Henderson has already had great games against the likes of Arsenal before, but how easily forgotten.
Our midfield is a weak spot right now but I don't think it's down to Henderson; the whole notion that he has to "control" midfield and "dictate" the game is a bit ridiculous if you consider he's just one player. No one single handedly wins the midfield battle, although saying so might be very poetic after a strong performance from a midfielder.
Joe Allen is a player who has shown he can be a useful squad player but so far not much more than that. Worse still is the fact I don't even think his best position is as the most defensive of midfielders, like he played against Man Utd, despite the fact he can make a decent contribution there now and again. Lucas is a shadow of the player he used to be, physically speaking, even though he remains one of the most intelligent players around, in terms of positioning and anticipation. Coutinho, for all there is to like from him, can be very hit and miss.
We've badly missed a good defensive midfielder in this team since last season. We did sign one in Emre Can, but we're now playing him in defense; so the problem remains.
Henderson is not world class and I don't think he ever will be, but that doesn't change the fact he is a very good player capable of offering a lot to our midfield, but the assumption that he is somehow responsible for all that goes wrong in that area of the pitch only because he's the captain seems to be entirely wrong and the criticism ends up being badly misplaced.
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