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2017/18 Season Report Card: Jordan Henderson.

Are there still people out there who don’t rate Hendo? Yeah, probably. It’s always going to be that way. I mean, if he hasn’t won his critics over by now then he never will.

 

He had a good season but it seemed like any time we had a bad result he came in for the most stick. Ok, not quite true, but he was often lumped in the scapegoat group with Mignolet, Moreno and Lovren, which was grossly unfair to him. The others often deserved to be in there, but Hendo is not in that category.

 

For all the talk of him not being good enough or not being a natural holding player, he captained us to a Champions League final and he’s ‘unofficially’ captained England to the World Cup semis (Kane has the armband but everyone can see who the leader on the pitch is). Not bad for someone who many don’t think is that good.

 

Klopp gets tetchy whenever he has to defend his players. He’s used to it having continually had to field questions about Moreno, Lovren, Karius and Mignolet. He doesn’t like it, but in those cases you at least know that he understands why he’s being asked about them.

 

Yet when he’s asked about criticism of Henderson he looks utterly bemused, incredulous even. Sometimes he’ll look to the press officer to check he’s heard it right, and then he’ll say “Really?”. You can tell he has nothing but contempt for the suggestion that Henderson isn’t good enough or isn’t the leader we need.

 

henderson1_600.jpg
 

Sure, we could upgrade on Henderson and maybe we have already with Fabinho. The point is, there aren’t too many better at what he does and he isn’t appreciated anywhere near as much as he ought to be. Perhaps because of that, there are some who go too far in the other direction.

 

The truth lies somewhere in between. Jordan Henderson is not a great player but he is a very good one. Top class, but not world class. He's getting there though.

 

Part of the problem he has is that for him to stand out he really needs the attacking players to be on their game. He’s a great complimentary piece who lays the platform for others to shine. He’s not going to win games for us and you won’t see him picking the ball up, driving forward and banging one in from 30 yards.

 

Yeah, I suppose I’m saying “he’s not Steven Gerrard”. Who is though? Case in point, Hendo was fucking brilliant when we destroyed Roma at Anfield. Everyone could see the job he did that night. In the final though, he was quiet, subdued, not very influential.

 

How much of that was him just not playing well, and how much was the loss of Salah and the fact we were struggling to get anything going in attack? I’d say it was both. It was difficult for him, especially as the team seemed to be feeling sorry for themselves for a good while after Mo went off, but at the same time he’s the captain and it’s his job to ensure that doesn’t happen.

 

The biggest issue I had with him that night was that the antic of Ramos went unpunished. You can’t let an opposing player take the kind of liberties that Ramos did. Someone has to do something, as it starts with the captain. I know he’s not Graeme Souness or Tommy Smith, but I expect to see SOMETHING from him in that situation.

 

Overall it’s a minor gripe in the big picture. He’s been a fine captain because he sets a great example with his work ethic and professionalism, and he takes an interest in all of his team-mates and seems a popular figure with them.

 

Good footballer, good captain, good player to have around.

 

Best Moment: 
 
His performance against Roma.

 

Worst Moment: 
 

 

Not sorting Ramos out in the final.
 
Rating:
 
8/10. Solid season marred slightly by a few below par displays.
 
The Future? 

 

I'm curious to see how it all shakes out in midfield this season. Fabinho is a specialist ‘6’ so Hendo will be splitting time with him. When he’s not in that role he’ll be competing for one of the two box to box spots, but we’ve got a lot of options there and it’s going to be tough, especially as Naby will surely have one of those slots nailed down.

 

My gut feeling is that Henderson is still an important player but barring an injury crisis in midfield he’ll play less games this season than he’s used to. It isn't a reflection on him, it's just a natural consequence of building a strong squad.

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Not sure about the Ramos thing.

 

The Salah incident wasn't even called as a foul & I still don't subscribe to the ' Black Belt Third Dan ' theory , and I didn't even notice the Karius incident watching with slo-mo's & a million replays and no trainer was even called.

