11 months ago
150 Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has named Wataru Endo as ‘one of the hardest-working people’ he has ever met in football.
The Reds take on Arsenal in the Premier League this evening in what will be a brilliant game to watch. Both sides will go in with their strongest available lineup, and Endo is expected to start for Liverpool.
Jurgen Klopp praises Liverpool’s Wataru Endo
Liverpool signed Wataru Endo from Stuttgart in the summer for just over £16 million (BBC).
The Japan international became a target for the Reds after they missed out on Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to Chelsea.
Many saw Endo as a panic buy in the summer, and some of his performances in the first few months of the season didn’t really hit the level people wanted from a Liverpool midfielder.
However, Endo has improved a lot in recent weeks. He was really good against West Ham in the 5-1 win a few days ago, and Jurgen Klopp has now revealed that his work ethic in training is among the best he has ever seen.
Speaking ahead of the game against Arsenal today, Klopp said, as per Liverpool’s official website: “You need a bit of time, that’s all. We see him every day in training and he is one of the hardest-working people I ever met.
“It was always clear that it will be good, but I’m happy obviously for him that the public could see it now as well, because that’s pretty helpful in our job.
“Yeah, it was a really good game [against West Ham]. And he gives something different to the team, we have to say, that’s clear. He’s the one for the tackles. We don’t have now 20 players on the pitch who have tackling as a hobby. He is doing it.
“On top of that, his passing is really good, his awareness is really good, he finds his position better in possession, all these things. It’s football and sometimes it takes a little bit of time but that’s no problem for me.”
Endo needs to be at his best against Arsenal
As good as Wataru Endo has been, many still see him as Liverpool‘s weakest point.
Reds fans are so used to seeing Fabinho boss the game in that position when he was in his prime, and nobody in this current Liverpool squad even comes close to that level.
Endo is expected to start today against Arsenal, and he needs to be at his best. He will likely be given the task of keeping Martin Odegaard quiet, and that’s not an easy job at all.
If Liverpool are to beat Arsenal today, Endo will need to have a good game. If he doesn’t, we expect the Reds to struggle.
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