{"id":16293,"date":"2017-12-08T18:10:26","date_gmt":"2017-12-08T18:10:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.colossusbets.com\/?p=16293"},"modified":"2023-05-24T14:07:53","modified_gmt":"2023-05-24T13:07:53","slug":"klopp-defending-henderson-captain-ship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colossusbets.com\/blog\/klopp-defending-henderson-captain-ship\/","title":{"rendered":"Klopp must stop defending Henderson \u2013 the captain could bring the ship down with him"},"content":{"rendered":"

On the big occasion, presidents, generals and football managers aren\u2019t all that dissimilar – they turn to their most trusted lieutenants in their hour of need.<\/p>\n

While their relationship is not as cordial as it once was, in better times, Sir Alex Ferguson would, without thinking twice, send Roy Keane into battle safe in the knowledge that his skipper more often than not would inspire his charges to victory. The same goes for Patrick Vieira for Arsene Wenger, John McGovern for Brian Clough, you get the picture.<\/p>\n

Aside from his strange omission from the side that faced Real Madrid in 2015, Steven Gerrard was Liverpool\u2019s omnipresent leader, the first name on the team-sheet and inspiration to all.<\/p>\n

Jordan Henderson, the current Reds skipper, doesn\u2019t embolden in the same manner as his predecessor, and his absence in midweek may be a glimpse of things to come at Anfield. Perhaps Liverpool have outgrown their captain, and to win the battle against mediocrity, Klopp may have to put his loyalties to one side for the greater good.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Klopp right to be questioned<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cEven a captain cannot play all the time,\u201d Klopp said of his decision to leave Henderson on the bench against Spartak Moscow. \u201cHe\u2019s in a good moment, in good shape, but I thought for this game it made sense. I only spoke about it because I thought people will find out, fantastic game, Jordan didn\u2019t play, and make a s*** story about it. Sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Except, Jurgen, leaving your captain out of a match where the winner would be through to the riches of the Champions League knockout stages, and the loser potentially facing the prospect of the significantly less prestigious Europa League last 32, is not, in any way, normal. We all know who would have been leading out Ferguson\u2019s United out in the same circumstances.<\/p>\n

The problem is not that Henderson is particularly bad – he is yet to make an error that has led to a goal this season – but he doesn\u2019t really\u00a0do\u00a0<\/em>anything particularly well.<\/p>\n

Henderson stats far from impressive<\/strong><\/h2>\n

He has one assist to his name to date, which when you consider the incredible movement of Liverpool\u2019s front three ahead of him, isn\u2019t overly impressive. Cesar Azpilicueta has five.<\/p>\n

Passing accuracy is usually his forte, but with a 81.92 per cent success rate in the Premier League this season, Henderson\u2019s accuracy has deserted him. More than five per cent of Georgina Wijnaldum\u2019s passes reach their targets. Four dribbles completed isn\u2019t bad you\u2019d think for a defensive midfielder? Nemanja Matic has completed 20.<\/p>\n

His defensive capabilities have to be called into question, too. A 60 per cent tackle success rate doesn\u2019t flatter the England international. In comparison, N\u2019Golo Kante has been successful from 73.17 per cent of the challenges he has gone in for, while Henderson\u2019s 12 interceptions is dwarfed by Idrissa Gueye\u2019s 28, completed in a team supposedly in disarray.<\/p>\n

\u201cLiverpool’s front three, four, five, six, whatever you want to call it, are incredibly mobile,\u201d former England defender Danny Mills told Sky Sports\u2019 The Debate Show this week. “They’re very fluid with their movement. And I just think Can offers a little more going forward than Jordan Henderson does.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Time for Klopp to make tough call<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If Henderson can\u2019t pick a pass when he has Sadio Mane<\/a>, Roberto Firmino and Mo Salah rampaging every which way ahead of him, then there really may be little hope.<\/p>\n

The dilemma that Klopp has on his hands is that Henderson\u2019s inclusion against Everton in\u00a0Sunday\u2019s<\/span>Merseyside derby – which he has already confirmed is likely to happen – takes up a first-team spot that could be perfect for Coutinho. In the centre, as that attacking midfield pivot, Coutinho has the myriad of creative ability to pick out the runs of Liverpool\u2019s uber-mobile forwardline, and still get among the goals, as he did so readily in midweek.<\/p>\n

Klopp is nobody\u2019s fool, but if he has one flaw, it is that he is often overly loyal to certain players. Yes, Henderson has given his all for his manager, but he doesn\u2019t owe his captain anything. If he isn\u2019t producing the goods, he cannot be carried along for the ride.<\/p>\n

Having a player at the heart of such an exhilarating unit who doesn\u2019t prove to be an asset will be detrimental to any progress. For now, at least, Klopp has to take the difficult decision and look elsewhere for leadership, otherwise captain Henderson may just take the ship down with him.<\/p>\n

Not so confident about your own decisions? Check out these trusty Syndicate selections for this weekend here<\/a>!<\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On the big occasion, presidents, generals and football managers aren\u2019t all that dissimilar – they turn to their most trusted lieutenants in their hour of need. While their relationship is not as cordial as it once was, in better times, Sir Alex Ferguson would, without thinking twice, send Roy Keane into battle safe in the knowledge that his skipper more often than not would inspire his charges to victory.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[643],"tags":[272,44],"class_list":["post-16293","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sport","tag-featurehome","tag-features"],"yoast_head":"\nKlopp must stop defending Henderson \u2013 the captain could bring the ship down with him<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Pete Hall believes there is a big decision to be made at Klopp's Anfield, and that concerns Jordan Henderson, his once trusted midfield General.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, 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