Is Jordan Henderson a Victim of His Own Versatility at Liverpool?

It's fair to say that Jordan Henderson is a player who divides opinion among Liverpool supporters in a similar way that Lucas Leiva and Dirk Kuyt did previously.

Lucas spent his early years at Anfield as a much-maligned midfielder, while Kuyt was seen as hardworking but technically lacking. 

The two of them had something in common—signed as certain types of players and quite quickly asked to play a completely different role. Lucas, prior to his arrival at Anfield in 2007, was an attacking midfielder for Gremio. Kuyt was a prolific centre-forward in the Dutch league for Feyenoord.

Rafa Benitez soon turned Lucas into a holding player and moved Kuyt to a wider position on the right of the Liverpool attack. Such changes take time to adjust to, and there's a learning curve as players adapt.

No surprise then that the two of them drew such criticism before they became comfortable with their new roles and turned their fortunes around, receiving praise and being lauded for doing so. Patience in the process is sadly in short supply, such is the mindset of a modern football fan.

So how does this relate to Jordan Henderson I hear you ask.

Quite simply, Jordan Henderson is not a winger. Nor is he a full-back. Or a wing-back. Henderson is a central midfielder.

But, and here's the crucial part, he's an extremely versatile, very hardworking player who gives 100 percent no matter where he is asked to play, his attitude is exemplary.

Henderson, like Kuyt and Lucas, is a manger's dream. He'll do a job no matter where he is asked to play—and Henderson has been asked to play a fair share of positions during his Liverpool career so far.

Furthermore, an oft-used criticism of the former Sunderland man is his price tag. Henderson himself did not choose to pay the admittedly exorbitant amount, Liverpool fans have Damien Comolli to thank for that. So it makes little sense to use that as a criticism of him, or any player for that matter.

Similarly, it wasn't Henderson who choose to play himself out of position for almost the whole of his first season at a new club, in doing so shunning two more experienced players who had been in impressive form at the end of the previous campaign—Kuyt and Maxi Rodriguez. That was Kenny Dalglish.

Henderson was used as a regular right midfielder in a 4-4-2, and 2011-12 saw him make more first-team appearances than any other Liverpool player; 48 in total, missing just one league game. For me, that's harsh on a 21-year-old new recruit, burdened by a huge price-tag.

Ahead of last weekend's game against Sunderland, Lucas told Liverpool's official website of how impressed he has been with Henderson: 

"

At the beginning of last season, he didn't play so many games, but when he played afterwards, he helped a lot and his work-rate is outstanding.

"

Once Dalglish departed, Brendan Rodgers arrived and within months the new boss was prepared to let Henderson go to Fulham.

Instead, Henderson fought for his place and pushed his way into the Liverpool side, finally able to impress in a more central role.

He found form, playing on the left of a midfield three, providing energy and drive that a midfield of Lucas and Steven Gerrard often lacks. His energy means he can press the opposition high up the pitch, and thus the team can win the ball higher up the pitch, a vital ingredient in an offensive style of play.

From being a peripheral figure 12 months ago, Henderson has been an ever-present for Rodgers this season.

He started the season back where his Liverpool career began—on the right of midfield—and he's been asked to play the right-wing-back role in the new formation due to Glen Johnson's absence with injury.

"

Jordan Henderson was the most creative player on the pitch today. He created 4 chances.

— AnfieldIndex (@AnfieldIndex) September 29, 2013"

It's strange that sometimes a hard work-rate can be seen as a backhanded compliment, somehow implying that it means the hard work makes up for technical shortcomings. It shouldn't be. The truth is, every team needs a Jordan Henderson—somebody to do the running for the creative players around them.

"

Henderson update: stopped running to create the heaven & the earth ... & on the 7th day Jordan rested from all his work which he had made

— Rushian (@RushianLFC) September 6, 2013"

So now, with Lucas Leiva suspended for the visit of Crystal Palace on Saturday, will Henderson get a chance to impress in a central midfield role? He certainly deserves it.

Of course, with few alternatives for the right-wing-back role—should Rodgers keep with three at the back—Henderson will likely be asked to play there again. That's how his Liverpool career has gone.