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Brendan Rodgers has gone on record regarding his love for vocal and commanding and also commanding and vocal players. His preference may be for that type of player to make his presence known on the back line, but it's an edict that Jordan Henderson has obviously taken to heart in Liverpool's midfield as well. The newly minted vice captain is still figuring out the time and place to display those leadership skills, though, and tested them out on Steven Gerrard last Saturday.
"I don't think I'll do that too many times," Henderson said after his attempt to dictate game play to his captain ultimately went ignored. "I was just telling him to keep it in the corner but I think he saw a pass to maybe score another goal. I learn a lot from Stevie. That was a pressure moment in the game and I thought we should keep it in the corner but to be fair it was a great pass into the box and we could have scored as well."
Oh Hendo, that scoundrel, trying to boss the boss because he is totally boss. Although the game turned out to have been won at that point, given Liverpool's recent string of performances it's hard to blame Gerrard for trying to make a play for an insurance goal just in case. As every pundit was only too happy to point out, Liverpool had not won in the league since the end of August and things were beginning to feel a little dire.
"It was important to get back to winning games and I thought we showed good character to go on and win the game, especially when it went to 1-1," Henderson continued. "It was a good three points and hopefully we can kick on now. I felt last week we did enough, we were better than Everton and should have won, but that's football - it's hard sometimes. We had to take than on the chin and it was important to get the win this week.
"It was an improved performance but I think our performances can be better - but the performance was good last week and we didn't get three points so this was all about the win."
With the player breaking international break on the horizon, the win puts those sticking around Melwood in a good frame of mind rather than prolonging the misery of poor form in the league. For Henderson and his English compatriots, there will still be misery, but it will have nothing to do with Liverpool's form and everything to do with some of the less fun parts of representing your country on the international stage.
