Why does this Liverpool flop continue to receive the support of the fans?

So I think we’ve now all come to terms with the fact that Kenny Dalglish and Damien Comolli didn’t have a great summer in the transfer market. Liverpool football club poured a great deal of money into new signings and as of yet we’re yet to see any real reward. Heck you can increase the time period to include last January too and the above statement still holds true. Whilst Luis Suarez’s tricky feet have been a joy to behold, his lack of goals (which he was rolling in at Ajax) have held Liverpool back this season.

The less said about Andy Carroll the better. Stewart Downing, considering his price-tag, has been a flop on a pretty grand scale. His lack of goals and assists is telling, but so too is his inability to get the basics right. Then there’s Charlie Adam who finds it impossible to keep it simple, loses possession too often and appears to have lost his ability over a set-piece.

These players are now unanimously berated by fans (though Suarez is admittedly criticised for his for his antics rather than his footballing ability) who have come to terms with the fact that the policy of buying British was a failure.

So why aren’t fans getting on Jordan Henderson’s back? He seems to be treated as if his age makes him a critical no-go zone. But why is it the case that you can’t comment on Henderson without noting that ‘he’s still got time to develop and will no doubt come good in the end’. Is there any evidence for this statement?

Yes, he buys himself a lot of good will by working hard on the pitch, but I have to wonder if he’s working as hard at self-improvement. There are clearly areas of his game that need working on, but he hasn’t seemed to get any better as the season has progressed. For a start, I’d have thought that Kenny would have had a word with him about his deeply ingrained fear of encroaching on an opponent’s penalty area.

Henderson treats the opposition penalty box like no-man’s land and seems content to stick pencils up his nose and act crazy rather than throw himself forward and get involved in the action. All fans really want to see from young players is some kind of progression. I don’t expect Henderson to be rolling in goals or assists – but is he providing enough signs that he is indeed ‘one for the future’? I’m not so sure. So why do Liverpool fans continue to make excuses for him?

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