For the Carabao Cup match against Brighton, Arne Slot used an experimental lineup mostly to give the main players a break.

Many Wataru Endo were eagerly awaiting one of the game’s starters. But according to some supporters, his performance demonstrated why he isn’t in the Premier League starting lineup this season.

RotimiLFC: “Endo is completely unsuitable for slot play. He lacks intelligence.

Meinir Thomas: “Endo isn’t playing well right now. losing too frequently.@Straw

HatShonen: Endo, you are a recognized destroyer, and sometimes when YOU have possession, you lose 50/50s in front of our own box.

Man, wake up.@onlyonedeway: “Endo is technically not up to par at all, his technical deficiencies are too obvious, frustrating to say the least.”

@LFCKembo: “Endo doesn’t pass the ball forward, has far too many touches, and is far too slow with the ball. I adore him, but he’s impoverished.”@bacjetic: “Dude, this is really hurting.”

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Though he doesn’t have the same traits on the ball as Gravenberch, that Arne Slot evidently sees as crucial for his holding midfielder, the Japanese is still an asset to the Reds when on the pitch.

Playing in a double pivot in front of the defence, Endo navigated the game well, helping to guide 22-year-old midfield partner Tyler Morton through the game, too.

The area Slot may see as his weakness, a perceived lack of ability to receive the ball facing his own goal and turn defence into attack quickly, didn’t appear to be a problem at the Amex.

Endo was composed on the ball and wasn’t dispossessed once during his 64 minutes on the pitch.

He also used his body well to avoid being pickpocketed and was fouled three times, more than any other Liverpool player on the pitch according to FotMob.

While you could argue he should have released the ball quicker at times, he still completed 31 of his 37 passes (84 percent) and made three of those into the final third