JORDAN Henderson – signed for £16m from Sunderland last summer accompanied with bags of potential and promise. He came to the club fresh with ‘Young Player of the Year’ award at Sunderland after some energetic performances along with some lavish praise to the tune of ‘the best young British footballer there is’ from his former manager Steve Bruce.
Similarly, Lucas Leiva came with an intensified reputation when he was signed for a nominal fee of £5m from Brazilian club Gremio in 2007.
He arrived at the club being dubbed a ‘box-to-box midfielder’ and after winning the ‘Bola de Ouro’ (an award for the best player in the Brazilian league which the likes of Zico, Romario, Robinho, Falcao, Kaka, Tevez and more recently Neymar have won) it was only natural that the pressure was firmly on a long-haired 20-year-old Brazilian.
It took Lucas three years of hard work trying to dislodge the excellent Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano, add into the mix the inexcusable booing from some small sections of the home support at his performances along the way; and it didn’t look like Lucas Leiva would ever make the grade at Liverpool.
This is where Jordan Henderson had an advantage; he’d already had a year’s experience of the league under his belt at his home-town club of Sunderland. That doesn’t mean that the stick that Henderson has received from press and fans alike is suitable. Nowadays there is a certain type of fan that believes players over £10m must be an instant success and hit the ground running (i.e. Suarez) or they’re deemed to have failed. But then you just need to remind yourself of what Lucas Leiva was performing like when he first joined the club, he is the perfect example of how much a player can improve and grow into becoming a quality player given time and the right opportunities.
Last season was the season when Lucas transformed into the player that all Reds hoped he would become, destroying attacks and using the ball wisely when in possession; a far cry from the meek young Brazilian who only showed irregular flashes of quality. A performance against Yaya Toure at Anfield last November will always stay with me, bullying the 6’3’’ man-mountain all game and dominating the midfield, he went on to dominate many more midfielders before his untimely injury against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The fact that Lucas made the most tackles of any Liverpool player in the Premier League this season after only having played in just 12 games tells you just how much we’ve missed his dismantling abilities in the centre of the park.
Henderson has featured in a massive 37 Premier League games this season (Lucas only featured in 18 Premier League games in his first season) which is probably a lot more than he thought he would play in his first full-season at Liverpool. Sometimes he’s been a victim of his own versatility when being played on the right of midfield as he played there frequently for Sunderland. I think we can all see that he is a born central midfielder, whenever he has played in his favoured position he has performed to a much higher level, and with the impending new manager I believe he must be used wisely. Henderson, like Lucas, also has some promising stats from this season; he has the most interceptions of any Liverpool midfielder with the huge number of 54. It’s the duels won and aerial duels won where he must improve. He won 40.9% of duels and 41.9 of aerial duels – compare this to our lynchpin Lucas, whose stats read: 63.4% duels won and 52.5% aerial duels won and you can see the difference in the progression of both players.
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If truth be told about Henderson’s first season at Liverpool; in too many games this season he has looked far too nervous. It comes with the territory when signing for a massive club with a big transfer fee. A great goal against Bolton at home in just his third Premier League game for the club and some encouraging performances early on gave us an insight into the type of moments he is capable of.
Further down the line when you look at his performance in the FA Cup Final, you can see that he was far too eager to get rid of the ball when in possession, in doing so making more and more mistakes. Hopefully with the regular training with the likes of Gerrard and Lucas these types of habits will become less and less as he becomes more confident and relaxed in the team and acclimatises much smoother; ready to perform to a much higher standard next season.
Dalglish told it best when he said about Henderson in October of last year: ‘I don’t know his best position yet – but I know his best club and that’s this one. We just want him to play and enjoy playing. He’s a talented footballer with a great future in front of him and we are just delighted he chose to come here. He’ll be here for a long, long time and he’s going to be a tremendous asset for us.’
