Chris Waddle explains what frustrates him about Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson

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Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson helped England win both their Euro 2020 qualifiers over the international break.

Chris Waddle has admitted that he has been left frustrated by Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson after watching him in action for England during their 5-1 win over Montenegro on Monday night.

Midfielder Henderson came off the bench and played a number of ‘forward passes’, which Waddle described as ‘absolutely top draw’. But he couldn’t understand why he doesn’t do it on a more regular basis.

Waddle stated that Henderson would normally pick the ball up from the back four then pass back to the centre-back or to the full-back as he questioned ‘what’s the point of that?’

Speaking to BBC Radio Five Live after England won their second Euro 2020 qualifier in a matter of days (25/03/2019 at 10:00 pm), Waddle shared his honest thoughts on Henderson.

“He could play that [anchor role] when he is 33, 34,” Waddle told BBC Radio 5 Live. “He came on tonight [against Montengero], he had a word with Declan Rice, he ran across and said to him ‘you sit, I’m going to play with Ross Barkley further forward.’

“But he did five passes when he came on. Forward passes which were brilliant, absolutely top draw. He’s got that to his game and it frustrates us because a lot of people, I have probably been one of them over the last few years that think why is he getting [the ball] off the back four and then going to the full-back and then going back to the centre-half?

“What is the point of that? But the last couple of games, and I don’t know if it’s because he has that protection behind him, he’s been allowed to go and express himself because he’s got the ability.”

For club and country, Henderson would normally play the number six role where he would be tasked to break up play, protect the back four, keep things simple and sense danger.

But against Montenegro on Monday, with West Ham’s Declan Rice already on the pitch, Henderson deployed a number eight role and pushed himself further forward alongside Ross Barkley.

As a result, he was able to have more of an impact in the attacking third as Gareth Southgate’s side scored five goals for the second game running after doing so against the Czech Republic last Friday.

Nonetheless, Henderson will now return to club action where he will be tasked in helping Liverpool maintain their two-point lead at the top of the Premier League table.