“What was that for? No, I never!” a shell-shocked Jordan Henderson found himself screaming at referee Wilton Pereira Sampaio as England were knocked out of the World Cup by France.
The Liverpool captain had just conceded a free kick after tripping Kylian Mbappe, but it was arguably minimal contract as the forward went down having also caught his own feet when performing some stepovers as he raced down England’s right-hand side toward the penalty area.
Coming in the 49th minute, the midfielder was visibly displeased at the sight of the Frenchman going to ground, and was left even more animated at the decision to award a foul. With England still trailing 1-0 at the time, he feared the possibility of France extending their lead so early in the second half with what was their first attacking chance after the break.
READ MORE: Jordan Henderson sends Harry Kane message after England knocked out of World Cup vs France
Originally stationed by his own penalty spot as Antoine Griezmann delivered the set-piece, Henderson was left surprised again less than 60 seconds later, but this time for very different reasons.
As Harry Kane then Declan Rice headed the free kick away, the 32-year-old started to gallop out of the England penalty area as he looked to reclaim possession. Spotting Jules Kounde on the ball with only Theo Hernandez to pass to, he chased down the latter on the halfway line, which in turn prompted a pass back to goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
Within the space of 15 seconds, Henderson had helped transform France’s first attack of the half into an enforced pass back into their own penalty area. Then hurrying after Lloris, he prompted a rushed clearance to an offside Olivier Giroud. Possession won back, job done.
On paper there is nothing particularly impressive in this series of events. It won’t be making any highlight reels, Henderson didn’t even touch the ball after all, and it’s certainly something that the social media fumers wouldn’t even bat an eyelid at, watching on back home.
But you just know if he had been performing such a duty in a Liverpool shirt, manager Jurgen Klopp would have been delighted at the sight of the midfielder pressing the opposition so hard.
Yet as Henderson looked to close down Lloris, he glanced over both shoulders. He was England’s furthest player forward as a result of such sprints but without a team-mate in sight, left to press high on his own. His efforts wasted as a result, now that is something Klopp would perhaps not be so keen on.
There were only two other Three Lions players even in the France half and they were both in the centre-circle, ensuring there was a very slim chance of Henderson’s efforts successfully winning the ball back in the final third as he looked to force a mistake.
This is clearly not the Liverpool way. While they might implement a lite version of ‘Gegenpressing’ at Anfield these days, it still forms a key part of their identity. Now enjoying his eighth season under Klopp, Henderson has been schooled to play in such a way for the best part of a decade for the Reds.
The player constantly setting the standards for club and country, despite what his critics might say, you can take the boy out of Liverpool but you can’t take Liverpool out of the boy it would seem.
England were the better team for the majority against France despite falling to a harsh 2-1 defeat. While in the 50th minute there was still plenty of time for them to equalise, and they would from the penalty spot just four minutes later.
But the fact that there was no urgency from Henderson’s passive team-mates to join him in the press, and in an attempt to put the reigning world champions under pressure to claim the upper hand in their final third, is a notion that seems so foreign to those of us who watch the midfielder play week in, week out for Klopp’s Liverpool. What a waste.
The 32-year-old will now enjoy some time off before linking back up with the Reds, with Liverpool next back in competitive action against Man City in the League Cup on December 22. Such games are known for their intensity, with Andy Robertson famously winning his place in Kopite hearts for a hard press similar to Henderson’s own against France when Pep Guardiola’s men visited Anfield back in January 2018.
While the Reds captain is perhaps unlikely to be thrown straight back into a Liverpool starting XI against City, back on Merseyside, under Klopp’s watchful eye, at least such efforts will be appreciated. Next time Henderson implements such a press, he won’t be walking alone.
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