{"id":301180,"date":"2023-12-02T11:38:57","date_gmt":"2023-12-02T11:38:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/?p=301180"},"modified":"2023-12-02T11:38:57","modified_gmt":"2023-12-02T11:38:57","slug":"wataru-endo-admits-adapting-to-premier-league-harder-than-i-thought","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/soccer\/wataru-endo-admits-adapting-to-premier-league-harder-than-i-thought\/","title":{"rendered":"Wataru Endo admits adapting to Premier League \u2018harder than I thought\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Liverpool summer signing Wataru Endo has found the Premier League more difficult than he expected but is confident he can improve and contribute more.<\/p>\n

The 30-year-old Japan international, a \u00a312million arrival from Stuttgart, was viewed as something of a stop-gap solution to the club\u2019s lack of defensive midfielders following Fabinho\u2019s unexpected departure to Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n

Of his 15 appearances so far, only two have been Premier League starts (against Newcastle and Brentford), with manager Jurgen Klopp preferring to utilise Argentina World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister in an unfamiliar holding role.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/C0Sj51YIPK9<\/p>\n

Endo has gained most of his game time in the Europa League and Carabao Cup and his late arrival \u2013 he was signed in mid-August \u2013 did not help his integration.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, it\u2019s harder than I thought, but I\u2019m very happy to be here,\u201d he said when asked about his experience of the Premier League so far.<\/p>\n

\u201cPhysically, it\u2019s speedy, so it\u2019s very hard to adapt but it\u2019s the Premier League and I keep trying and keep playing and I\u2019ll get better.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m already 30 years old but I feel I have a chance to grow as a football player so I\u2019m so happy to be here and I can improve.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter I got here I had a talk with the boss about how Liverpool play. After that I just try to do that and he talks a lot with me about it.<\/p>\n

It’s harder than I thought. Physically, it’s speedy, so it’s very hard to adapt but it’s the Premier League<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery time I try to help Liverpool play and of course I always watch what they do from the bench. I think it is an important thing and I am getting better and better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Endo\u2019s start to life at Anfield was not helped by the fact as the only holding midfielder there was a lot of attention on him to slot straight into the side and perform a similar role to the one that 30-year-old Fabinho did for five years.<\/p>\n

In addition, Liverpool\u2019s midfield underwent a complete overhaul in the summer with Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch now looking like the established first choices.<\/p>\n

But with nine matches to come this month, Endo is likely to get more opportunities.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m always ready to play every game, that\u2019s the most important thing. We need all the players so I try to be ready every game and try to win every game,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

\u201cLiverpool has a very winning mentality so we always need to win, need to get three points, and it\u2019s a very difficult thing but that\u2019s why I came here. I\u2019m enjoying the pressure.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a defensive midfielder so I have to make a difference in defence but also to take up good positions and play good football. I\u2019m enjoying playing with amazing players.\u201d<\/p>\n

Source: Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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