Welcome to my blog! I'll be here after every Liverpool game this season, giving my thoughts and views on the game, my player ratings, and probably the occasional rant. Feel free to comment, share, or get involved via social media. You'll find me on Twitter as @MNunny91. All abuse and opinion is welcomed.
8 years ago, in 2012, a 22 year old Jordan Henderson was told he was free to join Fulham. Struggling to assert himself as a Liverpool regular, then manager Brendan Rodgers was happy to cut his clubs losses on a player who seemingly would never fulfil his early promise. Henderson was tearful, and his career was in the balance.
It’s now 2020, and at the time of writing, Jordan Henderson is 6/4 favourite to be crowned PFA Footballer of the Year. He is also a Champions League and Club World Cup winning Liverpool captain. This is a career comeback of Istanbul proportions. 8 years on, Jordan Henderson is no longer a figure of fun, he is the beating heart of one of the best club sides English football has ever seen.
For many, he has always been criminally underrated and under appreciated as a footballer. Many people forget the role his suspension played in Liverpool’s famous title capitulation of 2013. Had he not received a second yellow card in the 3-2 triumph over Manchester City, the now 30 year hoodoo may have been broken a few years sooner. Before last season’s Champions League triumph, he was in danger of being labelled footballs nearly man, a rare constant in a series of glorious Liverpool failures. The aforementioned title collapse. The 2016 Carling Cup final. The 2016 Europa League final. The 2018 Champions League final. Henderson was at the forefront of all of them, and a weaker personality may have crumbled under in the incessant pressure that comes with being an under-achieving Liverpool captain. Not Henderson. His unwavering self belief and determination epitomises the record breaking squad he captains, and finally he is becoming appreciated by the masses, and loved by his own clubs supporters.
The criticism he has faced in the past is flawed. The narrative that 'he only passes sideways or backwards' is not only innaccurate, but a very strange stick to beat a deep lying midfielder with. Those very traits of ticking possession over and not surrendering the ball are regularly lauded on the continent, with the likes of Sergio Busquets being heralded as a genius, whereas Henderson is labelled as safe and one dimensional. Its a very English trait to chastise a footballer for keeping the ball well.
He has become an influencer of big games for Liverpool, popping up when they've needed him the most, something Steven Gerrard made a career out of. On the rare occasions Liverpool have found themselves under pressure this season, Henderson has made an impact. His goal early in the second half when trailing at home to Spurs, his opener at Molineux where the home side were battering the Liverpool door down, and his all round performance against Manchester City spring to mind. Liverpool's famous front three of Mane, Salah and Firmino are infinitely better due to the tireless workrate of Liverpool's midfield, something that often goes unnoticed in the stands but is clearly appreciated and recognised within the playing squad. He is an exceptional leader of men, no longer England captain, but his maturity and ownership of the bust-up between teammate Joe Gomez and Raheem Sterling while away on England duty was well publicised. The respect from his fellow players is there for all to see, and it seems this is finally being reciprocated by those who once couldn't wait to reach for their keyboard in order to criticise.
Bandwagons are very easy to be jumped upon in the modern of era of social media scrutiny. Sir Alex Ferguson's bizarre critique of Hendersons running stlye have stuck with him for years, yet nobody ever references the fact that arguably footballs greatest ever manager was interested in signing him. Jurgen Klopp has built this Liverpool team over 5 years, many have come in a few have left, however Henderson has remained a constant. Its possible that Klopp may know better than us armchair fans. He ignored the calls to upgrade on his captain, and its now reaping the benefits.
It has taken a long time for Henderson to be loved, even by his own supporters. He now has his own song, and the image of him lifting the champions league trophy aloft in Madrid will forever be etched into Liverpool folklore. His trophy lift is becoming something of a signature move, and he is getting plenty of practice in this dominant Liverpool side.. If Henderson is the man who finally lifts the Premier League title after 30 long, painful years, he will undoubtedly become a Liverpool icon. Its time we all put some respect to the name Jordan Henderson.
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