Henderson can do a job for Chelsea – but many Brentford fans aren’t sorry to see him go
With Jordan Henderson having swapped Brentford for Chelsea, journalist and Bees fan Ian Westbrook reflects on a move that worked for both parties – but does not believe the veteran midfielder will be badly missed.
Jordan Henderson’s move from Brentford to Chelsea came out of the blue. But, impressive as he was at times, many Bees fans are not sorry to see him move on after just one season.
Henderson’s signing last summer also came from nowhere, but he was the perfect player to replace Christian Norgaard.
The Dane’s move to Arsenal in early July left a gaping hole in both the midfield and player leadership group, and Henderson was the ideal man to fill both voids.
His arrival was not just beneficial for Brentford of course, but also for the player, as it made perfect sense for him to return to the Premier League to try to earn a place in England’s World Cup squad.
It worked. The now 36-year-old midfielder had a really good first half of the season, starting 15 of Brentford’s 22 Premier League games before the turn of the year.
Calm and composed
Henderson never seemed rushed on the ball and provided a good shield for the defence, while he also created three goals with pinpoint passes. In addition, he also appeared to be an on-pitch mentor for Yehor Yarmoliuk in the young midfielder’s first full season as a regular starter, constantly talking to him during matches.
Henderson was also vocal in joining captain Nathan Collins in “talking” to officials over decisions – an often overlooked and crucial skill in gaining an edge.
Having missed one league game in January after being injured in the FA Cup at Sheffield Wednesday, he took time to regain his place in the side. He did have another run of starts from mid-February until the March international break but did not seem as influential as before, and injury on England duty ruled him out until May, when he made a couple of substitute appearances before starting against Liverpool on the final day of the season.
A not-so-fond farewell – Anfield anger
Although an injury-affected end to the season surely contributed to a dip in form, the move to west London can have been considered a success on and off the pitch.
However, his final game in a Bees shirt against Liverpool – and Henderson’s subsequent relocation to another part of West London – means many fans are not sorry to see him go.
The game was vital for Brentford, who still had a chance of qualifying for Europe for the first time in their history.
It was an emotional day for the Reds, with the final appearances of Mo Salah and Andy Robertson, and of course it was also a big day for Henderson, who had not had a chance to say farewell to their fans when he left the club in the 2023 close season.
Nobody begrudged him that, but there is a time and a place for everything and his behaviour at Anfield irked many Bees supporters.
Brentford had just gone a goal down when Henderson was subbed on the hour mark, and rather than just leaving the pitch quickly as his team chased the game, he took a couple of minutes milking the applause from the home crowd.
That infuriated the away fans, and while he did seem committed to the cause when he was booked for arguing about a decision from the bench, at full-time he did a lap of the stadium, applauding fans on all four sides of the ground. But what riled an already upset away end even more was that he went to the Liverpool supporters first before acknowledging his own travelling fans – prompting him to get more stick than applause from the Bees section.
Bees pride at international first
It was a proud moment for Brentford this summer when Henderson came on against Panama – the first time a player at the club has represented England in the World Cup finals.
And, despite the Anfield issues, many would have been happy to see him stay for the second year of his contract. Even though he would have started fewer games, his influence behind the scenes would have been important. That is clearly why Chelsea have signed him – their young squad has been crying out for nous and experience.
But given Brentford’s summer signings and the importance of the younger players making more appearances, maybe a parting of the ways is best for all concerned.
