'Unbelievable' Liverpool player has just proven that Arne Slot was completely wrong about him - opinion
Yesterday at 02:00 PM
After a mini wobble in the Premier League, confidence has been restored in booming fashion at Liverpool.
The Reds started the new season extremely well, but were hit by an unexpected bump in the road when Nottingham Forest handed them defeat at Anfield.
Since then, Liverpool have played three and won three, scoring 11 goals and conceding just twice in the process.
It has underlined just what a good start Arne Slot has had to life with the Reds. The Dutchman has been hitting all the right notes since his arrival at Anfield over the summer.
Slot has spoken well, rebuilt the Liverpool coaching staff with some excellent appointments and – most importantly – picked up some great results.
Having said all of that, though, it’s looking increasingly likely that there may be one thing the Liverpool head coach was wrong about after all.
Wataru Endo proving Arne Slot wrong
Slot deciphered what he believes to be his best XI at Liverpool very quickly indeed.
In the opening four matches of the season, the 46-year-old made only one change to his starting line-up.
But you can rewind even further than that to pinpoint when Slot made his mind up about Wataru Endo.
Despite an impressive first season at Liverpool, Slot decided that he wanted to sell Endo and upgrade him, ideally with Martin Zubimendi.
After Zubimendi decided he didn’t want to swap Anoeta for Anfield, though, Endo remained with the Reds, by what seemed a little like default.
READ MORE: Kevin Nolan shares the ‘most impressive thing’ Arne Slot has done at Liverpool
But although he was physically in the Liverpool squad, it was clear that Slot did not fancy the Japan captain and would not be giving him much game time.
The tide started to turn a little for Endo after the boss brought him on in the dying minutes against Brentford in August, though.
And although he was bombed out of the matchday squad for Saturday’s win over Bournemouth, Endo made a triumphant return to the starting line-up on Wednesday against West Ham.
Endo does the business against West Ham
It was not as though it was a surprise to see Endo start against West Ham. The 31-year-old was virtually a shoo-in as Slot decided to rest his usual midfield.
But what may have shocked Slot is just how composed Endo looked in a two-man midfield alongside Curtis Jones. There is a reason Peter Crouch called Endo ‘unbelievable‘ last season after all.
The former Stuttgart man was very good in possession, completing 44 out of 47 passes and even creating one chance for Liverpool. Endo also won his only tackle of the game, made one block, one clearance and two interceptions.
In terms of duels – something Slot places great emphasis on – the No.3 was a little more mixed. However, five out of 12 won is not a terrible ratio and shows that Endo is not afraid to get stuck in.
Wataru may not be challenging the likes of Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister for a starting spot any time soon. But on Wednesday he laid down a marker and showed that Slot was desperately wrong to write him off so early.