 

I honestly think that Hendo is the only player in the squad who does get in the mix with the opposition & referees ( Hopefully BK will make it 2 ) but it has to be within reason. If he had two-footed Ramos & we had lost with 10 men he would have been crucified.

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I’m converted by the Church of Hendo.

 

He’s been boss this World Cup too. Pity he’s playing for England.

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The ratings for all our midfielders have been a bit batshit. If they were in any way true; our midfield would have been great and I don’t mean occasionally.

 

That’s just not how I recall it. Klopps gone and spent massive there too.

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I like Hendo.

 

In one of the Ingerland group games there was a spat and Hendo was up there in the thick of it. The big chinned diving twat was nowhere to be seen.

 

I believe he is Captain material but what could he have done with that cunt Ramos? Kicked him in the head and got sent off?

 

That game is sadly something that is history now but nothing LFC should be ashamed of.

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I like Hendo and think he's a top lad. He's a very able number 6 but I do miss the running man version of himself though when he was like an extra player in midfield. He used to chip in with a few goals back then too.

 

Not sure if his body is up to that now but with Fabinho in the 6 role and more rotation options he might be able to do it occasionally in some big games.

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Not sure about the Ramos thing.

 

The Salah incident wasn't even called as a foul & I still don't subscribe to the ' Black Belt Third Dan ' theory , and I didn't even notice the Karius incident watching with slo-mo's & a million replays and no trainer was even called.

 

I honestly think that Hendo is the only player in the squad who does get in the mix with the opposition & referees ( Hopefully BK will make it 2 ) but it has to be within reason. If he had two-footed Ramos & we had lost with 10 men he would have been crucified.

All of the above. Hendo probably thought the Salah thing was just unfortunate. It wasn't until I'd seen a couple of replays that I realised that it was a completely malicious move - Ramos extends his right arm to break his fall, then manages to throw his weight to his other side to come down on top of Mo. As for the Karius incident, I only became aware of it when the German tv analysis of it went viral.

It's good for him that he's finally getting the recognition from England fans  - about time. It's the least he currently deserves as he's virtually a one-man midfield, with the wing backs staying wide and Lingard and Delle Ali fannying around up front, leaving vast acres for Hendo to cover.

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If Ingerland wind up winning the fucking thing Hendo won't any credit from the media, we all know that.

 

It'll be like West 'Am winning it in 1966 but this time fucking Spurs.

 

Fucking hate Spurs me.

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Not sure about the Ramos thing.

 

The Salah incident wasn't even called as a foul & I still don't subscribe to the ' Black Belt Third Dan ' theory , and I didn't even notice the Karius incident watching with slo-mo's & a million replays and no trainer was even called.

 

I honestly think that Hendo is the only player in the squad who does get in the mix with the opposition & referees ( Hopefully BK will make it 2 ) but it has to be within reason. If he had two-footed Ramos & we had lost with 10 men he would have been crucified.

 

There were other thinsg though. The Mo thing ok, he's not going to know at the time but I'd bet at half time they were all aware of it. Just because we didn't see the Karius one on TV doesnt mean the players on the pitch missed it, especially when Karius was shouting at the ref about being elbowed.

 

The biggest thing for me though was when he was diving around trying to get Mané sent off even when then game was won. At that point someone should have twatted him.

 

The ratings for all our midfielders have been a bit batshit. If they were in any way true; our midfield would have been great and I don’t mean occasionally.

 

That’s just not how I recall it. Klopps gone and spent massive there too.

 

They got us top four and reached a CL final. If they were no good that wouldn't have happened, regardless of what the forwards were doing. Sure, we can improve on them, but Fabinho is a replacement for Can and essentially Keita will be taking Coutinho'd spot.

 

All those midfielders you think are no good will still be here this season.

 

I believe he is Captain material but what could he have done with that cunt Ramos? Kicked him in the head and got sent off?

