5 Reasons for Jordan Henderson's Resurgence at Liverpool
Jordan Henderson has had a tough time adjusting to life on Merseyside since his big-money move from Sunderland in 2011.
He's scored just nine goals in 82 appearances and has found himself in and out of favor for the larger part of his Liverpool career.
It is important to remember, however, that he's only 23 years old.
A recent string of fine performances have seen the midfielder reinstated in Brendan Rodgers' starting 11. He also earned a call-up to the senior England setup.
His progression has been inconsistent, to say the least, but with the World Cup less than seven months away, none of that matters.
His present form will be the determining factor as to whether or not he takes a plane to Brazil. He knows full well that a successful Premier League season could be the spark he needs to turn his career around.
With that in mind, here are five things that can be attributed to Henderson's resurgence at Liverpool.
Called out
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Henderson was hammered in Sir Alex Ferguson's autobiography for his peculiar running style, and Rodgers has since lamented the comment as "inappropriate, via The Guardian.
It seems a shame that a figure of Ferguson's stature would make such controversial remarks about one of England's up-and-coming stars, but nevertheless, life goes on.
Since the book's release, Henderson has looked to be in a different class.
His passing has looked sharp, and his determination to get into the final third is something that we haven't seen in his two years at the club.
Hard Work
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Per the Daily Star, Liverpool teammate Jose Enrique has labeled Henderson a "hard worker"and believes that this has been the key to his good run of form.
The center of midfield has been saturated at Anfield over the past couple of years, but Henderson is finally making strides to stamp his mark on the position.
He has the technical ability to make waves in the Premier League, but at times he lacks the tactical awareness to take him to the next level.
Rodgers doesn't seem too concerned over that and recently praised Henderson for his development, via The Guardian: "Tactically his understanding of the game is much, much better. That is a massive credit to him because he is working very hard, listening and wanting to be a better player."
2014 FIFA World Cup
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Henderson has earned seven caps for the Three Lions and is keen to add to that tally in Brazil.
The pinnacle of any player's career comes when he sets foot on the pitch in a World Cup, and it's no different for Liverpool's No. 14.
When speaking about his chances of making the plane to Brazil, Henderson was quick to point out that he is keeping a level head, per The Guardian: "Now I have the opportunity to train with England and I have to make sure I am right. Everyone wants to go to a World Cup in Brazil but just going out and playing every week is an inspiration for me really."
As long as he can maintain his current form and avoid serious injury, there is no reason why he'll be left out of Roy Hodgson's plans come June.
Playing with Quality
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Liverpool's squad looks stronger this year than it has in living memory, and Henderson is reaping the rewards.
He was monumental in the Reds' 4-0 trouncing of Fulham a fortnight ago, and who can forget this delightfully threaded through ball to set up Luis Suarez for Liverpool's third.
Playing every week with the likes of Suarez, Steven Gerrard and Philippe Coutinho can only help his confidence, and it's showing on the pitch.
Maturity
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When Henderson made his Premier League debut in 2008, he was 18 years old.
Most 18-year-olds spend their days playing video games and contemplating what the future holds, but not Jordan.
He was thrust into the limelight at Stamford Bridge in a match against Chelsea, and since then, he has developed into one of England's top prospects.
At the age of 23, he is finally beginning to come into his own. He is playing with the maturity and confidence that five years in English football have given him.
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