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Liverpool need more from midfield. Brendan Rodgers knows it and we know it too. The question is productivity from midfield apart from Steven Gerrard corners, free-kicks, and penalties. Philippe Coutinho has had a injury interrupted season to date and will register goals as well as assists over time but Jordan Henderson's tidy play, industry, teamwork, and diligence needs a sharper edge if he is to continue his progress.
Henderson scored his first assist in the league with a lovely through ball for Luis Suarez to grab his first goal of the afternoon. To see a goal created through open play by Henderson that wasn't a layoff but a pass that required the necessary vision as well as weight is undoubtedly heartening. Glen Johnson had the most touches of any player with 136 but Jordan Henderson's 109 touches was higher than Lucas Leiva and Philippe Coutinho who both had 105 touches each. 47% of Liverpool's attacking play was down the right side so naturally Henderson and Johnson would reach a high number of touches yet that partnership was effective as both had excellent games.
When you have a player stationed on the right of midfield who makes virtually the same amount of tackles as your defensive midfielder, retains a pass accuracy that pushes 90%, aids the midfield to function effectively as a pressing unit, and records either a goal or an assist then a midfielder has done his job and then some. Liverpool are overly reliant on Suarez and Sturridge for goals, which is understandable given their quality but who can we rely on to create chances or score goals? Steven Gerrard and Philippe Coutinho. It would be pleasing to add Jordan Henderson to that list.
Hopefully, it will continue to be a case of others grabbing the headlines but Henderson providing definitive attacking contributions to garnish a typically industrious performance could push Liverpool further. The midfielder deserves his England call-up and perhaps the Merseyside derby will be an opportunity for Henderson to shine as a match-winner.
Video by LFCMrBoywunder