It is fair to say that he built on his impressive showing in the 2022 FIFA World Cup and his strong performances in previous Bundesliga seasons.Ī few metrics in the graph above will jump out at you first. We’ll start with a statistical overview of Endō’s 22/23 campaign in Germany. However, what he can do for Klopp’s team in possession is extremely important – how he supports build-up phases and how he reacts in various transition moments will be key aspects of his contributions. Technical view – what he offers on the ballĮarlier, we touched on the fact that as a defensive midfielder, a number six, Endō’s primary role will be defensive-based. Klopp will hope to see him step into that ‘James Milner role’ in being positionally versatile and a leader anywhere on the pitch. The first image relates to what we mentioned prior about him playing in a two-man pairing in the midfield, whereas the second one shows him playing in a trio – he would, however, often play as either the LCM or RCM rather than the DM.Įndō’s leadership qualities will be absolutely priceless, besides his defensive influence in an otherwise attacking Liverpool midfield. While there were other cameo roles/positions, these two appeared most often, especially toward the end of the season. The two images above summarise Endō’s positional roles at Stuttgart last season. Don’t be surprised if Klopp even tries his new signing as a makeshift right-back! A look at Endō’s typical positions at Stuttgart last season. We promised a word on Endō’s versatility, so here it is – his well-rounded attributes mean he can play several different midfield roles and be a central defender. His heat map shows us that he was required to be active in various areas on the pitch but rarely got involved in very wide areas, with the bulk of his involvement occurring centrally. In that role, it can be argued that Endō and his midfield partner at Stuttgart had to embody the attributes of both a defensive midfielder and a playmaker simultaneously, whereas playing as a deep CM in Liverpool’s midfield three will require a primary focus on defence with the added bonus of being able to contribute effectively in possession. The Japan captain still has plenty left to offer, and Liverpool is his dream move.įor most of the 22/23 season, particularly toward the latter stages, Endō played in a midfield two – often in a 3-4-3, which involves an entirely different approach to a three-man setup in a 4-3-3. Klopp has urged Liverpool fans to back Endō, insisting that this is an excellent signing, and after reading this analysis, maybe you’ll agree with him. Player overviewĪs we mentioned, Endō is coming to the twilight years of his career, aged 30 at the time of writing, which makes it a unique signing for Liverpool as their transfer policy only usually sees them investing in younger talents. While we will touch on Endō’s positional versatility, the scout report will be written assuming he will primarily be deployed as a defensive midfielder. The analysis will also dive into how he can greatly benefit Liverpool’s midfield system in the short term why he suits Klopp’s tactics in and out of possession. This scout report will look at why Liverpool opted to make the unexpected signing of Endō in the form of a tactical analysis looking at his role from the 2022/23 Bundesliga season and his technical ability. While Klopp acted quickly to bring in Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, their midfield has been crying out for more of a defensive presence: Endō brings that, but the Reds may still need to bring in a higher quality defensive midfielder, an anchor type player. Liverpool have had quite the shakeup in midfield this summer, with Henderson and Fabinho leaving, as previously mentioned – but they also lost veteran James Milner, an influential figure on and off the pitch. Sure, Endō is not the marquee signing that some expected from Liverpool, but the experienced midfielder adds some much-needed leadership, depth and stability to Liverpool’s midfield ranks and could play a vital role in what is sure to be a busy season for the Reds.
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