Lee Hendrie told Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports (06/02/21 at 1:45 pm) that Jordan Henderson’s long-range passing isn’t working from centre-back.
The former Premier League midfielder thinks Liverpool are missing Henderson’s qualities in the middle of the park and, at centre-back, he is proving to be a problem.
In midweek, Jurgen Klopp had the option to pick January signing Ben Davies at the back, but he opted to stick him on the bench, with Henderson and Nat Phillips starting their side’s defeat to Brighton.
Hendrie suggested that Henderson needs to start in midfield for Liverpool’s crucial showdown with Manchester City today.
“I am looking at Henderson,” said Hendrie. “And I think he has been fantastic for Liverpool, but when you put him back at centre-half, you are losing what you have got.
“I know they had no choice but they have got two new defenders. I thought that was the time [against Brighton] for Davies to come in. I just think having Henderson at central midfield, he dictates a lot of play, he is a big voice in the changing room and he’s a big leader.
“He’s not a centre-half. There’s no doubt about that – I have seen him trying to hit them 80 yards passes and they are not there. When he is in that midfield, it’s a 40-yard pass and he can hit them.
“But, at the moment, when he’s trying to hit them big passes, all of a sudden, they are inviting that pressure on that defensive line, which isn’t good enough.”
Fabinho may well return for Liverpool today, so he may end up playing alongside Phillips at the back.
That will then allow Henderson to move further up the pitch, where the £20 million player will be hoping to run the show (BBC Sport).
There’s no doubt that the Premier League champions have missed his bite, aggression, leadership and ability to drag the team forward from his natural position.
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