On Friday night, we all saw a perfect example of what Jordan Henderson can do when he’s at his very best on a football pitch. No one on Merseyside has ever looked at their skipper as being a super-sub, but he played that role with a goal and an assist off the bench. However, the Reds still want to see him stripped of the captain’s armband.
Wouldn't be surprised to see Van Dijk with the armband permanently, but can Klopp take it off Hendo?
The Dutchman is the natural successor to the captaincy, but will he be able to build his own legacy as the Liverpool skipper, Reds?
— Empire of the Kop (@empireofthekop) April 6, 2019
The issue is that whilst Henderson is certainly a leader and has the qualities that a skipper needs, he just isn’t starting regularly enough to warrant holding onto the armband. Instead, the Kopites would love to see their all-powerful Dutch defender, Virgil van Dijl, carrying the honour of being the club captain at Anfield. At times this season, he’s taken the responsibility on, and now the fans want it to be a permanent thing.
Henderson, James Milner and Van Dijk are the trio that Jurgen Klopp seems to trust more than any others to wear the armband, and who can blame him. All three have experience and a level of calmness when playing top flight football, yet of all of them, Van Dijk is the man who the fans are desperate to see with the honour of being their skipper. It certainly isn’t an easy job, but the Dutchman can do it and eventually the Reds want to see that change being made.
You can read the Kopites’ calls for Van Dijk as their skipper here:
https://twitter.com/JeffWeber11/status/1114513138181976064
I don’t think Hendo can hold the armband if he isn’t even gunna start every game
— Steve DB (@DB_8519) April 6, 2019
https://twitter.com/KevinSlinn03/status/1114513864530505733
https://twitter.com/drewholling13/status/1114505663693115392
Great performance by Hendo when he came on. But you can't have a captain on the bench.
VVD is the first name on the sheet and a born leader.
— thebootroom (@mrseanusher) April 6, 2019
https://twitter.com/ngonidzaisheand/status/1114497537786941440
Don’t think Jürgen is that bothered about who’s captain tbh
— Tommy Jones (@Tommy104R12) April 6, 2019
The Kopites would all rather see Van Dijk with the armband than Henderson, even if Hendo was their Friday night saviour against the Saints.
