To be fair to Hendo, he's given us something that we have lacked all season - balance in the midfield. His energy has really helped us, especially as Gerrard isn't as mobile as he once was and with Lucas finding his form. I share your concerns Gez, is he Top 4 quality? I'm not sure but in terms of building a strong squad, he's the type of player you need to have (at the very least as a back up). I think he will mature into a good player but won't be world class. Then again, no team ever has 11 world class players. You need to supplement the 'stars' with the hard workers who are disciplined and not in it for personal glory and the limelight.
I think there's two things there maybe. first is i think rodgers would still hock him despite the effort the lad shows. and second I would also agree that henderson needs more development over the next 2 years to really eb a top 4 starter. He'd have to come on a bit in my mind but he is showing improvement as we speak. Top 4 should be a high standard but we see parker and huddleston patrolling the spurs midfield... we see mikel still playing for cheslea and ramieres too.. carrick and giigs at times for utd. Midfield I think in england is at a low ebb so henderson might be ok for CM berth in the top 4!!!! If i were making a list of those to get shut of purely on not ever being really top 4 quality I'd end up with a lot of players but we'd probably say the same about half of utd even, let alone city etc. But here is my just not good enough list: jones - he's distinctly average coates - just hasn't shown a hint of extrovert, of pushing himslef, of strength, power, ability in the air. really needs a kick. shelvey - 21 but i don't see the engine, thinks he's better than he is and want to play like stephen ireland did... oops allen - too short and tactically naive for me. spearing - again too short and just not good enough. downing - negative Assaidi - no end product Borini - he shoots, he misses the ball totally, i can't see him improving hugely despite italian squad status (ex) wilson - long forgotten flanagan - sorry just not up to it, was suprised he was given such a go by kenny. tough character but limted in talent. carroll - again, engine, misses the target a lot and neds to be more ruthless and get in the danger area not trot in there after the ball is played. theres a few that need looking at that are good players for us too skertl (i'd say he'd be mid table where we are now kind of quality) johnson - sometimes he's in and sometimes he's out. right now he'd not get a game in any of the top 4 due to form. so can we afford this? Is that harsh? I mean there not one thats not talented but we are looking to the very top so when we do that we look at reina who's had a much more solid second half to the season and been a match saver at times now again, we look at gerrard still, we look at suarez and now we've coutinho and sturridge.... we are asking questions on agger and lucas. For me henderson is good enough but he's not a match winner you'd look to to make a difference so when he does he really looks the part. Needs consistency and a dedicated role to really develop i feel.
Are we looking at Spurs as a standard for top four quality now then? I was on the understanding that they were a one man team? IMO, Henderson should be the type of player that is including in a 'team'. Trying to fit the best eleven into the starting line-up stinks of England for the last decade or more...square pegs and round holes etc. Much like Kuyt was and Lucas is, Henderson IS a team player and all top side have players like this. Having top players in the side obviously helps but you need one or two that are prepared to do the donkey work. It is the reason I loved Mascherano so much, he was always prepared to sacrifice himself for the good of the team and willing to do the hard work before passing the ball to a teammate for them to (if you like) take the glory. Henderson is a workaholic. He and Lucas allow Gerrard, Suarez, Sturridge, Coutinho, Johnson and Enrique to go forward and be creative. If we replace Henderson then we lose some of the work ethic (unless the replacement as high energy levels too). I just suspect I see it differently to BR
I sure hope not but the league is that weak and the final slot is arsenal and spurs... I think arsenal have a lovely set of very similar attacking midfielders with absolutely no back bone while spurs are very "functional" Spurs also are short of options up front as they have two strikers and then the likes of sigurdsson and dempsey who are converted midfiedlers but yes they are a totally one man team... bar loris who's a top keeper, Vertonghen who's a top player by the look of it and of course dembele. the rest... well holby is for next year it seems and then you've nothing that'd play for chelsea or city have you? the thing is henderson is not just allowing those guys forward he is beating them to the box, he's the one showing the drive to get to the six yard box hence the lampard comparisons made. you can't drive for that area and cover in behind. This is why he's shoved about into various roles like left side. I suspect the work rate should keep him at the club but rodgers will drop him every chance he gets.
MITO - I reiterate (taken from my last post): We can't play with 11 match winners and no squad in the world has ever had 11 match winners starting the game. The match winners need other players to do the donkey work (so to speak).
Surely, if we are aiming to become a top four side that we should be looking at Spurs and/or Arsenal, we should be looking beyond them as we want to finish above them? If we are only talking about challenging at this stage then fair enough (this is the target I have in mind for 2013-14) but we have to accept that we still may well finish behind both plus the other three at the top meaning sixth. Of course, thats also being a little arrogant towards Everton too.
Mentioned about Henderson not being "top 4 quality" but then look at United and many have said this season that Carrick (before this year) Jones, Anderson, none of those were "top 4 quality" but they've been the CM's for the Champions all season. I think Henderson was used too much in his first year under Kenny which put too much pressure on him and this year when he's played less and been allowed to develop he's done well. He's still only 22? Plenty of time for him to develop and cement a role in the team. He does offer the one thing we don't have in CM at the moment though and that's energy. Lucas/Gerrard/Allen (to a certain extent) all have their strengths but pressing without the ball and making those runs from deep (notice Henderson has got 3 goals making late runs from deep this year) are what makes Henderson different from them so far.
