Paul Scholes believes Jordan Henderson should no longer start for Chelsea in the Premier League. The 36-year-old midfielder began in the match against Brentford, where Xabi Alonso's team suffered a disappointing 3-0 defeat.
Due to squad issues, Alonso was forced to field Henderson alongside Valentin Barco in midfield against a vibrant Brentford side. According to Scholes, this decision was particularly ill-suited:
When I saw the lineup, I thought: you couldn't pick a worse opponent for them. Brentford have so much energy and athleticism.
When asked if Henderson can manage even 45 minutes on the pitch, the former Manchester United midfielder replied:
Perhaps even that would be too much. I'd use him for the last 20-25 minutes or in the League Cup.
We've been through this ourselves. At 35, 36, or 37, you're just so far from being in the shape you need to be. Of course, experience helps in certain matches, but football is becoming more and more a game for the young. If you start, your weaknesses will be exposed.
Scholes conceded that he felt similarly at the end of his own career:
I honestly didn’t expect Henderson to start in the Premier League at his age. No matter how well you look after yourself, you need to be a machine to keep up with the current Premier League.
I remember a match against Manchester City when I was 36. The manager put me in the starting lineup, but I thought to myself: 'I don't need to play this match for 90 minutes. Maybe just come on for the last 15-20 minutes and calm things down a bit.' In the end, I hardly touched the ball. I just knew it was too much for me.
Nicky Butt believes Henderson is aware of his limitations but still regards his signing as a wise decision:
I think Jordan understands it himself. But for the manager, it was a good signing. Last season, there were a lot of young lads in the team who looked inconsistent, more like individuals rather than a unit. Henderson was clearly brought in to help manage the dressing room and come on for certain matches.
