Jordan Henderson (Liverpool -> Al-Ettifaq (5 months) -> Ajax)

He's had enough time to impress and show his worth.

We need absolute quality in that position and a real leader. Henderson doesn't score, shocking set pieces and does not lead by example.

If we can get £25m then I would take it and start fresh.

Agreed.

Imagine replacing him with someone who is great on the dead ball, gets 10 goals a season and dictates play from the middle?

It would make a world of difference

To be fair to Henderson, his fellow CMs (Milner, Can, Lucas and Allen )are all much of the same, honest hard-working players with a bit of ability who can all shine from time to time but more often than not they retreat back to being functional, 7 out of 10 players. Replace any one of them with some genuine quality and it would make a huge difference, all of them are what I would call complimentary players. Surround a Milner or a Henderson with lots of pace, skill and guille and their strengths come to the fore, that's why the City fans loved Milner so much. Henderson was terrific in 2013 because he wasn't asked to make too many things happen, the attention was on our other players. All he had to do was run hard, keep the ball ticking over, chip in with the odd goal and work hard.

I know one thing though, Henderson can't be the Skipper next season, it doesn't work for me. It was a brain fart by Brendan to give him the arm band in the first place.

To be fair to Henderson, his fellow CMs (Milner, Can, Lucas and Allen )are all much of the same, honest hard-working players with a bit of ability who can all shine from time to time but more often than not they retreat back to being functional, 7 out of 10 players. Replace any one of them with some genuine quality and it would make a huge difference, all of them are what I would call complimentary players. Surround a Milner or a Henderson with lots of pace, skill and guille and their strengths come to the fore, that's why the City fans loved Milner so much. Henderson was terrific in 2013 because he wasn't asked to make too many things happen, the attention was on our other players. All he had to do was run hard, keep the ball ticking over, chip in with the odd goal and work hard.

I know one thing though, Henderson can't be the Skipper next season, it doesn't work for me. It was a brain fart by Brendan to give him the arm band in the first place.

I know another thing- Henderson cannot be an automatic started next season either. As you mentioned, replace anyone of them with genuine quality and it would make a big difference. That is the difference between a good team, and a great team. Yes, you need the graft, but also the craft and I think Henderson as our skipper speaks volumes about how far off the top teams we really are st present.

He can do a job, and would be good to keep him, but there are many better players out there. Work rate isn't everything.

Excuse my typos. This iPhone is not great.

Thought this too. It was funny though, right after the match I check the LFC vs. Spurs LIVE thread and three posts in a row just tore Henderson a new one. Do people even watch the match or do they just use Hendo as a scapegoat for every match we drop points?

He tidied up the midfield and made multiple tackles right outside our box and had a couple of passes that really opened up Tottenham. I saw glimpses of the old Hendo today and any criticism he has been receiving today is completely unwarranted.

I've always defended Henderson against scathing criticism, and I've always liked the guy. But while others saw a good game, I was frustrated with what I saw too many Spurs players giving him the run around. I thought he was beaten too easily and that players just seemed to walk through him. He seemed to always be involved around the play rather actually involved IN the play. While he did win the ball back on a few occasions, the inaction when he had the ball was frustrating because his passing and failure to take initiative is probably the most frustrating thing about him. Many players in his position would have the ability to turn and get the ball forward, but his inability to pass forward, and his inability to turn results in futile balls sideways and backwards.

This is a big problem for Klopp as it hampers the quick transition play that he favours. Liverpool can't possibly play that way if Henderson is not playing incisive and attacking passes. Watching Klopp's Dortmund, the central midfield would often pivot and pass immediately forward under transition - under Henderson, play just seems to get held up as he holds on to it a second too long and fails to play the ball forward. Because of this, the opposition find it much easier to get back into position, thus making our movement non-existent as all our players have been marked up.

While he did win the ball back on a few occasions, the inaction when he had the ball was frustrating because his passing and failure to take initiative is probably the most frustrating thing about him. Many players in his position would have the ability to turn and get the ball forward, but his inability to pass forward, and his inability to turn results in futile balls sideways and backwards.

It's not the odd game or so that it happens, isn't it? It's throughout his career that he has always been like this. This is why he is average when played in the 2 man CM role and asked to become the predominant figure in the middle. Can is similar in that sense too. We can't continue to play both, it has to change next season.

