Liverpool have been performing well under their new manager Jurgen Klopp. But, the team still needs to bring the stability into their game. The team has been very inconsistent in every department of the game, say, Simon Mignolet’s errors in front of goal, or the disjointed defence. They have been struggling to keep the clean sheets and are too easy to cut through especially on the left side where Alberto Moreno plays. Not just in their defence, the team has been struggling a lot lately for a true leader like Steven Gerrard. Gerrard had everything in him, he was the leader who backed the team through their thick and thin. He had that quality of being a true leader.
At the age of 23, Gerrard was named as the captain of the team by the manager Gerard Houllier who said that Gerrard had demonstrated the leadership qualities in his games. He was a versatile and an all-rounder player who was regarded as one of the best of his generation. He was capable of playing in every position of the midfield. By nature, he was a central defender but he has also has been used as a second striker, attacking midfielder, holding midfielder, a right back and a right winger. Initially, he was a brilliant ball winner rather than a playmaker but he continued to evolve technically and became the best in the business. He eventually became a box to box midfielder and was effective both offensively and defensively.
Gerrard, naturally a right footed player, possesses the ability to score the goals with both feet. He was a born talent. Scoring from the long range was one of his many abilities. In that historic win at Istambul, he showed his true leadership when Liverpool came back from a three-goal deficit to tie the match at 3–3 after extra time and eventually won the Final in a very dramatic style. Gerrard was praised for being a catalyst in their second half comeback in the game. He was also named as the Man Of the Match and later received the UEFA Club Footballer Of The Year award. He was also very deadly in the set pieces as he was the regular taker of the free kicks, corner and the penalty kicks.
He was renowned for his pace, his accuracy, his work rate and tireless running on the pitch. The player was also well known for his long range passes and finding the players in the gap. He was technically and tactically very attractive. Gerrard was also good in the air, in addition to his footballing attributes, he was highly praised for his leadership quality and his influence on the pitch.
Gerrard didn’t had many titles to his name during his tenure at the club, but he established himself as one their true leaders of not just the team but of the fans. He is a footballing Legend who served the club for a very long time and won the hearts of every footballing fan.
He played his last game for the club on 16 May 2015 and decided to leave the club LA Galaxy. He left the throne of the Liverpool for the man who underlined his credentials as the heir to Steven Gerrard as the captain the year when the club nearly missed out on the title.
Well, it is not an easy task to lead the team from which the fans are expecting 100 times more than what they are delivering right now. It will take a whole lot of talent to continue the legacy of Steven Gerrard. Since he left, the team is struggling a lot to find a true leader.
Raheem Sterling was thought to be a legend like Gerrard but left the club for the rivals Manchester City. Luis Suarez spent some wonderful years at the club but left for Barcelona. Then after the farewell of Gerrard, Henderson was appointed as the captain for the team and he was just a year older than Gerrard when he was given the reins of the Liverpool’s side. But, can he succeed the Legacy of Steven Gerrard ? Well, the time and his performance will decide that. The captain’s armband brought a lot of responsibilities on the shoulders of the Englishman. This season though the armband has been roaming here and there due to a lot of injuries. After his cagey start to his Liverpool career, he had the option to move to Fulham but, tt takes a strong character to turn things round from there. He showed a strong character to fit in the starting side of Brendan Rodger.
Henderson plays in the same position where Gerrard played and is versatile as well, but not as their former skipper for sure. Due to his abilities, he can fill the roles of being a right winger, left winger and a right back. He is the player who is regarded as the one who can bring the energy to the team. He is a really hard-working player and is creative as well. He can also play as the defensive midfielder and is praised for pressing up the field whenever the opposition is in possession. He is renowned for his energy, dynamism and willingness to run non-stop for 90 minutes.
But there are some areas where a player lacks, and talking with reference to Jordan Henderson, he lacks in his dribbling and goal scoring abilities which hinder him in becoming a top quality midfielder.
After the arrival of the new manager and some new names in the team Henderson started lacking the leadership quality. When Steven Gerrard was Henderson’s age, he completely turned the tables and won the Champions League for the club. In terms of the armband, Milner has the full potential that can match the ability to become the leader at the Anfield as he is the one who has a great vision and can pass the ball across the field and can also produce some accurate crosses in the box a and is versatile as well and can score some extraordinary long range goals. He is the player who usually takes the set pieces for the team and can also play in various positions on the field, name it, he can play it.
The guard at Anfield has now changed from Gerrard to Henderson and the midfielder has a supreme chance to show his abilities and can show the world why he is the one who will be leading the reigns after Steven Gerrard.
Well, it is now in the hands of Klopp to decide the future of this young man and I see Henderson being the captain for the side for many years to come but can be a mainstay of this Liverpool side for sure. The player is good in terms of his playing style and is dedicated, a tough tackler of the ball, though, not a leader type.
The team needs a player like Gerrard, a player who is willing to do everything for the club.