Japan midfielder Wataru Endo was a firm fixture in Jurgen Klopp’s team, but his position has been reset since Arne Slot took over and, with the rise of Dutch midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, he has yet to win a regular place.
However, that is not to say that the Japan captain has played badly. Although he has played less, he has always performed at a high level when he has been used, and was named the club’s Player of the Match against Wolverhampton Wanderers recently, despite only playing 20 minutes.
His use of different positions from his natural position, such as centre-back or attacking midfielder, is reminiscent of former England midfielder James Milner. The Dutch coach praised the 32-year-old midfielder, who continues to be a match-winning and vital asset to the team.
“Wata has been really useful for us this season. It’s not always a matter of how many minutes you play; you can be very important in two minutes and you can be less important in 90 minutes,”
“What makes Wata special in my opinion is every time we have to rely on him, whether it’s 5,10, or 25 minutes, he shows up.”
“That sounds much more simple than it is because if a player has hardly had playing time, then to be mentally so strong that when the team needs you – you bring your best performance.”
“That’s not always easy as you see some players who don’t play a lot find it difficult to get their rhythm.”