Graeme Souness gives his verdict on Eric Dier and Jordan Henderson

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Graeme Souness analyses playing styles of Tottenham midfielder Eric Dier and Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson.

Former Liverpool midfielder turned football pundit, Graeme Souness wrote in his column for The Times that England are lacking a creative force in central midfield.

Eric Dier and Jordan Henderson are two first choice midfielders for Gareth Southgate’s England team. Souness notes that both Dier and Henderson are “workmanlike” players but they are not good at creativity.

The Tottenham Hotspur star is a defensive midfielder who is often used as a centre-back by Mauricio Pochettino.

Souness says that Dier and Henderson are “steady” Premier League performers who are good at stopping better teams from playing their natural football.

However, he rightly points out that a good central midfielder should also create chances and deliver incisive passes. A top midfielder should have the vision in his head to pick passes – something Dier and Henderson are not good at.

Dier has made 1.7 tackles and 1.4 interceptions in the Premier League this season per game. In terms of creating chances, on an average he has made only 0.4 key passes, according to whoscored.com.

Henderson has been more adventurous in that respect – he manages 1.3 key passes per game. The Liverpool midfielder has also made on an average 2.8 tackles in the Premier League.

“A big flaw is the lack of a creative force in central midfield. Eric Dier and Jordan Henderson are workmanlike players but they haven’t got the picture in their heads to be effective at a World Cup finals,” wrote Souness for The Times.

“They are steady Premier League performers who will do a job against the better teams by stopping them playing. However, when they get the ball and are asked to do the other part of the game as a central midfielder, they are not as good.

“You can’t just be someone who breaks up play, gets around the field and stops the opposition making the passes they want to make. When you have the ball, you need the technique to deliver incisive passes — and the picture in your head to see them — that top midfielders possess.”