In stoppage time on the 13th of April 2014, Jordan Henderson lost the ball on the halfway line and Samir Nasri was about to take control.
In desperation to not give Manchester City possession, Henderson came clattering into Nasri with his studs up. Inevitably, he was sent off and suspended for crucial fixtures during Liverpool’s title run in the 2013-14 season.
When people talk about what went wrong in that campaign then there is no surprise Steven Gerrard’s heartbreaking slip against Chelsea is always brought up, but the absence of Henderson in those massive fixtures is always undervalued.
He was the engine in midfield that ticked things over for Liverpool. He was the man week-in and week-out that was setting the tempo to win Liverpool matches. With the exception of Luis Suarez, he was the squad’s best player that season.
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He went from strength-to-strength as the season progressed and became a favourite among the Anfield faithful.
Would Liverpool have won the league if he managed to avoid the three game suspension after the foul on Nasri? That is impossible to answer, but it would be fair to say he was dearly missed in all the games afterwards.
Fans were wondering, how big of a miss will he be? Now fans want to know, how much can we get for him in the transfer window?
It says a lot really. For a player that has improved dramatically in the last few years, one bad season and apparently he is not up to scratch anymore.
The patience levels of fanbases today is appalling in truth. The days of getting behind a player when they are down and out are completely gone. One look on social media after a game shows that if someone has underperformed, then you certainly will know all about it.
Henderson was superb in the 2013-14 season, but he backed it up again in 2014-15.
Coming out with the most assists at the club with 14 and recording seven goals in all competitions, he was certainly making progress from the young man who signed for the club back in 2011.
His passing last season was arguably as good as Steven Gerrard’s, and that is ultimately why he came out with the most assists . People always talk about Henderson’s work rate being his main attribute, but his distribution comes pretty close to it.
When fit and firing he certainly has the ability to place passes all around the pitch. His confidence to do it sets him apart from most within the squad and makes him a key figure when trying to unlock teams that sit deep.
His superb form from last season and his ability to lead by example saw him given the captain’s armband after Gerrard departed. In fact, he carried the legend’s legs in midfield during his last couple of years at the club.
Many of the Liverpool supporters were expecting big things from him this season, but unfortunately it just has not been a reality.
It has been an interrupted season for the captain and it has certainly impacted him negatively.
The biggest problem he has faced came well before the campaign even begun. Liverpool fans have been spoiled by having a local lad lead the team for a number of years now and it is not just the fact he was a local, it was the fact he was a world class footballer.
Comparing Henderson to Gerrard is wrong on so many levels. It was going to be mission impossible finding someone close to what the No.8 was.
Then the next problem appeared. Injury hit the athletic midfielder only a few games into the season and he has been sidelined for the majority of 2015-16. An ongoing heel problem, it has effected his impact on games dramatically. He is basically playing injured every time he sets foot out on the pitch.
With Jurgen Klopp taking over from Brendan Rodgers back in October, he is yet to see much of Henderson. But when he has been available for selection, he just simply has not shown enough for the German manager to be convinced.
But, Klopp needs to give his captain time. It would be wrong to put him up for sale in the transfer market without giving him the chance to regain fitness and form.
Henderson’s future is being reported my media outlets as unclear, but Klopp needs to put a stop to that.
Anyone who has watched the rise of the 25-year-old since his arrival knows the boy has quality, and what he lacks is made up with his tremendous work rate.
He is a team player and wants Liverpool to be successful. If Klopp gives him the time to prove he is good enough to be at Anfield then there will be no doubts that he will show his qualities.
As for the ‘fans’, do not jump from one opinion to another just simply because a player is out of form. Many of those that lauded him before this season are the same fans claiming he is not up to scratch anymore.
With the right type of players around him, Henderson will flourish under Klopp and be an integral part of the new era.
It is time to get behind the skipper and give him the backing that he deserves from his performances from the last few seasons.
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