Steven Gerrard believes Jordan Henderson's role at Chelsea deserves greater respect. The former Liverpool captain acknowledges that the 36-year-old midfielder won't be in action every week, but he disagrees with the notion of Henderson being a mere squad player.
Henderson joined Chelsea as a free agent after his contract with Brentford concluded.
Gerrard, who worked alongside him at Al-Ettifaq, insists the midfielder's experience and skill continue to provide significant benefits to the team.
In his own words:
I dislike it when a player like him is simply labelled as a rotation player.
You can explain to him that he won't play every week and that his minutes may be reduced. But there are more respectful ways to say it.
Gerrard likened the situation to his final days at Liverpool when Brendan Rodgers informed him that his playing time and role within the squad would be diminishing.
I still regarded myself as the best central midfielder at Liverpool at that time.
Others may have thought differently, but that's how it feels for a player.
He also cited the examples of James Milner and other seasoned players who have still made a massive impact in games well past the age of 30.
According to Gerrard, Henderson remains a strong professional and a key figure within the dressing room.
I worked with him for six months and wanted him to stay.
He is an excellent professional and has a positive influence on both teammates and coaching staff.
However, Gerrard isn't suggesting that Henderson is at the peak of his career.
He believes Xabi Alonso’s task is to choose the right matches and situations where the veteran's experience can be particularly beneficial.
Henderson has already shown he can deliver results. In Chelsea's emphatic 5-1 victory against Bournemouth, he scored twice and provided an assist for Morgan Rogers.
This performance made him the oldest player to have a direct hand in three goals in a single Premier League match since Cristiano Ronaldo in April 2022.
After the match, Rodgers specifically praised Henderson's fitness and game quality, noting that age isn’t hindering his ability to influence matches at a high level.