‘He’ll be here for a long, long time’ is the words of the King, and it couldn’t be any truer. The lad is only 21 years of age and has many years ahead of him and with most of the bedding in done this season I believe we’ll begin to see the true ability of Jordan Henderson next season, just like we saw the true quality Andy Carroll at the end of this season. The £16m of the money paid was banking on the potential of Henderson; if he can develop at even half the rate of Lucas Leiva then we’ll have some player on our hands in the coming years.
This doesn’t mean that the fans should get on the lads back though, if these types of problems are still not as ironed-out as they should be in time for next season. If ever we feel the niggling’s of doubt about Jordan Henderson ability again, we should take a look to the advances Lucas Leiva made in a red shirt which proves that with plenty of support, patience and time – Jordan Henderson can prove all his doubters wrong.
Comments appreciated!
Statistics taken from: http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/team/first-team/statistics
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Oh please??? You’ve got to be having a laugh???
Yeh, what are you smokin’. Henderson isn’t good enough to dubbin Lucas’s boots.
I might be a muppet but I knew Lucas was quality from day one!!
Anyone who judges a 21 year old player needs help?
Turks you’re a muppet! The boy clearly has bags of potential which I hope our new manager, whoever that may be, will further develop
I tottally agree. Jordan Henderson and Andy Carroll will become the stalwarts of LFC. They are here for the long term and are rough diamonds. Downing and Adam need to be sold. Clearly not good enough for Liverpool FC.
AGREED Ray
Ray, after the polishing is finally done, everyone will unanimously agree that Jordan Henderson is merely a speck of… diamond? Nay, just plain speck of mud!
Clown!
tool
Yeah Bill and I bet 3 years ago you were doubting Lucas. I believe Henderson has potential but he suffered as much as anyone in Kenny’s insistance on playing Charlie Adam. this saw Henderson played wide right which he simply lacks the attributes at a club like Liverpool to succeed. When played in central midfield Henderson has shown enough promise to be peserved with, He certainly offers more than Spearing and Adam in my opinion. will he be 1st choice? Hard to say until we see how the new manager sets his team up but despite the negativity that surrounds us we are not that far away from challenging the top 4, Lucas’s injury cost us possibly 12 points.
I’ve seen a lot of Henderson when he was still at SAFC. He does have ability but I have to say most Sunderland fans were rubbing their hands together when Liverpool opened the cheque book. I dont think he’ll ever command the fee that LFC paid for him for the rest of his career. The big problem Jordan needs to get over is the fact he doesnt like to get physical. Some of the challenges he pulls out of are criminal. He also need to have more belife in himself when he’s carrying the ball, he cant just take a few touches and play a safe non threatening pass. He needs to get that dynamo workrate that Stevie G has then you’ll see him bombing on, getting more chances to score and using his vision to create more for his team mates.
Well-meaning article but the reason for our grip is lost on the writer. Our issue with Henderson was the lack of a winning mentality!!! In the abscence of Gerrard and Lucas for a good chunck of the last campaign, we all wanted him to succeed. He didn’t deliver!!! He was too timid to challenge the opposition and he was running up and down without any purpose. Watch any of the videos from the last campaign and you would understand why most fans are skeptical.
In a strengthened squad, he will not get as many opportunities. When Lucas is back and for as long as Gerrard is available, his chances will be limited especially if we acquire wingers. I personally prefer Adam to him (both for balance because of his left foot and composure) if we don’t get Strootman or Elm for our midfield.
It’s better to play him in the cups and Europa and reassess the situation but he’s not ready for the first team.
Henderson and Downing are super quick and efficient when compared to FENWAY
Jordan Henderson will be a world class player in a couple of years time. The boy has talent!
I will be happy if Henderson becomes the new Danny Murphy then Lucas!
Jonjo Shelvey is better and has more potential imo.
Totally agree, Shelvey looks the part and just needs games.He scores,has good vision and if he’d had the games Henderson has had he’d be a hell of a player by now!
All comments are appreciated whether for or against my argument – that’s the beauty of football and personal opinion.
Personally, I believe the £16m paid could look like a snip in the coming years. Don’t forget centre midfielders enter their prime at 24-28 generally, and he’s at the right club as Kenny said.
