded, nodding slowly, thinking, “This is what I wanted. This is the real Wirtz.” You could imagine Virgil van Dijk smiling because his young teammate was controlling the match like a veteran. You could imagine Mo Salah watching and understanding that the future of Liverpool’s creativity was safe.

And the story is not finished yet. The first half was a statement, but the world knows football is decided by moments — one finish, one decision, one pass can change everything. Wirtz had already done more than enough to silence critics, but players like him do not stop when they receive praise. They only stop when they start collecting goals and assists. And everyone watching knew that if he keeps playing like that, the floodgates will eventually open.

Nobody is talking about loans anymore. Nobody is saying he is struggling to adjust. Nobody is suggesting he needs to be protected. The narrative has changed. Today, Florian Wirtz reminded the world who he is. He reminded the world that greatness does not disappear because of a slow start. It waits. And when it wakes up, it makes noise.

The second half of this match will tell its own story, but whatever happens, one truth has been written into Liverpool history — on this day against West Ham, in this stadium, in this moment, Florian Wirtz played with pride. He played with talent. He played with authority. He played like a star. And every Liverpool supporter watching will remember how it felt to witness him rise.

Football is not just about goals and trophies. Football is about redemption. Football is about proving people wrong. Football is about rising when it would be easier to fall. Florian Wirtz showed all of that today in 45 minutes of magic. And now the fans will forever remember this match as the one where the story of his Liverpool career — the true story — began.