 

This is like when Paulie is talking to the restaurant owner in Goodfellas about Tommy. "What do you want me to do, shoot him?" and the guy goes "that wouldn't be a bad fucking idea".

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There were other thinsg though. The Mo thing ok, he's not going to know at the time but I'd bet at half time they were all aware of it. Just because we didn't see the Karius one on TV doesnt mean the players on the pitch missed it, especially when Karius was shouting at the ref about being elbowed.

 

The biggest thing for me though was when he was diving around trying to get Mané sent off even when then game was won. At that point someone should have twatted him.

 

 

They got us top four and reached a CL final. If they were no good that wouldn't have happened, regardless of what the forwards were doing. Sure, we can improve on them, but Fabinho is a replacement for Can and essentially Keita will be taking Coutinho'd spot.

 

All those midfielders you think are no good will still be here this season.

 

 

This is like when Paulie is talking to the restaurant owner in Goodfellas about Tommy. "What do you want me to do, shoot him?" and the guy goes "that wouldn't be a bad fucking idea".

Gonna have to give Hendo a gun.

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I'm absolutely baffled by some of the stuff I'm reading here. This by Skidders for example.

 

 

 

He’s been boss this World Cup too.

Boss in what way ? And against what top class opposition ? Panama ? Tunisia ? Columbia ? Sweden ? The first decent side they played was last night and I thought he was none existent. I remember him playing one good long pass and being subbed.

 

 

 

he captained us to a Champions League final 

He did Dave but Roma aside, what other stand out games did he really have ? Maybe I've just blinkered myself so much I'm not seeing it. I'd put the CL run down to a group of players all pulling for each other rather than Henderson pulling them through by leadership.

 

Going back to last night again. What should have been one of the biggest games of his career and he offered nothing. The game passed him by. He could learn a lot from the shift Lovren put in for Croatia last night.

 

I don't dislike him. Honestly I don't. I'd love nothing more than to see him lift a cup with our ribbons on it but I just don't think he's as good as some of the stuff I read.

 

I'm scratching my head here that much anyone would think I've got nits.

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It's good for him that he's finally getting the recognition from England fans  - about time. It's the least he currently deserves as he's virtually a one-man midfield, with the wing backs staying wide and Lingard and Delle Ali fannying around up front, leaving vast acres for Hendo to cover.

 

Same again last night - especially when the wing backs retreated behind the wagons. How he was subbed when Lingard & Alli were all but invisible is beyond me.

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Henderson and Lovren are the two most polarising players in our squad without a doubt.

 

For what it’s worth I view them in a similar light; capable of some top performances but there are too many average performances mixed in when you look at them as a whole.

 

They are good players but for me they’re not at the same level of our best players. Ideally you want to improve your team to the point where they are all relatively as strong and that probably means that the likes of Hendo and Lovren play less but only time will tell on that.

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Henderson and Lovren are the two most polarising players in our squad without a doubt.

 

For what it’s worth I view them in a similar light; capable of some top performances but there are too many average performances mixed in when you look at them as a whole.

 

They are good players but for me they’re not at the same level of our best players. Ideally you want to improve your team to the point where they are all relatively as strong and that probably means that the likes of Hendo and Lovren play less but only time will tell on that.

Average performances from individuals are OK as long as the team is still winning.  It's harder for certain midfield positions and defenders to look outstanding for 90 minutes of every game.

As long as they are capable of raising their game as and when it's needed.

To see them on the pitch less we need some upgrades in the door first anyway.

Many would say the the keeper position is more of an issue then Lovren or Henderson, and an upgrade on any of the 3 ain't coming cheap.

Klopp's made it clear he likes Lovren anyway.

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Going back to last night again. What should have been one of the biggest games of his career and he offered nothing. The game passed him by. 

 

Yeah, pretty much. He played his worst game of the tournament yesterday. I don't know if he was injured, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was subbed for playing poorly.

 

It's a shame, because I like him.

