Thread by @JorisCrolbois

[THREAD] Analysis of Liverpool's new midfielder, Wataru Endo 🇯🇵

Certainly one of the best midfielders in the Bundesliga in recent years. Technical, intelligent, a good shot and very good passing.

The perfect midfielder ? 🔴🔴

Wataru Endo is a holding midfielder who often plays in a 2-a-side midfield. He has also played a lot as a holding midfielder, where I personally find him better.

The first thing that stands out about the Japanese player is his ability to gain ground with the ball. He is very comfortable on the dribble and makes great runs breaking up lines.

A quality of dribbling combined with a vision of the game that allows him to break out of the density by dribbling into small spaces and sending long, very precise balls into another area. This often creates extra space for his forwards.

Let's talk about his long game. Endo's passing is above average. He puts in some excellent deep balls thanks to his excellent reading ahead of the game, which enables him to get the ball into the right area at the right tempo.

Even though he plays further back, he is very valuable close to the surface. In his passing, as we saw earlier. But also in his shots. The former Stuttgart player has a very good long-range shot, useful for picking up pushed balls.

The main question I had before the analysis was how good he is in the air, which is vital in the PL midfield. Well, despite his size (178cm), he is excellent in aerial duels. He won 56% of his duels last year in all competitions.

With the ball, you can feel Endo's intelligence. Without the ball too. His primary role is defensive, of course, and he's very good at it too. He anticipates a lot and is often well placed to intercept. His reading of the game is very quick, which allows him to stay ahead.

In defensive duels too, he sees everything ahead of time. His style is to give his opponents very little time when he receives the ball. Exactly what Klopp wants. He's very early on the player who's about to receive the ball to prevent him from turning or finding a solution.

The Reds can count on him to make the effort. He's got a lot of pace and makes a lot of attacking and defensive efforts. In a game of transitions, Endo is a precious element.

CONNCLUSION

Endo has flown under the radar in recent seasons. He would have deserved a big club 2 or 3 years ago, but now he's going to join a Liverpool team that's rebuilding, while bringing what Klopp wants. Fast, aggressive play with and without the ball.

Endo in Liverpool

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