Why Improving Jordan Henderson Is Vital to Liverpool’s Future Prospects

By his own admission, 2015/16 was far from Jordan Henderson’s best campaign in a Liverpool shirt—particularly following his assumption of captain’s duties last summer—but the England international remains an integral part of the Reds’ future success.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo’s Neil Jones in May, Henderson described the previous nine months as “the hardest season of my career so far” but remained optimistic about returning to top form:

You have to go through them at times. You’re going to have injuries. Before that, I was quite lucky in that I didn’t really have any bad ones, and this season they’ve all come at once.

But hopefully I’ll be stronger for it. I’ve come through it, and hopefully I can stay injury free and get back to my best.

It’s been a difficult season, but hopefully—touch wood—I can concentrate on playing football now, stay injury free and just get back to playing the way I know I can.

Henderson’s stock certainly dropped among Liverpool supporters throughout 2015/16, with fellow midfielder Emre Can rising to the fore following Jurgen Klopp’s appointment as manager in October.

But with the 48-year-old responding to speculation linking Henderson with a move to Tottenham Hotspur in April by telling reporters including the Echo’s James Pearce that he is “a very important player for us,” it is likely the former Sunderland man will remain on Merseyside for the foreseeable future.

This should be seen as a positive, as an improving Henderson is central to Liverpool’s prospects under Klopp—as he is, in many ways, an ideal midfield option for the German.

“It was going to take somebody who is going to be strong-willed and has a strong mentality, but is also a wonderful role model,” former Reds manager Brendan Rodgers told the club’s official website in July 2015, when announcing Henderson as full-time successor to Steven Gerrard as Liverpool captain.

The Ulsterman later add that “he’s an outstanding player and I think you’ll see him really blossom with that captaincy,” underlining his faith but unfortunately also adding to the pressure of the armband.

Henderson started the season in reasonable form, deployed in a more reserved midfield role alongside summer signing and new vice-captain James Milner, providing energy in the engine room in 1-0 victories over Stoke City and Bournemouth—laying on Christian Benteke’s winner in the latter.

But withdrawn after 52 minutes against the Cherries, Henderson’s injury problems began, and replacing him with Can at …

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