Henderson was terrific in 2013 because he wasn't asked to make too many things happen, the attention was on our other players. All he had to do was run hard, keep the ball ticking over, chip in with the odd goal and work hard.

This is Henderson at his best and playing to his strengths, but it seems like Klopp will play a midfield triangle instead of 3 man midfield, so I'm struggling to see how he will fit into our first team regularly next season.

Would be interesting to have a poll and see what everyone is thinking.

I don't think anyone would mind him staying as he's a great squad player. He's just not captain material and should not be our focal point in the middle.

Good to hear/read.

Liverpool captain Henderson: I'm getting back to my best after injury nightmare.

    18:58, 3 Apr 2016
    By James Pearce

Henderson has missed a large part of the season with a troublesome heel injury.

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson believes he’s finally getting back to his best form as he looks to put his injury nightmare behind him.

The Reds midfielder walked away from Anfield on Saturday evening clutching the sponsors’ man of the match champagne after a tenacious display in the 1-1 draw with Tottenham.

It’s been a hugely frustrating campaign for Henderson, who has been severely hampered by a debilitating heel condition.

After limping off against Bournemouth in August, he was sidelined for three-and-a-half months.

Plantar fasciitis - a thickening of the band of tissue running underneath the sole of the foot – continued to affect him, even after the ligament fully ruptured in January.

There have been times when Henderson hasn’t been able to do himself justice for Jürgen Klopp’s side but Saturday represented a significant step forward for the skipper as he led by example with his energy and athleticism.

“I feel as though I’m getting back to where I want to be,” Henderson told the ECHO.

“Sometimes I can be my own worst enemy if I’m playing with an injury or different things. It’s my own fault at times.

“But that’s just the way I am. I want to play football. I want to try and put myself out for the team.

“I feel as though now I’m starting to get back to the physicality – that’s a big part of my game. When that’s correct then everything else seems to flow much better. I felt good against Spurs.

“When I was away with England I think I put in one of my highest performances of the season (against Germany) in terms of the physical side of the game which was pleasing for me.

“I got confidence from that and I just need to continue to work instead of trying to play catch up all the time.”

Only a sustained period of rest will enable the heel issue to completely clear up and Henderson won’t get that until after this summer’s European Championships in France.

However, the 25-year-old is upbeat and ready to lead the charge for the Reds in the closing stages of the campaign as they prepare for Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final first leg away to Borussia Dortmund.

“It’s not an issue for me. After games it still gets a bit sore but it’s much better than how it was and that’s pleasing,” Henderson added.

“I am out there, I’m playing and I can manage it.

“When it completely goes will be whenever I have a rest. But I’m not sure if I’ll have one of them any time soon.

“Maybe if I go to the Euros, I’ll have some time off after that and then after the rest hopefully it will have completely settled.

“Until then I just have to manage it. I feel better physically all the time and I’m getting back to where I want to be.”

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-captain-henderson-im-getting-11131993

Jordan is an odd one for me.  I like his personality, and I find myself rooting for him to be the person that a lot of people say he is, but there are times that he just doesn't seem to impress me the way he impresses others. I suppose that could be down to my knowledge of the game, maybe I don't see or can't discern some of the things he brings to the side that others with much better knowledge and experience can easily see. I desperately want him to live up to the billing that some afford him on here but I struggle with rating him as highly as other folks do. I know he's struggling with injury, but  he just doesn't seem as dynamic of a player as I'd expect him to be. Maybe someone can educate me on him.

Jürgen has him playing in a back two with Emre; pretty much assured your not going to see him bombing forward much as that will be Emre's task; the way he was played in '13 is gone now and won't be coming back.

Good to hear/read.

Liverpool captain Henderson: I'm getting back to my best after injury nightmare.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-captain-henderson-im-getting-11131993

That is good to hear.

Tis amazing how we can all watch the same game and some will think he is sh*te, and some motm.
Know could say that about any player,  but of all LFC players, seems to be most applicable to Hendo.
Thought he did well yest, don't think m(an)otm like some, or m(ug)otm like others, but did well enough.

Hasn't been at his best lately, but hasn't gotten the benefit of the doubt from many (though obviously carrying *impediment*).
If he's feeling better, then the games v BVB are a chance to show that. We'll need players to stand up and be counted over the two legs - and think Hendo is one of those we really need to play well to have a chance to get through.

