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Henderson

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I've probably been and still am his most vocal (to the point of annoyance) critic. I've certainly been flip flopping in terms of what I think of him. For the past few years he's been playing at DM, a position I never thought he was suited for. If you doubt me do a quick search, at the beginning I did say that he should be playing in his natural position which is CM but that slowly evolved into "he's shit". Obviously his performances at DM...I don't know the right term form it, let's say "clouded my judgement".
Still, he deserves major props for his form of late. He's actually been immense.
But don't forget about Wijnaldum and Milner. If we're talking consistency this season, those two are still ahead of Hendo, but don't get me wrong. Hendo's superb form is very welcome at this stage of the season.

Also, If you think me not participating in the match thread is due to some "butt-hurtedness" regarding Hendo, you're wrong. It's more of combo between having a delayed stream and also not getting emotionally involved in the race. Yeah, I don't think we'll win the title, there I said it. But that's a different topic.

Or of course you could simply wise up and remove your bullshit poem...
 
One of the hallmarks of great drama is when a previously unheralded character turns out to have a significant impact on the denouement that, in hindsight, seems inevitable (Gendry? Samwell Tarly, perhaps? Or maybe one of the surviving direwolves?). Jordan Henderson may be Liverpool captain but, a fortnight ago, who really thought he might have a major say in the playing out of the title race – and that it would be positive?
Liverpool weren’t nervous exactly but five minutes into the second half against Chelsea on Sunday, they were perhaps just at the stage of thinking they needed a goal soon or they would start to become anxious. Manchester City’s victory over Crystal Palace meant they had to win, but playing into the wind howling over the Anfield Road End they had struggled for rhythm in the first half.
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Jürgen Klopp ‘blown away’ by Mohamed Salah’s thunderbolt against Chelsea

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Then Mohamed Salah made an incursion and was checked. Never fear: there was Henderson bounding up in support. His first touch took him into space and the Kop bayed for him to shoot: no deft stuff, Hendo, please! But he didn’t. His second touch, at pace, was weighted perfectly to take him to the byline but not beyond, and his third chipped the ball to the back post where Sadio Mané couldn’t miss. The 6 has become an 8 and, for a third straight fixture, he unlocked the game. It was a moment of pure, distilled Henderson: an assist seeded in his enthusiasm but brought to fruition by a level of skill and technical control that often seems underestimated.
Two years ago the German photographer Christian Vieler brought out a book comprising studio shots of dogs as they tried to catch a chewy treat he tossed for them. Look at those pictures and look at Henderson under a high ball. The expression is the same. The same focus, the same desire, the same sheer wonderment to be alive in a universe in which such delights can drop from the sky.
In part, Henderson’s reputation has suffered because of his loyalty and his willingness to do what his master commands. When he first emerged at Sunderland, he was a right winger. Steve Bruce soon moved him into the centre but in his first game there, away at Birmingham, he was dreadful. Bruce kept faith and, marvelling at his willingness to learn, was vindicated as Henderson within a matter of weeks had established himself as a box-to-box player.
When Fabio Capello gave him his first England cap, in a 2-1 home defeat to France in November 2010, though, it was as a holder just in front of the back four. Henderson was awful, but the decision to play him there, a role he had never previously occupied, was mystifying. Henderson, though, overcame the setback and, given Harry Kane’s injury, could end up captaining Englandinto the Nations League semi-final.
Signed for Liverpool as part of some misguided moneyballing under Kenny Dalglish, Henderson was very nearly sold by Brendan Rodgers. But he kept going and prevailed, because that’s what he does. Jürgen Klopp needed him to operate as the deepest-lying midfielder – as what German football refers to as a 6, a convention Henderson, ever the diligent student, seems willingly to adopted.
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Henderson did the job willingly enough, but it is not what he excels at. He does not have the instinctive positional sense of a Claude Makélélé or a Andrea Pirlo, a Sergio Busquets or a Xabi Alonso. When Liverpool pressed hard and constantly, his energy meant he could get away with it: pace and aggression were prioritised above precision. This season, though, as Liverpool’s approach has become slightly more conservative, those tactical failings have been exposed. So Henderson, out of favour, his frustration apparent as he pointedly ignored Klopp on being substituted at Old Trafford in February, suggested he might be better on the right of the three, as an 8.
That is what he loves, being let off the leash so, eyes bright, tongue lolling, ears flapping, drool flying from his jowls, he can go chasing rabbits and smells and squirrels and, yes, balls wherever his enthusiasm may take him. As Alex Ferguson once noted, there is something slightly odd about Henderson’s gait, which perhaps means he will never be the most graceful of players, that his mistakes will stand out and even his moments of genius can appear a little clumsy, but look at his impact.
Henderson came off the bench to turn the game at Southampton. It was his through-ball that cracked Porto open in the Champions League last Tuesday. It was his intervention that opened up Chelsea. He was relegated to the bench for England’s last game as well, but came on against Montenegro in that number 8 role to create the fourth and fifth goals with quick forward passes.
The result has been Hendo Unchained, and it may end up bringing Liverpool the title.
 
Great point at the outset of that article about unheralded characters, and we've benefited in such circs.before, notably in Istanbul in 2005. There's something especially encouraging about such players stepping up at this stage of the season (Lallana too was MOTM in one game fairly recently).