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Yeah, pretty much. He played his worst game of the tournament yesterday. I don't know if he was injured, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was subbed for playing poorly.

 

It's a shame, because I like him.

 

 

he's not good in pressure situations.

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I'm absolutely baffled by some of the stuff I'm reading here. This by Skidders for example.

 

Boss in what way ? And against what top class opposition ? Panama ? Tunisia ? Columbia ? Sweden ? The first decent side they played was last night and I thought he was none existent. I remember him playing one good long pass and being subbed.

 

He did Dave but Roma aside, what other stand out games did he really have ? Maybe I've just blinkered myself so much I'm not seeing it. I'd put the CL run down to a group of players all pulling for each other rather than Henderson pulling them through by leadership.

 

Going back to last night again. What should have been one of the biggest games of his career and he offered nothing. The game passed him by. He could learn a lot from the shift Lovren put in for Croatia last night.

 

I don't dislike him. Honestly I don't. I'd love nothing more than to see him lift a cup with our ribbons on it but I just don't think he's as good as some of the stuff I read.

 

I'm scratching my head here that much anyone would think I've got nits.

Agree, 8/10? Exactly what took him above a 6? He didn’t really excel during the season as either a captain nor as a midfielder. 8/10 seems really really high.

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Henderson and Lovren are the two most polarising players in our squad without a doubt.

 

For what it’s worth I view them in a similar light; capable of some top performances but there are too many average performances mixed in when you look at them as a whole.

 

They are good players but for me they’re not at the same level of our best players. Ideally you want to improve your team to the point where they are all relatively as strong and that probably means that the likes of Hendo and Lovren play less but only time will tell on that.

No Karius in the top 2

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No Karius in the top 2

No he doesn’t polarise, everyone thinks he’s shite.

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he's not good in pressure situations.

Yeah, he was in full-on shitting himself mode after Croatia equalised. Not surprising though. What is surprising to me is that so many people seem fine overlooking this trait he has.

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No he doesn’t polarise, everyone thinks he’s shite.

Apart from Code

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Doesn’t score enough goals. Turns towards our goal too many times, instead of towards the opposition when receiving a pass. Doesn’t produce enough telling passes given the forwards we have. Probably all true.

 

Yet I recall thinking how he’s missed when he’s injured, and seeing him run his arse off covering full backs or centre backs on numerous occasions.

 

Every team needs it’s work horses and Jordan is exactly that. I think he never gives less than 100% and thats what I think Klopp likes about him, I can’t dislike him but he does frustrate sometimes.

 

I just hope he gets the chance to lift some silverware soon so he can put two fingers up to ferguson for that “ can’t run” jibe from few years ago.

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Doesn’t score enough goals. Turns towards our goal too many times, instead of towards the opposition when receiving a pass. Doesn’t produce enough telling passes given the forwards we have. Probably all true.

 

Yet I recall thinking how he’s missed when he’s injured, and seeing him run his arse off covering full backs or centre backs on numerous occasions.

 

Every team needs it’s work horses and Jordan is exactly that. I think he never gives less than 100% and thats what I think Klopp likes about him, I can’t dislike him but he does frustrate sometimes.

 

I just hope he gets the chance to lift some silverware soon so he can put two fingers up to ferguson for that “ can’t run” jibe from few years ago.

I think that’s fair, especially the bit about him turning back to our goal. Sometimes he receives the ball and could easily open his body up and be facing the opponents goal looking for a progressive pass but instead he just plays it backwards first time.

 

I think he just lacks the awareness of a real top player but he has some excellent attributes elsewhere which you can argue compensate for it.

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Watching him early in the season left me frustrated with his constant backwards/sideways passing but as the season wore on he was noticeably looking to play it forward more often. He’s going to need to keep that going because he’s got real competition for places now. If Keita and Fabinho are all they’re cracked up to be I don’t think there’ll be many people that would have Hendo in their list of top 3 CM’s in the squad.

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