THERE was a moment in the England v Colombia match last week which really got under my ribs.
It was one of those moments where you sense an inevitable doom which will colour the coming months in a very negative light. My stomach fell away like an open lift shaft and, for the first time in a long time, I worried that England would fail. Well, maybe not England. An England player.
This was unusual as I’m not what you’d call an England fan. I just can’t get on with the national side and smile weakly when an enthusiastic colleague or acquaintance waxes lyrical about the fortunes of the Three Lions. While I’m pleased the nation is happy as things stand, I feel aggrieved when accused of churlishness when I point out that international football “isn’t really my thing”. Surely honesty is better than faking enthusiasm.
I don’t hate them as such – though sporadic renditions of the national anthem make me queasy and an excess of Glenn Hoddle can’t be good for anyone. No, it’s just ambivalence. I don’t care if they do well or poorly, but, I suppose if it makes people happy then it can’t be all bad. Each to their own and all that.
There may even be a small advantage for the nation clambering for Three Lions success. If, shall we say, less committed followers of the game get to feel as we do most weeks – the rollercoaster of joy, horror and anxiety –then they can at least experience what goes through our minds on first-hand terms. They get to see the madness of obsession.
And they only get that feeling for a few weeks every four years. Look what we have to go through.
Imagine a World Cup which runs from August to May. Imagine coming back and doing it all again and again despite the expense, the grey/white hairs and the inevitable cost to sanity. That’s what we do every season and even the summer months are spent worrying about what’s to come.
And we’re one of the more successful sides. Christ knows what your average Torquay United die hard goes through.
Anyway, back to that feeling of unease.
The reason I tensed up was a pretty obvious one. It was the moment when Jordan Henderson walked up to take his penalty. Liverpool’s captain.
And wouldn’t it be typical if he missed and cost their England a chance to have a crack at Sweden. Harry Kane had already swiped his shot away before Marcus Rashford did the same. When Henderson walked forward it was 3-2 to the South Americans. This was to be the crucial sixth penalty. The one where it usually went wrong for someone.
And I couldn’t take that. I didn’t especially want England to win, but I couldn’t have Jordan miss. Not after Kyiv. Not after losing the national captaincy to a man who, according to someone on Twitter, looks like a sad banana. Let it be someone else who appears on the back page in tears or with their shirt pulled over their head while consoling teammates look on.
Of course Henderson stepped up, pulled his foot back and watched fate smack him in the teeth. It was almost inevitable.
It all worked out for them in the end and hopefully Jordan got some sleep that night, but that’s how close a player can come to ruin. One kick.
Up to that point Henderson had been one of England’s better performers, but we all know how the gutter press works. Talk of heroes, “England expects” and “our brave boys” one minute, “traitors” and “overpaid failures” the next. They’re all one kick away from that. One shot, one scapegoat, one satisfied narrative.
In the Sweden match he ran the show and was a strong contender for man of the match, along with the ‘keeper. That means nothing if he lays a dog egg in the semi final. They build you up to knock you down.
Jordan Henderson is an animal. Blocks the shot, does a roll in attempt to block the next one, chases the ball, clears it and celebrates like he scored it. Love this. pic.twitter.com/yG68gf3OLm
— Sam (@VintageSalah) 8 July 2018
Before the tournament started, Henderson didn’t seem especially popular with England fans. I once heard a football phone in where someone suggested his place be taken by Mark Noble. Quite. That said, he doesn’t even enjoy the unilateral support of the Liverpool faithful. There are many who see his reliance on the safe, square or backwards ball to be an anathema of Jürgen Klopp’s spirit and would like nothing more than to see him out of the first team.
Others look at the Virgil van Dijk’s natural leadership and wonder how long it will be before he takes the armband. Their manager doesn’t seem too bothered about the captaincy so maybe it’s a matter of time before it’s passed on, much as it was at international level.
Not that it’s made much difference there. Kane might be Gareth Southgate’s man, but it wasn’t the Spurs striker who was marshalling the team through the last 20 minutes of the Tunisia game. Nor was he instructing the side how to play the numerous freekicks against Panama. Henderson has been as much of a captain with or without the cloth around his arm.
Of course, the best teams have an array of leaders rather than a single captain and a few experienced pros acting as ministers without portfolio, so maybe the English side is run on more collegiate grounds than just through one man.
Despite the outcome against a magnificently filthy Colombian side, there was still some criticism about the missed pen. Some said he was too cocky or casual. Actually, Henderson was unlucky. Like John Arne Riise’s effort in Istanbul, it was an excellent shot. It was just read well.
Anyway, that’s just England. As long as Henderson’s doing the business at club level then who cares?
It’ll be interesting to see where Henderson fits in next year when Naby Keita and Fabinho come in as well as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Some think he won’t play much at all, but I doubt that. There’s still plenty to come from the captain and there’s nothing wrong with a bit of competition.
I’d just like him not to come home disappointed. Or at least, too disappointed.
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Pics: David Rawcliffe-Propaganda Photo
‘Hey, Jordan, great World Cup!’
‘Thanks, Mr Klopp.’
‘I loved the way you closed down the opposition when they had the ball…’
‘Thanks, boss.’
‘… And the way you picked out those long passes for the forwards…’
‘Cheers, gaffer.’
‘… And the way you blocked that ball in the box, that was great!’
‘It was just instincts, boss.’
‘Oh, by the way, you’re benched from now on, we’ve got a player who couldn’t make his national squad to take your place. Oh, and give the armband to Virgil, he looks more like a captain, don’t you think. Like I said, though, great World Cup!’
