Shock Liverpool playmaker has emerged as Jurgen Klopp faces easy decision in top-four chase
After winning three out of their last four matches in the league, Liverpool was in their best form of the season before their game against Bournemouth.
However, they ended up losing 1-0, leading to renewed feelings of disappointment. Despite the poor performance, there was one aspect of the game that gave some cause for reflection.
Compared to their previous matches where they had shown signs of improvement, Liverpool’s performance against Bournemouth was below par.
There may have been some indications of this in their unimpressive 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace, but their record-breaking 7-0 victory over Manchester United seemed to suggest that Klopp’s team was returning to their previous season’s form, even convincing pessimistic supporters.
However, during the match against a team fighting to avoid relegation, Liverpool appeared ineffective at times, particularly their midfield trio consisting of Harvey Elliott, Fabinho, and Stefan Bajčetić, who found it difficult to contribute offensively.
This served as a clear reminder of the level of competition in the Premier League, which can be challenging regardless of a team’s current position in the league table.
Liverpool’s poor performance was exemplified by the fact that their midfield trio failed to create any chances at the Vitality Stadium.
Klopp was clearly unhappy with Liverpool’s midfield performance in the first half. Harvey Elliott, in particular, was dribbled past four times and lost all of his duels during the first 45 minutes, making it likely that he would be substituted at half time.
However, it’s worth mentioning that when Jordan Henderson came on as a substitute for Fabinho in the 70th minute, he provided more of an attacking presence.
In fact, during his time on the pitch, he completed the most attacking third passes of any Liverpool player in the entire match, with a total of 16. While this may seem like a small consolation, it’s still an encouraging sign for the team.
The starting midfielders of Liverpool scored only one goal more than Henderson did on his own against Gary O’Neil’s team. Despite catching a cold before the game and being relegated to a substitute role, Henderson stood out as Liverpool’s most imaginative and proactive midfielder during the game against Bournemouth over the weekend.
Henderson’s talent in creating scoring opportunities may be undervalued by some, as per FBref, a metrics website, which suggests that he is one of the most proficient in Europe when it comes to advancing the ball towards the opponent’s goal.
It might astonish some viewers that the midfielder from Sunderland is actually among the top 5% of players in Europe’s major five leagues when it comes to progressive passes per 90 minutes on average over the past year.
Furthermore, Henderson has maintained an impressive average of 2.7 shot-creating actions per game, highlighting his continued value as a playmaker for Klopp’s team.
Despite often being overlooked, he remains one of Liverpool’s most effective midfielders, and his experience will be crucial in the team’s pursuit of a top-four finish this season, as demonstrated by their recent loss to Bournemouth.
Although he has already won numerous titles with Liverpool, Henderson’s significance at Anfield is still not fully appreciated, and Klopp should have no hesitation in relying heavily on him for the rest of the season.
Shock Liverpool playmaker has emerged as Jurgen Klopp faces easy decision in top-four chase
