We Need To Talk About Jordan

Jordan Henderson, Captain. Leader?

In times of despair you need a leader…

In some ways Liverpool supporters have been spoiled over the years, with great captains and leaders within the ranks, able to unite players and drag them through the storm. Hansen and Gerrard probably the most notable. But Jordan Henderson is not of that calibre.

Now, don’t get me wrong, as dedicated a player you are unlikely to find. Clearly popular with the squad, a model professional attitude, and rightly honoured for his charitable work. But his place in the team and adoration he receives on the pitch is based only on sentiment.

It was always going to be a gargantuan task to replace Steven Gerrard as Liverpool captain. Few positions in world football carry the same weight of expectation. On the face of things, his tenure has been a success, with the exception of the Europa League, winning every major European and domestic club trophy available. Even winning the World Club Cup. But there’s more to the story…

Henderson’s early days as captain showed a desperate figure, piling even more pressure on himself to steady a rudderless ship in the wake of Gerrard’s departure and Rodgers’ baffling selections week in week out.

Earlier in his Liverpool career, in 2014, Liverpool finished second in the league under Rodgers, Henderson was a dependable figure, often outstanding, driving forward with relentless energy and an eye for goal. His dismissal against Man City meant the final three games were played without him and, well, we all know how it turned out. A thin squad, suddenly disrupted, unbalanced and the wheels came off. He was young and the challenge rash, he could be forgiven and his character was one of a man who would learn his lesson. After all, we’d seen all this before with Gerrard at a young age.

Over the next season he flourished while the team somewhat floundered in comparison to the previous season. He was the ideal candidate for the armband. But when the chance arose, he struggled to unite the team. Rodgers left and Klopp came in and the optimism surrounding the squad was a large part in the run to the Europa League final. However, the leadership was still lacking, and the team’s league performances were still well under par, often erratic, despite a talented squad. Henderson was to be found more often than not barking abuse at referees than shouldering the responsibility for steadying his team.

Later, with the arrival of Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker, there was a calm and solidity to the team that had not been there for years. Many had fully expected VVD to immediately assume the armband, but Klopp’s loyalty to Henderson stood.

Through the most successful period of Klopp’s tenure (to date), Liverpool adopted a captains’ committee. Hendo, Milner, VVD, Wijnaldum. Between them they united the squad, provided a collective direction to the back and middle lines that would allow the free-scoring forwards to do what they did best. It worked like a dream and, in truth, throughout this period, any player could have worn the armband. That leadership was not required on the pitch, the systems, the drills were so well implemented in training that what happened on the field was natural.

Whether the committee formation was a happy accident, the result of a compromise between a captain and strong personalities in the squad, or whether it was a management decision is not clear. But what is clear is that of the members of the committee, Hendo was the weakest.

2019 UCL Semi Final, Anfield - One member of the committee went around the team, to a man, riling them up, hugging, chest-bumping. Making sure the ‘Never give up’ message was hammered home, despite the overwhelming odds stacked against them, going into the game with a 3 goal aggregate deficit. That man was Virgil van Dijk. Another member of the committee, stood in the centre circle, turned around just before kick off and underwhelmingly clapped towards his team. That man was Jordan Henderson.

In the midst of the injury crisis that derailed Liverpool’s title defence in 2020, Henderson’s performances were lacklustre. When drive was needed, so often in the dying minutes of games when a goal was needed, he was making short passes outside the box, passing the buck to someone else add creativity. Liverpool’s season only regained momentum when he was out injured towards the end of the season, charging from 7th to 3rd.

When the chips are down, he’s not the man to turn it around. There are no Gerrard Olympiakos or Cup Final moments in Henderson. There is only desperate shouting, tired running and passing the buck. This is not new. This has been the case for many a season, a declining player carried by greats.

Is it his fault? No. I firmly believe the captaincy has hindered his personal development. Formerly a driving force on the pitch, he has been a cautious individual since becoming captain. Slowing games down when pace was demanded. The vision to pick out a pass is rarely there. This is all, in my view, solely down to the weight of expectation he feels.

Some may point to Man Utd away last season and the pass for Salah’s third goal. But that was a pass he would never make at 0-0. At 0-4, Utd were broken and the defence parted like the Red Sea. Die hard Henderson fans will point to this and the odd moment of skill or glimpse of Hendo circa 2014 as a justification of his continued starting position, but more often than not we see the Henderson of Monday night’s game against Utd. Repeatedly hoofing the ball skywards, misplacing passes, and wildly barking at players after his own mistakes. Indeed, after the performance at Fulham, his shot against the bar gained more praise than the scrutiny of how easily he was left for dead by Mitrovic, then screaming at Nunez shortly after.

Good captains don’t deflect the blame. Whether directing his frustration at his own failings towards referees or team mates, it’s all too common an occurrence. The team must see this and I wonder if Andy Robertson’s “word’s will be said” comment in his post-match interview was a reference to the lack of clear leadership on the pitch.

Admittedly, VvD has looked off the boil so far this season and not the strong character we have seen. But while member of that committee, if it indeed still exists, he doesn’t wear the armband. The responsibility for the team’s attitude in times of adversity should lie with the captain. Instead, this time, we’ve seen Milner take up the mantle. Not as mobile or consistent as he was a few years ago, but the effort is there for all to see.

There are other issues to sort out. Early season injuries and a tired looking squad indicates that there is possibly an overly intensive training regime in place, which I have written about before. It keeps happening and the style of play demands intensity, but the cumulative effect of this over the seasons takes its toll on the players.

Additionally, building success was a monumental achievement for Liverpool, but maintaining it is an issue. Perhaps Klopp’s hands are tied by the owners’ reluctance to spend big without selling first, or perhaps he’s fearful that big changes to the squad that brought him so much success is disrespectful. But where an ageing squad is concerned, there is no room for sentiment.

There are youngsters waiting in the wings to play more regularly. The increasingly cautious old guard need to step aside.

YNWA