Be afraid, Citeh. Be very afraid.
 
Great point at the outset of that article about unheralded characters, and we've benefited in such circs.before, notably in Istanbul in 2005. There's something especially encouraging about such players stepping up at this stage of the season (Lallana too was MOTM in one game fairly recently).

Be afraid, Citeh. Be very afraid.

I think when you win a league title you need different players to step up at critical moments in the season, often players who in the grand scheme of things are part of the supporting cast. We have had our fair share this season, Origis last gasp winner against Everton, Shaq with 2 goals against Man U when they were settling in for a point, Sturridge with a wonder strike against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the 89th min to keep us unbeaten.

Individually none of them were the turning point in our season, but the help build a mentality that says we are all in this together, everybody has something to contribute. Hendersons late season resurgence is one of those moments.
 
They don't have to be. They don't have to play against us anymore and it's in their own hands.

They do have to play Tottenham, who were full value for beating them recently, and ManU, who will be even more up for it than usual as top four for them could well depend on a win. But in any case my main point is that, as Klopp said, we're not going anywhere. If we do what we have to do and they slip up just once, we're in.
 
They do have to play Tottenham, who were full value for beating them recently, and ManU, who will be even more up for it than usual as top four for them could well depend on a win. But in any case my main point is that, as Klopp said, we're not going anywhere. If we do what we have to do and they slip up just once, we're in.

I thought this, but bizarrely many United fans would happily lose against City if it meant we didn't win the league. In fact, they'd rather City win the quad than us win the league. Very strange lot.

I reckon they'll roll over for City.
 
Quite true as far as many of their fans are concerned, Hal, but (though this could be wishful thinking) I doubt it applies to Ole Gunnar Weasel and their players.
 
Possibly wishful thinking, you'd hope their professional competitive spirit would kick in.

In any case, we have to reconcile the fact that Man United are rubbish and are likely to be swept aside regardless of whether they're up for it or not.
 
I thought this, but bizarrely many United fans would happily lose against City if it meant we didn't win the league. In fact, they'd rather City win the quad than us win the league. Very strange lot.

I reckon they'll roll over for City.

Luckily their fans aren't playing the game. We can all remember when KK's Blackburn came to Anfield needing a win to seal the title against Utd and us beating them despite our supporters having a very clear preference for Blackburn and Kenny. Luckily Utd fucked up, but Liverpool didn't 'roll over' and United won't either. If it was Everton....well, that's another story.
 
I thought this, but bizarrely many United fans would happily lose against City if it meant we didn't win the league. In fact, they'd rather City win the quad than us win the league. Very strange lot.

I reckon they'll roll over for City.
It's no where near as uniform as Everton and the top four a few years back, United fans are proper divided about it to be the point they argue about it quite intensely. Thats quite enjoyable in itself tbh.
 
I think when you win a league title you need different players to step up at critical moments in the season, often players who in the grand scheme of things are part of the supporting cast. We have had our fair share this season, Origis last gasp winner against Everton, Shaq with 2 goals against Man U when they were settling in for a point, Sturridge with a wonder strike against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the 89th min to keep us unbeaten.

Individually none of them were the turning point in our season, but the help build a mentality that says we are all in this together, everybody has something to contribute. Hendersons late season resurgence is one of those moments.

Nothing can beat Origi’s goal for LOL of the season. Nothing.
 
They're going to get bummed. Proper dry bummed.

Solskjaer has started resorting to shithouse Mourinho tactics, too. We'll most likely see a repeat of the tonking they got last night.
 
It's no where near as uniform as Everton and the top four a few years back, United fans are proper divided about it to be the point they argue about it quite intensely. Thats quite enjoyable in itself tbh.

I haven't heard one say anything other than them wanting City to win the league. Even if it means them missing out on top 4.

Thankfully that's a small pool as I don't associate myself with many Mancs.
 
There's that clown who sits in his mock studio on youtube. He'd rather us win the league than City win the quadruple.
 
Tell you what.

The CL final will be brutal if it’s up to us to prevent the quadruple
 
And yet, and yet...how amazing would it be to win it, and to fuck up their blessed quadruple?

I’d rather the league but it wouldn’t be the worst runners up prize.

My nerves would be shot though.

I really hope Ajax make it
 
Not great coz we'd have just come second. And no, I wouldn't settle for the CL at this stage. I want the double.

Don't want city in the final because Madrid would be much more fun with a load of Ajax fans than a load of swivel eyed webbed feet morons.
 
Not great coz we'd have just come second. And no, I wouldn't settle for the CL at this stage. I want the double.

Don't want city in the final because Madrid would be much more fun with a load of Ajax fans than a load of swivel eyed webbed feet morons.
The Ajax fans seem to quite like a fight though, don't they?
 
Not great coz we'd have just come second. And no, I wouldn't settle for the CL at this stage. I want the double.

Don't want city in the final because Madrid would be much more fun with a load of Ajax fans than a load of swivel eyed webbed feet morons.

Quite ambitious assuming "a load" of City fans would bother their holes going to the final.
 
I was thinking of going to one of their matches as that's probably all you'll need to do to qualify for a final ticket
 
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Luckily for you there's still a shitload of tickets left for their semi-final tonight, the pathetic cunts.
 
They sold out this morning and having a game of soggy biscuit on the fume about it now
 
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