He's had enough time to impress and show his worth.

We need absolute quality in that position and a real leader. Henderson doesn't score, shocking set pieces and does not lead by example.

If we can get £25m then I would take it and start fresh.

I can't argue with that.

Agreed.

Henderson was terrific in 2013 because he wasn't asked to make too many things happen, the attention was on our other players.
All he had to do was run hard, keep the ball ticking over, chip in with the odd goal and work hard.

I know one thing though, Henderson can't be the Skipper next season, it doesn't work for me.

It was a brain fart by Brendan to give him the arm band in the first place.

I don't think anyone would mind him staying as he's a great squad player.
He's just not captain material and should not be our focal point in the middle.

Agree with all.

Really need to not get overrun in the middle, try to get some control and keep some possession. Otherwise, could be a bit overrun.

Captain's performance from Hendo tomorrow ? It's a lot to ask, away to a very good side, in form - could be doing with him putting in a real shift.

Really need to not get overrun in the middle, try to get some control and keep some possession. Otherwise, could be a bit overrun.

Captain's performance from Hendo tomorrow ? It's a lot to ask, away to a very good side, in form - could be doing with him putting in a real shift.

There's absolutely no way we keep control against them unless one of their lads gets sent off or something.

Can anybody tell me what our captains main attributes are? As a midfielder, I expect him to be able to tackle, pass and/or shoot at least.

Can anybody tell me what our captains main attributes are? As a midfielder, I expect him to be able to tackle, pass and/or shoot at least.

http://www.squawka.com/comparison-matrix#premier_league/2015/2016/jordan_henderson/165/165/86/0/p#total

If you click the 'add stat' feature you can compare anything you like to any other player you want. I would also suggest limiting it to 'per 90 minutes' as it shows details on games played only, not season totals (so players don't have better stats because they have played more)

Any word on the injury at all?

Apparently it's his knee and he could miss the rest of the season. That's probably a good thing though from a long-term perspective because it means he might have time to allow his ankle to heal over the summer.

Injury may be a blessing for him? He needs to get himself right physically and mentally and refocus for next season. He's had a massive drop off from the player he was 2 years ago. Just too much inconsistency as of late that could be down to injuries I suppose.

Henderson may have played his last game for us.

Henderson may have played his last game for us.

Let's hope so!

Let's hope so!

Fed, is there any player at the club you like..?

Fed, is there any player at the club you like..?

I like them all!  They all seem like nice lads.

If what you really mean is, "are there any players at the club that I rate," the answer is yes, and they are:

1) Coutinho
2) Sturridge
3) Can
4) Firmino
5) Clyne
6) Sakho


That's pretty much it.  I'm even starting to come around to Joseph.  Also liked what I saw of Ings, the little time he did get.

I wouldn't mind if we literally sold every single one of the rest of them.  Mignolet, Moreno, Skrtel, Henderson, Milner, Benteke, Lallana, Lucas, they can literally all go.  And we would be none the worse.

I like them all!  They all seem like nice lads.

If what you really mean is, "are there any players at the club that I rate," the answer is yes, and they are:

1) Coutinho
2) Sturridge
3) Can
4) Firmino
5) Clyne
6) Sakho


That's pretty much it.  I'm even starting to come around to Joseph.  Also liked what I saw of Ings, the little time he did get.

I wouldn't mind if we literally sold every single one of the rest of them.  Mignolet, Moreno, Skrtel, Henderson, Milner, Benteke, Lallana, Lucas, they can literally all go.  And we would be none the worse.

Out of our current first XI I'd keep:

Mignolet (as backup keeper)
Lovren
Sakho
Clyne
Moreno (purely as backup)
Milner (good squad player)
Can
Allen (becoming more and more useful as a squad player)
Lucas (good squad player)
Coutts
Firminio
Markovich (want to see him in a Klopp team)
Ibe (Still think there is a player in there)
Sturridge
Ings
Origi

To be sold:
Henderson (offers far to little as a midfileder or captain)
Lallana (has got skills but is so lightweight and very little end product)
Benteke (has forgotten how to be a striker)


I really would be wary about getting rid of to many all at once, unless we have very solid replacements coming in.