Chelsea midfielder Jordan Henderson shared an amusing story about how he secured the right to take a free kick from Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers. The 36-year-old scored a stunning goal, helping the London side trounce Bournemouth 5-1.
For Henderson, this was his first home match for Chelsea after his summer transfer. The former Liverpool captain kicked things off by scoring in just the second minute and later assisted Rogers for another goal.
However, the most noteworthy moment of the match was his free kick in the second half.
As it turns out, Henderson had to persuade his younger teammates to trust him with the set piece. Before the match, he secured the backing of set pieces coach Austin McPhee.
After the match, Henderson recounted:
Some of the lads and Austin have a little faith in me. When I feel that support, I can step up and take it.
We’ve been practising free kicks quite a bit in training over the last week or two, and I’ve been quite consistent. Austin said, ‘Right, it's settled. We're doing it this way.’
Not all of his teammates were immediately on board with the decision.
Henderson continued:
Morgan wasn’t too thrilled about it, but when we got to the ball, he said, ‘Alright then, go for it.’
And Cole asked, ‘Where are we celebrating when you score?’ I said we could celebrate to the right. Luckily, I managed to put it in the net!
Henderson's strike was practically perfect. The ball sailed over the wall and found the back of George Pritchard's net, sealing the win.
The match held special significance for Henderson. After suffering an injury in the summer, he'd been waiting a long time to play in front of Chelsea fans at Stamford Bridge.
Henderson said:
It was a great day. My first home match for Chelsea, so it means a lot to me.
After a long time out with my summer injury, it was brilliant to finally get on the pitch at Stamford Bridge. We played really well and got an excellent result—that’s the main thing.
Despite the five goals scored, the veteran emphasised his side's off-the-ball work.
According to him, the discipline in defence allowed Chelsea to control the match comfortably.
Henderson explained:
We maintained our concentration throughout the game. When you play like that, you ultimately get rewarded.
We have fantastic, incredibly talented players. But what pleased me most was our work without the ball and our defensive attitude. When the whole team defends together, it creates the foundation for successful play.
Henderson not only bagged a brace and provided an assist but also demonstrated why Xabi Alonso wanted to inject experience into the young side.
His free kick story added yet another entertaining chapter to an evening where even Cole Palmer believed in his new teammate's scoring prowess ahead of time.
