Jordan Henderson Must Own Centre of Liverpool Midfield as Steven Gerrard Departs

As Steven Gerrard gears up for his final months in a Liverpool shirt, speculation has naturally arisen over who will take his place in the Reds side—not just as captain, but as a leader by example and the man who can pull the team over the line and inspire those around him.

Jordan Henderson is in place to do at least one of those, and he is set to be promoted from vice-captain to captain when Gerrard heads to LA Galaxy.

In the final few months before the No. 8 departs, it's up to Henderson to show he is also capable of fulfilling the other roles Gerrard performs for the team. To allow him to do that, manager Brendan Rodgers must keep Henderson right in the centre of midfield.

Central to It All

Now fielding the team in a 3-4-3 variation, Rodgers has most recently put Henderson in a full central-midfield role alongside Lucas Leiva. It's a role the former Sunderland man thrives in, offering plenty of opportunity to get in possession and push play forward, with scope to play the entire length of the pitch.

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From there, he helps do defensive work, closing down and making challenges, as well as being around to pick up the second ball and cover behind the right-sided player when needed, but it also allows him to surge forward and provide support in the final third.

Play continually moves through Henderson, with his short, sharp passes keeping up the tempo of the team, while his habitually progressive outlook means the side keeps moving further up the pitch.

Still, one area you'd like to see him contribute more to from that role is in getting into the box from deep, but with the club recovering from some poor results, a little caution is natural at this stage.

Changing Roles

The move into the centre of the park has only come in the last few games, though.

Previously in the 3-4-3, Henderson had been shunted out to the right side of the four in midfield, playing as the wing-back who needed to provide an availability to receive possession down the channel and stretch play whenever possible, who was rarely free to get involved centrally.

It's not a problem to put Henderson there, but it does detract from the best parts of his game. It also stops him being the man through which much of the play passes, which is what his team-mates need to see him as at present. If he's going to be the one who steps up and leads the team, he must be the one who stands up and drags Liverpool forward during tough spells.

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He can't do that from the wing-back role.

Later, should he become captain and his influence on the team continue to expand, it won't be an issue to move Henderson around, as Gerrard had to under Gerard Houllier and Rafael Benitez (and indeed under Rodgers), but it should be to improve Henderson's game and get the best out of his assets, not to make room in the team for someone else or shoehorn him in somewhere.

If he's the first name on the team sheet, it needs to be because he is flawless playing and directing from his main position. Other players cannot look up to him as their natural leader if he is being pushed out to secondary roles in which he is not as effective.

Improvements and Contenders

Henderson isn't necessarily the only Liverpool player who could take over the armband, but he's the lead choice as the current vice-captain. Mamadou Sakho has won over plenty of doubters, Rodgers included, with superb displays since getting back in the team recently. He was the captain of PSG at a young age and is consistent, has a high ceiling for growth and is a dominant player.

Martin Skrtel and Lucas Leiva have been at the club for a long time, are experienced internationals and been manager favourites—but neither has gone without spells out of the team or poor form.

Henderson has all the tools to be the next leader of the team as long as he keeps progressing, adding to his game and showing the self-belief that will spread to his team-mates that all great captains require. The only way he can do that while Gerrard is still at the club is to take up a central role now and remain there throughout the remainder of the campaign.

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