Jordan Henderson

[Craig_H]

Lucas was far from physical when he first came to LFC, how did that side of his game develop? Magic?

[Mostar]

I still think he falls in the 'bad buy' category. For a club already challenging and with money to burn he would makes sense. Buy a player with a lot of potential, keep him around the periphery of the first team squad and develop him. For us, at 16m, it wasn't what we needed at all. We've been far too dependent on him and he's had to play far too many games. And when we should have dropped him to the bench we haven't.

Now it is not a good idea to sell him, rather we need to buy the players we should have been going for last simmer, first teamers with experience and quality, and Jordan should take his proper place as a squaddie and occasional starter for the time being.

I agree with all that. I thought that Kenny forced the issue of playing him too many times when it was clear that he was not in form and he was short on any confidence.

With Sunderland he could pick a very good forward pass, he was a threat in and around the box, scored few very nice goals for them as well and with us atm his game revolves around short range, save passing and he is not a goal threat even when he goes forward.

I get that players sometimes need to play to get out of slamp but he was overplayed and imo that contributed to his poor showing for the majority of the second part of the season.

But he is not very good at breaking forward



He isn't good enough at defending to play there.


He should not play every game like he has this season, he is an average player we need miles better unless we are happy to linger where we are.

I hope lucas can recover his best form even though he has suffered a huge.injury. we may have to acceptthat he might not because look at essien. He doesnt even look half the player that he was prior to injury.

We should look to bring in another midfield player but depending of the formation we use.it could be a defensive shield like hamann or a ball winner like mascherano who will press the opposition much.higher up the.pitch. Alternatively we go for someone like james mcarthy who can tackle a bit and is very good on the ball and can help keep the ball well. Basically another henderson.

I made that very same point as soon as we found out the exact outcome of Lucas injury and my worries are that either he'll never be the same player he once was or it will take a very long period of time before he starts playing at the level before the injury.

Really hope we pick up De Jong as he would be im a very good fit (cunt or not) for DM position.

[Galb]

This for me the best case scenario; a Xabi Alonso replacement would be an ideal outcome for us here. Xabi is not a great tackler but he had a certain graft in the midfield and his passing is on another planet. he also drew fouls like nobody's business with his control of the ball. he was always looking for contact.

Henderson is nowhere near Xabi's ability to take the ball from the DM (ideally Lucas) and spray a creative pass that rips open the opposing defense or changes to focus of the attack. Henderson's MO is play it on the floor to the nearest player then retreat and wait for the ball back, playing as a poor man's Lucas without any of the defensive capability.

However, if you told me that in two to three seasons, we'd have another Alonso type in Henderson, playing alongside Lucas in the DM role and that we could buy a CAM who would, in some ways try to replace Gerrard, I could live with that for sure. The issue is that the way we're using Henderson is a poor man's Dirk Kuyt on the right and as a CM who seems torn about his role and thinks he is a DM without much defensive ability.

Good post, but I think we need to accept that we're not going to get another Alonso. A lot of posts talk about replacing players we've lost - but Alonso worked in that system, because he was so good that you could build the system around him. Which also meant having players alongside who complemented his weaknesses (ie Mascherano). Very few players have Alonso's passing ability so we shouldnt look at us as having to have a player like that.

The midfield needs to be a partnership and that's where Henderson should hopefully excel - as someone who brings out the best in those he plays with. The Ronnie Whelan analogy is what springs to mind for me. Like some of the posts above, people might have said, what does Whelan bring to the team? Nothing and everything. He wasnt amazing at any one skill but he was brilliant at knitting the team together.

As people have said, Id like to see Lucas alongside Henderson because that looks like it might be a decent partnership: both have excellent stamina, both keep the ball well, and both are always moving to make themselves available. Lucas is better defensively but I dont see any reason why Henderson cant develop that as he has the pace and stamina to track back and press well. If that partnership worked, it would give you a solid base to select 4 very attacking players, as well as giving you a midfield who could be relied upon to keep possession in tight spaces.

[el matador]

If man city sell dejong cant see it being on the cheap and personally I dont think hes all that.

[JHP]

Honestly im not sure he will be the same player he was. Hes.suffered such a bad injury which.in tests has shown a performance drop of 30% when compared to pre injury.

But he deserves the chance to play his way back into things if he can. How weve.missed him.

Are you saying tests specific to Lucas or general for ACL tears? Where does it come from?

[Mattshark]

How is henderson mediocre ?

Because he is no better than average at anything.

[Fredo]

Because he is no better than average at anything.

Lucas was a world beater when he first came. How many games did he play his fist season? Wasn't he booed a lot for **** performances?

[Vermilion]

Because he is no better than average at anything.

Except keepy uppy.

[Mattshark]

Lucas was a world beater when he first came. How many games did he play his fist season? Wasn't he booed a lot for **** performances?

I thought Lucas looked good in his first season. It is not really a valid comparison.

[Fredo]

I thought Lucas looked good in his first season. It is not really a valid comparison.

Yes it is. It's not valid only in your own revisionist view.

[Fredo]

Henderson might not be good enough after all but it's far too early to judge him. Same patience was applied when Lucas first came in so Henderson should be treated the same.

[Exiled_red]

I think Henderson would do well playing next to Lucas. I would like to see us playing a 4-2-3-1 system next season though

[RichC]

Lucas was poor in his first season or two , no real surprise as he was in a new league being dropped in to play in a position foreign to him. Poor positionally, gave far too many silly free kicks just outside the box and way too many rash challenges in general.

He learnt from it as he worked bloody hard at his game but he was in general poor thought of his first couple of seasons, credit to his technical ability and determination though to turn into the player he is.

[Mattshark]

Yes it is. It's not valid only in your own revisionist view.

How is my view revisionist exactly?

The only justification for it is that a lot people never rated either.

[JHP]

Lucas was poor in his first season or two , no real surprise as he was in a new league being dropped in to play in a position foreign to him. Poor positionally, gave far too many silly free kicks just outside the box and way too many rash challenges in general.

He learnt from it as he worked bloody hard at his game but he was in general poor thought of his first couple of seasons, credit to his technical ability and determination though to turn into the player he is.

Lucas wasn't the player he is now but in my opinion he wasn't poor. I thought he showed great promise and was bemused that so many thought he was crap.

Likewise I think Henderson also shows great promise and I believe will develop into a very good player. Again I'm bemused by people not being prepared to give him time and so quickly writing him off.

I'd have thought that those who'd wrongly written Lucas off would have learnt a lesson but maybe it's a different group.