Arsenal have Wilshire and Man U have Cleverley and neither can stay fit. Henderson will become more of a player then Lucas we need somneone who is going to weigh in with goals and assists.
Carroll as well will prove his worth.
Michael thats all well and good but Hendo should be showing a lot more even at 21, he has had experience in the EPL already so the standard he is at, is just not good enough, and yes Lucas is a good player but please do you all really think that he is that good, i don’t think he is that good because our midfield is very poor at the moment and we miss someone who can hold the mid. There are better holding midfielders out their.
In my opinion (which probably means nothing) Hendo will be nothing more than a mid table team player, how ironic if we get Rodgers than he will be alright, funny that.
Henderson has caused us the position we are in today and what you are saying its a learning process for how many years ? plus his not a baby any more that’s not an excuse his BS and that is what it is
Idiot.
+1
He is young.
Give him a chance, just as Lucas had.
If he don’t make it, it’s been an expensive mistake, but we would get some small return back – maybe?
If he makes it, who knows, could be something as KK predicted.
We will see. I hope he develops into star like Gerrard has. I remember him starting, and I did not rate him back then. Now? I don’t need to say
Whilst I agree with your feeling that he needs to be given a chance, I must take issue with your comment about when Gerrard started out …. It was as clear as anything that he had the potential to be something special.
I have rarely seen a young kid with so much composure when he first came into the team. If you couldn’t see that, then I am sorry, but you don’t know too much about football. Even played out of position (at right back) or in the game against Everton when he was defending as if his life depended on it, it was evident that we had struck gold with him.
OK,give him a chance ON LOAN like happened to Shelvey.Shelvey scored 6 in 10 games for Blackpool last season and performed well,predict Henderson will not do so well on loan.He has flaws in his game (won’t tackle and won’t score many goals)and he’s too eager to get rid of the ball sideways or backwards!He’s not a playmaker or a ball winner,WTF is he?!? Central midfield? Your havin a laugh!
Carroll, Henderson, Downing and Adam were the reasons why Dalglish was sacked. The new manager should put the lot of them on the transfer list. We’ve already had a season marked by poor performances so lets get some quality into the team instead of the established players having to carry the dead weight of Kenny’s flops.
U are all wrong. He is good and good player take time to settle. In two years time he will be as good as luca better than lucas. Every player takes time to learn and to inprove on hwill
Lucas was elected Brazil’s best player before he came to Liverpool. Carroll looked and unstoppable beast playing for Newcastle. Even Downing and Adam were very impressive for their teams. But what did Henderson ever do? Name one thing. There’s not one Sunderland supporter regrets him leaving.
I still don’t know what to expect from Hendo. He looks lost on the field, has the expression of a lamb going to the abattoir and doesn’t contribute anything to the side, apart from zonal marking and passes to the side or back.
Give him a heart transplant and he might man up enough to be of some use.
Not much hope though.
All comment appriciated. Jordan is a good player he just need more chance to make it up. Comparing him to lucas when he was broth to lfc, i believe 99% of lfc fans hated him bt now, we dont just like him bt missing his present in the team. Jordan need us and our support.
Lucas-Hendo-Jonjo is our future midfield trio. All of them are technically good and still young. Each has specific role, lucas the destroyer, hendo makes it tick with his movement and good engine, jonjo with more advance role ala stevie under Rafa.
Interesting view. Not sure it will pan out that way, but interesting all the same. Would any incoming manager be given the benefit of placing faith in the said trio by the fans?
Henderson will come good for Liverpool, he just need to have more courage when in possession that’s all.
As for Jay Spearing … he needs to go.
No he won’t,players like Hendo and Adam kept Maxi and Shelvey out of the team.Adam rarely scores from open play,neither does Henderson.If Terry hadn’t slipped over Hendo’s season would have produced 1 goal after being almost ever present in the team.Maxi = 11 starts and 6 goals.Shelvey scored 6 in 10 games for Blackpool.Our problem last season was we didn’t score enough goals! Not rocket science!!!