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If we ever needed a game to show how important Jordan Henderson is to this Liverpool team, we witnessed it on Saturday. It was a game in which the captain was fundamental and, had he been included in the starting lineup, we could well be talking about a different result.
As it stands, the reality is that Jürgen Klopp could not risk his star midfielder when the rest of his squad is already depleted by injuries. They continue to rise, and as they do so, the importance of Henderson will continue to grow.
Klopp cannot be blamed for not starting as a patron against Brighton. He had just returned to the team after sustaining a groin injury, and with the current situation, it was best to play safe.
Now, however, given the number of players currently on the sidelines, it is imperative that Henderson stay in shape for the weeks and months to come. From Klopp’s previous team picks it’s pretty clear that in major league games, if your captain is fit then he plays – it’s as simple as that.
The influence he has, not only in the midfield, but throughout the team, is remarkable. It takes a great player and leader to have that kind of impact on a team on a regular basis, and Henderson certainly fits the bill in that regard.
Just looking at his true impact after coming off the bench at halftime at Amex Stadium, it is clear that the team played better overall thanks to his presence. This should come as no great surprise, he is a world-class midfielder and Liverpool’s first 45 minutes were miles away from the same description.
At first glance, Henderson had a solid game after moving to midfield in place of James Milner, who moved to right back after Neco Williams left. The captain recorded 27 completions with an accuracy of 79 percent, but that doesn’t tell the full story.
It was more the way he dominated the middle of the park, taking over and not letting rivals take control like they did in the first half. That was a problem area, and Henderson’s inclusion certainly addressed it.
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What Henderson also does well is taking Liverpool onto the field and putting them in attacking positions, rather than just wandering around in his own field and not threatening the opposition. On six occasions, the 30-year-old completed a pass to the last third, and one of them ended up in the penalty area.
In all, Henderson attempted 12 forward balls, eight of them competing. What’s more interesting, though, is that only two of his completions were backwards, and most were more lateral across the field. This just shows how advanced Henderson is, as well as the commanding presence he has gradually become since he was named captain five years ago.
With the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s long-range passing ability, it’s imperative that Liverpool somehow fill that void in whatever way it can. One more time, step forward, Captain Henderson. In all, Henderson completed seven of nine long-range passes, but what matters most is what those passes led to.
Take the picture above as an example. The captain is under pressure from a Brighton player but has an easy pass to Milner available should he decide to take it.
But does it? No. Instead, the captain is going to make a long pass to Mohamed Salah for Liverpool to take the field and launch an attack of their own, displaying a solid ability to see passes that no one else can and take advantage of.
Again, here is another example. While under pressure from the opposition, Henderson has a chance to pass the ball to Takumi Minamino, but he has something else on his mind.
Instead, Henderson takes a sheet from the Alexander-Arnold book and switches the play to the opposite wing where Milner is waiting to catch the ball. It’s not an easy pass to complete at best, let alone when under pressure from the opposition.
The more Henderson plays, the more gradually he is becoming what Steven Gerrard was for Liverpool during his prime. In truth, he, the current captain, has probably already reached that level.
He’s the type of player who can’t grab the headlines with goals and assists, but you can be sure you’ll miss him when he’s not on the team. Case and point, the entire first half at the Amex, with the exception of a sublime pass from Roberto Firmino to prepare for Salah’s no-goal.
Liverpool have eight games in December, and however you look at it, it’s a lot of football. In the eyes of some people, it is too much, but that is another argument.
So let’s go back to Henderson. It is imperative that Liverpool manage their playing time effectively, which they will undoubtedly do if they had the option, but the injury situation may mean they play more than perhaps they should.
While the Premier League title cannot be won before the New Year unlike last year, there is a possibility that they will drift away from the leaders if results go poorly over the next month. Having a fully fit Henderson in the squad greatly improves Liverpool’s chances of winning games, it’s as simple as that.
In short, keep Henderson in shape and hopefully the results and the three points should follow.
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