No other player in Liverpool history would have divided the fans in their opinion as Jordan Henderson has in the past few years. The English midfielder started his first game of the season this weekend against Leicester City and came in for criticism for his performance from a specific section of fans. But maybe it is time we try to cut some slack for the guy who has been continuously questioned since his arrival in 2011 under Kenny Dalglish.
Maybe fans have always seen him as a replacement for someone like Steven Gerrard, and he has often been judged on the parameters of one of Liverpool’s favourite son. Now it is clear that Henderson is nowhere near regarding abilities with the former Liverpool legend, so such comparisons are often unwanted and unnecessary.
Now coming back to his abilities, it is clear that he often plays within himself knowing what he can and cannot do. The Englishman is not gifted with any remarkable abilities and neither does he have much pace or dribbling skills. But he has made a career just by sheer hard work and continued to be the captain of one of the biggest clubs in the world. Any kid who thinks that he doesn’t have that natural flair or talent to make it at the top level, Henderson should be his role model.
Liverpool have solidified, especially in the midfield region by bringing in the likes of Naby Keita and Fabinho. James Milner doesn’t seem to be ageing as he might be drinking some magic Ribena and Gini Wijnaldum has picked his game up in the last few months, and many would feel that Henderson would be the one to miss out from this side.
However, the Englishman still happens to be a crucial player in this Liverpool setup. Even in the World Cup, he went about his business quietly. There were many naysayers for what he brought to the squad, but the general perception was that he did well in Russia. Now don’t expect Henderson to perform at the 8-9 level day in day out. But he would always put in a significant shift and play at the 6-7 level every week.
Given the long season, he will have a role to play in the squad as Liverpool will try to achieve something special this campaign. Jurgen Klopp still trusts him as he continues to be the first choice captain of the team. One or two bad performances from him causes a major uproar among the fan base because there is no stat to save him as Henderson hardly scores or assists much. But he still is an essential player under the current setup as he works tirelessly and his perseverance and pressing off the ball is one of the biggest reasons why Klopp still trusts him. With the new signings coming in, he seems to be reduced to a squad player now but trust the Englishman to fight hard as there have been plenty of occasions when he has been counted out, and he has come back even stronger.
