BBC pundit Danny Murphy was impressed by what he saw of Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson in England’s 5-0 thrashing of the Czech Republic on Friday night.
He says that the “greatest quality” the 28-year-old showed that evening was his ability to give everything he could to the match, something which he believes will resonate with the younger players that are coming through the team.
Murphy adds that he would pick the Reds mainstay – who has 32 appearances this season under Jurgen Klopp – over the likes of Tottenham’s Eric Dier, mainly because he has the capability of picking out better passes.
“People have doubted Henderson but I thought he had a great World Cup and is our most reliable midfield player. He’s as fit as they come, rarely gives the ball away and is starting to move the ball quicker and be more productive,” he said in his Mail column.
“Henderson is becoming more verbal and demands from others what he puts in himself but his greatest quality is that he gives everything and players coming into the squad will see that and respond. It was interesting that Gareth [Southgate] gave him a more advanced role until Eric Dier went off.
“If England play one holder, I’d pick Henderson over Dier — and I’m a fan of Harry Winks as well — but it looks as if Henderson has the confidence to hit more ambitious passes, because he’s always had the capability.
“He has become more confident in his own skin and, if he wins his 50th cap on Monday, it will be well deserved.”
OPINION
Henderson is a player who gets slammed an awful lot for his displays in an England shirt, although most of the time, it is hard to understand why this is the case. He was excellent in his role at the World Cup, completely bossing the midfield the majority of the time. That was also the case on Friday night against a rather weak Czech Republic team. His great passes allowed England to get forward more often and he was the player who was at the centre of starting the attacks. Murphy is right though, Henderson thoroughly deserves to be starting over the likes of Dier right now. He has a lot more imagination when it comes to passes, and this is exactly the type of player that England need at the moment. “Giving everything” is Henderson’s best quality, just as Murphy rightly pointed out – and that is something he demonstrates for Liverpool week in, week out.
