Jordan Henderson

[Brizzle]

It has been a great evolution. In my mind it goes something like this:

13/14 - he was a superb AM playing ahead of Stevie and was key to our PL run that season
14/15 - 17/18 - we moved him into the DM role that Stevie had made for himself, like a quarterback but it wasn't Jordan's natural fit and he wasn't willing to make charging runs through the centre as for most of it we had a porous back line. This period is where the sideways narrative came in.
18/19 - the Saints game. he asked to play AM ahead of Fabinho and took that chance, showed us the aggression, technique & precision he can have further up the pitch. He has gone on to look great in this role at times.
19/20 - same as above but then Fabinho gets injured and he is taking this resurgence in AM prowess back to his DM position and it is a lethal weapon.


This is such testament to his character and professionalism. Fabinho returning with Hendo in this form is an incredible 'problem' to have!

 

[Frogfish]

Hendo (Match Day Program)

"Regardless of all the external talk around us at this moment, I can promise Liverpool supporters that we won't change our approach at any point during this campaign.
"Until the very last kick of the very last game our only objective is to be better in the next match than we were in the one before it.
"It's been an attitude that's served us well until now and there is no chance we're going to change it."

 

[binomial]

Listen, he'll never go down as one of the best players to have worn the red shirt BUT

He's been a leader at this club, won trophies at this club, & on course to play over 400 games for the club....that's legendary status.

There's many players in that category.

 

[Brizzle]

It's a shame that Euro 2020 is this summer, our players are going to be full throttle (hopefully) in the PL and CL, so many of them could do with a great rest. I guess we know that at least Mo, Mane, Bobby, Fabs & Minamino will but those who cover the most miles are likely going to be starting most games for their country on current form.

 

[Dreambeliever]

Listen, he'll never go down as one of the best players to have worn the red shirt BUT

He's been a leader at this club, won trophies at this club, & on course to play over 400 games for the club....that's legendary status.

There's many players in that category.

Lucas has captained the team, won trophies and played over 400 games 😉

 

[binomial]

Lucas has captained the team, won trophies and played over 400 games 😉

1 league cup in 10 years don't make the cut as much as I love the guy...and I think he was only
captain for certain games, not an out an out captain.

He still holds a place in most fans heart, 1 of the likeable ones.

 

[Aidan O' Neill]

It is the case that he has been unfairly pilloried at times, and has become the whipping boy when we have more systematic problems on the pitch that are by no means entirely his fault. Nonetheless he just looks like he is playing with so much confidence now that it is a joy to see. I think working with Fabinho has really helped him and now Fabs is injured, he has stepped into that deeper position with a greater sense of what he can bring to the role.

This. Let's not pretend he didn't massively struggle during his first season and during the early stages of the Rodgers era, but since then he has consistently been good to very good and took undeserved criticism. In the last year he has been phenomenal.

 

[Modo]

Fast forward to about 5:48

Klopp talks about how important Henderson is but also how big of a role Fabinho had in helping Hendo become a better player.

 

[Judge Jules]

This. Let's not pretend he didn't massively struggle during his first season and during the early stages of the Rodgers era, but since then he has consistently been good to very good and took undeserved criticism. In the last year he has been phenomenal.

This. The objection some of us had was never to justified criticism of Hendo or any other player. It was to the fact that far too much of the criticism was just self-indulgent kneejerking, without any basis in what was actually happening out on the pitch. Even now one or two Reds I know are still too wedded to their prejudices to admit how important Hendo is to the team and the club. Klopp's spot on about those people - there is no helping them.

 

[lfc.eddie]

Lucas has captained the team, won trophies and played over 400 games 😉

I think during his time, we've only won 1 trophy and it's the league cup. Henderson is far better than Lucas that's for damn sure.

 

[FoxForceFive]

I loved Hendo's comments about the match yesterday.

Said we played 'alright', but then went on to say the last ten to fifteen minutes were poor cos we let them create a couple of chances & we need to improve.

In a match that we dominated as much as I think I have ever seen a side dominate the ball & control of the match.

Striving for ultimate perfection.

 

[mom]

He’s boss.

 

[Judge Jules]

I loved Hendo's comments about the match yesterday.

Said we played 'alright', but then went on to say the last ten to fifteen minutes were poor cos we let them create a couple of chances & we need to improve.

In a match that we dominated as much as I think I have ever seen a side dominate the ball & control of the match.

Striving for ultimate perfection.

Quite. That's 100% the attitude we need at LFC, not only to get back to the top but to stick around once we get there.

 

[mark1975]

See the haters are still just about able to muster backhanded compliments.

He's having a great time and its a good "fuck you" to all those who repeatedly wrote him off when a new player came in

Someone said even a few days back that he won't get in our best midfield once Fabinho is back. Have people not learned that Henderson, Gini, Fabinho and Milner are all absolutely collosal for us?

 

[Woland]

He's fucking shite

 

[Mersey86]

I don’t understand some people.

It’s not black and white. He was shite at various stages in his career here and not good enough plenty of times and got assessed accordingly.

Doesn’t mean those that called it as it was were wrong or that he isn’t sensational now.

He’s stepped up massively since Fabhino’s injury and was amazing today.

