Jurgen Klopp has spoken glowingly about the work ethic shown by one Liverpool player in training, saying that he has ‘tackling as a hobby’.
Among the four signings made by the Reds last summer was Wataru Endo, who emerged as a left-field acquisition in August to fill the defensive midfield void following the failed pursuits of Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia.
The 30-year-old made just two Premier League starts prior to December but has already exceeded that tally this month alone (WhoScored), and he could be in line to play from the off against Arsenal this evening as well.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday, Klopp urged the Japan captain’s detractors to give him time to exert his influence at Liverpool, citing two previous examples of players who weren’t overnight successes but grew to become pivotal players at Anfield.
The manager said (via LFC official website): “Just to mention, Andy Robertson didn’t play half a year, pretty much was not in the squad! Hopefully he forgot that as well but it’s anyway true. Fabinho we had to change system for because he couldn’t play [as the] six alone. Later on he could play that easily, made it his position, so it’s all fine.
“You need a bit of time, that’s all. We see [Endo] 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.
“It was a really good game [against West Ham]. 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.”
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Despite not being a regular starter for Liverpool until his current run of games, Endo still features highly among the squad for a series of defensive metrics, including tackles won (15), interceptions made (16) and aerial duels won (18), via FBref.
He’s also made a telling influence in the opposition penalty area, scoring against Toulouse and Fulham at Anfield, with the latter goal a thunderbolt into the top corner towards the end of a pulsating 4-3 win.
Although his run of starts this month owes partly to Alexis Mac Allister’s injury absence, plus the longer-term layoffs of Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajcetic, the 30-year-old is nonetheless one of those players who industry out of possession is greatly valued by teammates and his manager.
The 5-1 win over West Ham in midweek showed the qualities that Endo brings to the Liverpool team, having won three tackles and five of his seven duels, while also completing 46 of his 48 passes (96% success), as per Sofascore.
Others at Anfield might be more likely to hog the headlines, but players who work tirelessly off the ball – and can also be hugely efficient with it – are every bit as important to the side. Week by week, the Japan captain’s influence is growing on Merseyside.