Why Jurgen Klopp has many solutions for the absence of Henderson
Liverpool will miss their captain's leadership as well as his footballing ability, but the squad is better equipped than ever to cope.
One could make a pretty strong argument that for the best part of three months now, Jordan Henderson has been Liverpool's most influential player. He isn't necessarily the most naturally gifted player in a squad littered with world class players in virtually every position, but he has consistently stamped his mark on games and been the driving force of the team through what is traditionally the most taxing stretch of the season.
There are two aspects to this; Henderson the midfielder, and Henderson the captain. Both versions have been an inspiration for Liverpool, with his imperious, swashbuckling performances accompanied by his outstanding leadership qualities, helping guide his team through multiple difficult scenarios and constantly demanding the same lofty standards of others that he demands of himself.
The news from Jürgen Klopp's pre-West Ham press conference on Friday that Henderson will be out with a hamstring injury for around three weeks is clearly a significant blow, not so much of a major concern in terms of the Premier League, but more so with the second leg of the Champions League last 16 tie against Atletico Madrid on the horizon.
While far from ideal, the saving grace for Liverpool is that the midfield is the area where Klopp is best equipped to cope with injuries. None will be able to come in and do the exact same job as Henderson, but there are a number of exciting and versatile players who can fill the void, as explored on these pages yesterday.
There's also the other important question, though, of how Liverpool compensate for Henderson's leadership over these next few weeks, which, although impossible to quantify – because one cannot measure such attributes in the same way as goals, assists, tackles or interceptions – has certainly been a pivotal factor in the team's relentless form this season, particularly in recent months during which his all-round influence has been greater than ever.
He'll still be a key influence in the dressing room while not playing, but it's on the pitch where the captain's presence will be difficult to replicate. But whereas at times in the not-so-distant past there has been legitimate cause for concern over the lack of leadership throughout the Liverpool squad, this group of players is packed full of authoritative individuals with their own leadership credentials, capable of stepping up and assuming responsibility.
As vice-captain, James Milner is the obvious one, even if he doesn't start many games these days, but as a model professional and standard-bearer for others, he remains an important figure. Then there's Virgil van Dijk – Liverpool's 'third captain', wearing the armband for the Netherlands – who bears all the hallmarks of a natural leader, and can be seen directing, organising and encouraging his teammates in every single game.
Andy Robertson, too, is the captain of his national team, while behind the defence is another vocal figure in Alisson Becker, who Van Dijk has previously credited for his outstanding ability to marshal the defence.
Further forward, Gini Wijnaldum is the 'fourth captain' as voted for by his fellow teammates, while Sadio Mané, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino can all regularly be seen to display different kinds of leadership qualities of their own, perhaps more through their actions than their words, each capable of dragging Liverpool through games when the team is having a rare off-day as a whole.
That abundance of strong characters throughout the squad is one of those intangible factors which has surely been integral to Liverpool's extraordinary focus and resilience throughout the campaign.
Henderson has been front and centre of that, but while Klopp will no doubt be keen to have him back fit and available as soon as possible, he has built a squad with such a vast array of leaders who he can fully rely upon to uphold the collective ethos, which should ensure they can fill the two distinct voids left by the captain.
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