Hendo is a world class player – just look where he’s taken England. I think the reason why he gets so much stick is because he was named Liverpool’s captain prematurely. He was young, hasn’t proven himself yet, and was supposed to replace Stevie. Poor judgment on the part of Brendan if you ask me. Same with England – the armband just made him a target. There more experienced players, who’d won more. I think it’s great he can lead England without the burden – it’s already makibg the crowd appreciate him more. Now Klopp needs to make Van Dijk or Milner or whoever captain. Then the silly pressure will be off Hendo and I predicted the ridiculous doubts, criticisms will soon after come to a natural end. He is world class, shows unmatched fierceness and determination, and I think we are lucky to have him.
Anyone who thinks Henderson will no longer be a key player now we have Fabinho is off their tits.
I think I should just say, if there’s any doubt, I was being sarcastic with this parody conversation between Hendo and Klopp. I was trying to point out how it would be somewhat bizarre for a player to play some of his best football for his country and then find himself relegated to the bench and stripped of the captaincy once returning to his club. Surely Henderson’s stock should have risen over the summer, even with the signing of Fabinho?
Great piece. People don’t get Henderson and it pisses me off mightily. He’d be first name on the sheet for me anytime. All that crab, sideways bollocks. The man can read a game of football, he can throw in a killer pass if it’s on, he can make the right pass if it’s not, he knows when to hold, he knows when to go. Speaking as a red, I’m a welsh: wool -)
@Mark Copp I agree somewhat if you are referring to 2014/15 season Henderson.
He is hardworking and doesn’t complain which maybe why Klopp preferred him since he wouldn’t mind playing Defensive Mid position, when he clearly would have benefited from the Attacking Mid position he seemed more likely to thrive in (2014/2015 season). So he did not develop his game in the position he might naturally been good for.
Sure everyone needs to be playing for the team when the team needs you, but not every game. Not all players are versatile just because you offer to play in a different position. Look what happened to Gerrard when he was playing as DM.
So Henderson’s sideways/crab passing was exposed because he doesn’t make foraging runs and is expected to not keep the ball due to the manager’s preferred style of playing.
Some great players were imperious in the way they could carry the ball forward like Xabi Alonso, while players like Ronaldinho were pure magic. Both of these players had a 6th sense about them and immense talent. Henderson isn’t anywhere close to these guys, unless you think he will be bought by Real Madrid or Barcelona any time soon.
The lack of Henderson’s development as an attacking mid IMO also has not developed his confidence in scoring goals. Practice makes perfect and you need lots of it in actual matches at very high levels. I think he would have thrived in the AM position.
Add to this, he was expected to shoulder the same weight that our Captain Fantastic managed naturally and almost with ease at times. Gerrard was a born leader on the pitch, and 2005 Istanbul showed this when 0-3 at half time.
Contrast that with 2018 Kiev and LFC’s captain when the chips were down. Yeah we didn’t have a Bale or we lost Salah, etc, but winners cut their teeth off situations liek this. For me, Henderson was nowhere close to Gerrard’s levels in leading the team, and sadly won’t be starting next season.
Ultimately not winning any trophies does add to the supporter’s perception of the player’s overall abilities and talent especially if you are captain on the pitch. The focus is on you as a leader to rally your team to the fullest potential and try and win the match.
The World Cup is a different stage and we’ve already seen how well (even the most experienced) goal keepers have fucked up, for all those blaming Karius solely for the loss of the 2018 CL final and wanting him replaced.
Henderson might win the world cup which would be an absolute delight for him and all his supporters. He does his job well as a member of the team and he should be proud of that.
I’m just glad its all over for him and, as long as he and Trent don’t get hurt in the silly play off for 3rd, that they can come home, get a good rest, and be ready to go again. I do wonder, though, how he is going to fit into a 3 man midfield with the new players we have bought.
Who had a bet, before the finals started, on Degsy being the only Liverpool player in the final? It would be great for him to experience the cup final winning feeling.
Phew, I’m non-English, so I’m on the outside looking in type of thing, but I was worried I’d wake up today to a lot of Henderson-bashing. It shouldn’t matter to me as a Liverpool fan, but it does, when everyone is calling your captain shit, it inevitably raises doubts and bad feelings in you, so it’s good to see some positive buzz around Hendo.
There are two things none of the Henderson critics have managed to explain to me:
1) Klopp can see the way Henderson plays, if he has a problem with it why hasn’t he sold him? We’ve seen Sakho, Benteke and Allen all moved on but no hint of Henderson being offloaded. Why not?
2) Klopp has coached Henderson for long enough now to be able to tell him if he thinks he plays too negatively. Yet there has been no obvious attempt by Klopp to make Henderson play the ball forward more often. Why not? The obvious assumption is Klopp is happy with the way Henderson plays, and more to the point, surely Klopp, as manager, would be telling Henderson how he would like to see him play.
Henderson does his job without complaining and works hard, perhaps harder than most.
That in itself merits loyalty from Klopp.
Talent wise he is nowhere near Alonso or Mascherano in the position Henderson is played.
As for being captain he has the standard that Gerrard set.
Klopp obviously doesn’t give a crap about what you or I think of Henderson, but just because he picks Henderson doesn’t mean he all the hype we have seen written about him.
When the going gets tough Henderson goes missing.
He works hard though and runs a lot.
So do you think Real Madrid, PSG or Barcelona are interested in buying him this summer?