Jordan Henderson

[ric.williams]

players will often play out wide rather than in the central to gain experience and improve. kind of like kelly and carragher

better him playing than not imo

[RedSince1964]

players will often play out wide rather than in the central to gain experience and improve. kind of like kelly and carragherbetter him playing than not imo

[Mostar]

I'm a big fan of Henderson. I just don't see the need to play him on the right when he's so ineffective.

Lucas at least kept things ticking in the middle.

Same here.

Wide right he shouldn't play as he offers little or nothing.

Move him into CM as at least he can influence the game somewhat.

On the right I'm afraid he's only a passenger.

[Exiled_red]

players will often play out wide rather than in the central to gain experience and improve. kind of like kelly and carragher

better him playing than not imo

That's true, but I think you can get away with it a little more with defenders. Playing a centre back at full back is fine if your priority is keeping things solid, the team tends to suffer a bit more offensively but you the players gain experience of playing up against quick and more physical players which helps when they move to centre back. With midfielders I think there's much more of a difference between playing in centre mid and playing on the wing.

[baitman]

Same here.

Wide right he shouldn't play as he offers little or nothing.

Move him into CM as at least he can influence the game somewhat.

On the right I'm afraid he's only a passenger.

unfortunately, if your team tries to carry passengers in CM/DM then you will get over run and spanked.
these lads with "potential" need to become more established in the reserves, then go on loan to fully battle harden themselves. thats why i cannot get my head around the "buying for the future" concept... you spend that much, expect him to go straight in [ie, hes the finished product] only to watch him struggle to get involved.

[DannyMan2006]

I think Henderson has done okay this season. People expect more because of the price tag, but he tended to be up and down form wise with Sunderland. But as he's young that is to be expected.

I think he has a very good touch and has a nice eye for a pass. He's also blessed with a high level of natural fitness in much the same way Dirk is.

In my opinion he's already a decent player, but needs to add a few things to be considered a player of real quality. He has time on his side and a good head on his shoulders, so I suspect with the right coaching he will kick on season after season.

In a few years he'l be a top player IMO and a Liverpool and England regular.

[Craig_H]

unfortunately, if your team tries to carry passengers in CM/DM then you will get over run and spanked.
these lads with "potential" need to become more established in the reserves, then go on loan to fully battle harden themselves. thats why i cannot get my head around the "buying for the future" concept... you spend that much, expect him to go straight in [ie, hes the finished product] only to watch him struggle to get involved.

For some reason, and for a few times of re-checking it, i kept reading this as 'lads with ponytails'

[Muddled]

That's true, but I think you can get away with it a little more with defenders. Playing a centre back at full back is fine if your priority is keeping things solid, the team tends to suffer a bit more offensively but you the players gain experience of playing up against quick and more physical players which helps when they move to centre back. With midfielders I think there's much more of a difference between playing in centre mid and playing on the wing.

Aboslutely right.

Henderson isn't learning anything from playing wide right, if he wants to be central. For Henderson to flourish, he needs to be part of a three man midfield axis ... in the centre of the park.

His natural instinct when he's played on the right, is for him to come central - it congests the middle of the pitch and creates the only outball to the left. We're then heavily reliant on Johnson, who in turn gets isolated.

[BigChief]

I think Henderson has done okay this season. People expect more because of the price tag, but he tended to be up and down form wise with Sunderland. But as he's young that is to be expected.

I think he has a very good touch and has a nice eye for a pass. He's also blessed with a high level of natural fitness in much the same way Dirk is.
In my opinion he's already a decent player, but needs to add a few things to be considered a player of real quality. He has time on his side and a good head on his shoulders, so I suspect with the right coaching he will kick on season after season.

In a few years he'l be a top player IMO and a Liverpool and England regular.

How many of us wished Dirk with his superhuman fitness could have had finesse. He would have been unstoppable. This is what excites me about Henderson, a super engine but this time fitted with a great touch. Vosprung Dirk (but with) Technique.

[Mostar]

Henderson isn't learning anything from playing wide right, if he wants to be central. For Henderson to flourish, he needs to be part of a three man midfield axis ... in the centre of the park.

His natural instinct when he's played on the right, is for him to come central - it congests the middle of the pitch and creates the only outball to the left. We're then heavily reliant on Johnson, who in turn gets isolated.

[danperkins]

unfortunately, if your team tries to carry passengers in CM/DM then you will get over run and spanked.
these lads with "potential" need to become more established in the reserves, then go on loan to fully battle harden themselves. thats why i cannot get my head around the "buying for the future" concept... you spend that much, expect him to go straight in [ie, hes the finished product] only to watch him struggle to get involved.

completely agree

[ric.williams]

Aboslutely right.

Henderson isn't learning anything from playing wide right, if he wants to be central.

of course he is learning. and he'll learn a lot more than being on the bench waiting behind gerrard/adam/lucas to be unavailable

[ric.williams]

That's true, but I think you can get away with it a little more with defenders. Playing a centre back at full back is fine if your priority is keeping things solid, the team tends to suffer a bit more offensively but you the players gain experience of playing up against quick and more physical players which helps when they move to centre back. With midfielders I think there's much more of a difference between playing in centre mid and playing on the wing.

fair point that

[Muddled]

of course he is learning. and he'll learn a lot more than being on the bench waiting behind gerrard/adam/lucas to be unavailable

If he wants to learn the role of playing in the middle, he won't learn anything out on the right; or for me to word my initial post better - he won't develop as a central midfielder, playing out on the right.

I'm a strong believer that Henderson's future for us, is as an attacking midfielder and I think for the traits Henderson lacks, highlights a need for an enforcer* alongside him (and possibly a quarterback*) to compliment his many attributes. I had a similar discussion with Phoenix06 around this, with Phoneix alluding to his range of passing - having seen nothing of him before his time with us, it could be argued that he will develop this part of his game.

* for want of a better word to explain the role.

Of course Henderson will develop with playing time rather than sitting on the bench, but Henderson has the core attributes to start, he just needs a little guidance - guidance he would get playing in the centre around Gerrard and with the back-up of Lucas behind him. Now granted, he hasn't had the support of Lucas due to injury, but it's no surprise we've seen the best performances from Henderson, when he's had Spearing around him.

Stick Henderson on the right and the game passes him by. His ability to spot an early ball or a first time pass is restricted to the left of him, as apposed to seeing the bigger picture of the full pitch. In my opinion, he could be learning the wrong thing.

[ric.williams]

If he wants to learn the role of playing in the middle, he won't learn anything out on the right; or for me to word my initial post better - he won't develop as a central midfielder, playing out on the right.

why cant a player develop by playing a different position? its not like you learn exclusive skills just for that position. most skills are kind of interchangeable