In the past players can become synonymous with this word but others view the player as useless, shit or what a waste of money. It's not the players fault the club paid the fee but it can become a noose around the neck when your own fans become critical of the said player.
Jordan Henderson is this one player, other than Lucas Leiva in his early Liverpool career and even since still criminally underrate the Brazilian. Like Lucas, Henderson came with a reputation "England's future". Since he made his debut for home town club Sunderland, his performances attracted interest from the big clubs in England, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City were among the chasing pack keeping a close eye on the talented youngster.
When Damian Comolli and Liverpool came calling in the summer of 2011, Henderson left his home town club to join the Reds for £16 million pounds. A hefty fee for a young player to carry, which he did throughout his first season at the club. At 21 years of age, he was written off like Lucas before him by the majority of Reds. If I have learned anything from the Lucas scapegoat era, it is foolish to write someone so young, they need to be giving the time to adapt playing for a club like Liverpool. Players usually retrieve into their shell and never come out, if anything Henderson will have learned a lot from his fellow team mate on the art of redemption.
His performances this season seem to suggest he is coping with the pressure, but what is a major thing for a player so young its confidence. Despite been used in a deal to get Clint Dempsey(which would have been a massive mistake on Rodgers and the club's part), he has come back from that and on current form is probably out of Allen, Gerrard and Sahin our in form midfielder. Jordan is becoming more positive going forward and using his energy, pace aligned now with his confidence which Rodgers has instilled in him. His performances in the last month have been major progression, his role in the win against Wigan a few weeks ago has now got some his detractors sitting up and taking notice that he does have some qualities.
The last week have probably been the most eye catching for Reds everywhere. His performance and getting the winner in Udinese on Thursday night was his best performance in a Liverpool side without much European experience that progressed to the last 32 of the Europa League. We come to yesterday, Liverpool 2-1 down away at one of the toughest away grounds in English football. Rodgers made the decision to bring off Lucas playing in his second game from return and gave Liverpool more energy which was badly needed considering Mohamed Diame's performance. Despite Diame, going off soon after with his unfortunate hamstring injury, once Henderson came on, his pace and positive forward thing play forced West Ham onto the back foot.
Forcing West Ham to defend with a higher line, Liverpool were now continually finding space behind West Ham's full backs as Sterling began to exert as much pressure down the left as Henderson was on the right. Once the equaliser came down the left, when a free flowing move set up Joe Cole for the equaliser. There was only going to be one winner from here on in, with McCartney now drawn into Glen Johnson, a neat pass into the space allowed the runner(Henderson) move into space and deliver a clever ball into the box towards Shelvey. Whose presence, enabled a deflection off James Collins to loop over Jussi Jaaskelainen and into the West Ham net.
A massive win for Liverpool, and week for both the club and Rodgers. But from a personal point of view a even more massive week for Jordan Henderson who is showing for someone so young, that we should never write them off. For one thing, I hope he continues his form because his qualities are an asset to the style Rodgers wants to play. Could this week be a defining moment on both accounts. Lucas had his in December 2008 at Newcastle, could West Ham 2012 be Henderson's? Time will tell but it will be intriguing to see how the rest of the season goes for the north-east man to blossom into a player that is clearly there.
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