You can criticise a player in the past without it meaning you can’t praise him when he does well.

You see, that last part is totally wrong. Once you have criticised a player you have to stick with that through thick and thin. If that player starts to look good, give grudging praise and lessen forum presence while desperately hoping it is only temporary - so that you can go back to being right. Because, of course, as fans, it is more important that we are right than seeing the team improve.

 

[Esoteric]

To my shame, there have been times when I made claims such as, "We'll never win anything while we have the likes of Jordan Henderson in the team."

I properly started to warm to Hendo following that confrontation he had with Diego Costa. Costa, if you recall, had been swanning around like a pantomime villain or like the evil gunslinger from a spaghetti western, intimidating players and running through his repertoire of irritating nasty tricks, basically shooting up the town, when up steps Hendo. Without a gun, without a badge, he stepped up and told the bad guy to get out of his town. Costa spat out his baccy and flexed fingers in close proximity to his shooting iron, but Hendo was unwavering, resolute, like a statue with impassive stance and stoic stare he stood impervious to Costa's bullying. He wasn't afraid; how could he be afraid with the power of Anfield behind him?

Looking back, I should have realised at that point that we'll never win anything WITHOUT the likes of Jordan Henderson in the team. His attitude is not only admirable, it is essential to becoming a winner. Hendo has overcome adversity, he has played through the pain barrier and he has stayed focused despite the worry over his dad's health. What isn't there to love about him.
Like most supporters, I shed a tear or two when we won number 6, but I was proper sobbing when Hendo was hugging his dad on that famous night.

Hendo is a talented player, but talent is only a fraction of what he brings to the party. If he lifts the Premiership trophy this season he will deservedly be remembered as a Liverpool Legend.

 

[Woland]

He's been at the very best he's ever been during December and during the last months of last season. The earlier part of this season he rightly came in for a lot of stick. I love his attitude. I think, like most of the squad, he's got so much to thank klopp for. Imagine he was in a side that Maureen or Pep came into - he'd have been replaced the next window, but now he looks like he's about to deservedly captain LFC to a European Cup and a league title. Something I never thought would happen at all.

 

[Dirty Sanchez]

The journey from Henderwank to Tremenderson. That video of him hugging his dad after the CL win made me cry a little into my Prosecco.

 

[Dreambeliever]

You see, that last part is totally wrong. Once you have criticised a player you have to stick with that through thick and thin. If that player starts to look good, give grudging praise and lessen forum presence while desperately hoping it is only temporary - so that you can go back to being right. Because, of course, as fans, it is more important that we are right than seeing the team improve.

Ha ha.

 

[Frogfish]

The journey from Henderwank to Tremenderson. That video of him hugging his dad after the CL win made me cry a little into my Prosecco.

Don't worry - Prosecco is too sweet anyway.

 

[King Binny]

 

[Dreambeliever]

In fairness that is an atrocious goal return for a player who had spent the majority of his time here not as a DM. 😀

 

[Insignificance]

The journey from Henderwank to Tremenderson. That video of him hugging his dad after the CL win made me cry a little into my Prosecco.

Prosecco? We need to talk mano to mano man.

 

[hmmmmm1]

He has been poor in the past and got rightly criticised. Those people weren’t wrong at the time. He has much improved of late and deserves the credit being given. It’s not that difficult of a concept to grasp.

 

[Dirty Sanchez]

Prosecco? We need to talk mano to mano man.

Give me some credit. I’ve moved on from Moscato.

 

[Judge Jules]

He has been poor in the past and got rightly criticised. Those people weren’t wrong at the time. He has much improved of late and deserves the credit being given. It’s not that difficult of a concept to grasp.

Some on here and elsewhere have persisted in criticising him long after he stopped deserving it, because they can't bring themselves to let go of their preconceptions.

It's not that difficult a concept to grasp..

 

[Woland]

Everyone was calling him shite after the manure game. He'd had a few stinkers on the trot and got hooked after about 75 mins. Keita came on, played far better, and started the move that got us back into the game. His stats were far better too and I remember the age old Henderson debate kicking off on here again. He's doing very well now but he still goes through phases of being shit, one of which only ended a month ago, so let's at least be realistic about him.

 

[Modo]

Everyone was calling him shite after the manure game. He'd had a few stinkers on the trot and got hooked after about 75 mins. Keita came on, played far better, and started the move that got us back into the game. His stats were far better too and I remember the age old Henderson debate kicking off on here again. He's doing very well now but he still goes through phases of being shit, one of which only ended a month ago, so let's at least be realistic about him.

I don't criticise players without reason. Hendo has been superb lately, looking like a different player for about two months. Just one thing, I feel like reminding people that he's not 24 years old, he's 29 turning 30 in the summer. It's taken him 7 years give or take a year to reach the level he's at now.
I'm all for being patient, but that's zen level patience.

 

[Frogfish]

I don't criticise players without reason. Hendo has been superb lately, looking like a different player for about two months. Just one thing, I feel like reminding people that he's not 24 years old, he's 29 turning 30 in the summer. It's taken him 7 years give or take a year to reach the level he's at now.
I'm all for being patient, but that's zen level patience.

*puts down book on zen I was reading - can't wait 7 years for it to kick in.