Ao Tanaka
Ao Tanaka has expressed his disappointment over his limited playing time in the Premier League, as Sean Longstaff’s impressive form continues to keep him out of the starting lineup. Despite being part of the matchday squad since the clash against Fulham, Tanaka has only managed 33 minutes on the field across three substitute appearances. The Japan international, however, remains optimistic and views these challenges as an integral part of top-tier football.
Ao Tanaka said: “Of course, the most important thing is that I’m disappointed that I’m not playing in the games. But that’s the way the Premier League is. It’s not just my team, but any team I look at, I feel that even players on the bench or not playing in the games have overwhelming quality.”
Tanaka added: “There are [only] seven games [gone], and I still have a lot of issues to work on, but I also have the feeling that I can do it. I just want to do my best when I’m on the field. When I watch the opposing teams and players play, I feel like I need to do more. It’s a difficult league to keep doing that for 38 games.”
Tanaka’s recent appearances have been marked by a few challenges, including conceding a free-kick that led to a stoppage-time equalizer against Bournemouth, which was criticized by manager Daniel Farke as “unnecessary.” Despite these setbacks, the 27-year-old is determined to improve and is looking to gain more playing time with his national team to enhance his skills further.
The £15 million summer signing’s only start this season came in the League Cup defeat to Sheffield Wednesday. While Tanaka is not satisfied with his current situation, he remains focused on overcoming these hurdles and contributing more significantly to his team. His perspective reflects a professional understanding of the ups and downs inherent in a football career, emphasizing resilience and continuous development.
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