Despite being ruled out of the game due to injury, Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson says he must shoulder “some part of the responsibility” for the Reds’ 4-1 loss to Napoli.
Henderson is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury sustained in a 2-1 win over Newcastle last month.
He’s not expected to be available again until after the international break, and he wasn’t part of the travel party that made the forgettable trip to Naples last week.
However, the Liverpool captain says it is only fair that he take some responsibility for the teams’ falling standards, leading to a performance that Jurgen Klopp says was the worst he has seen since arriving at the club.
Having lost his first Champions League game and only won two of his first six league games, Henderson has conceded that the Reds’ start to the season has been far from good enough.
“There haven’t been too many games where we’ve been disappointed individually and collectively in recent seasons, but there’s no question this is exactly what happened against Napoli,” Henderson said in his matchday program notes before the matchday clash. Liverpool with Ajax. “The injury might have prevented me from being with the guys but that doesn’t mean I didn’t play a part because these kinds of setbacks tend to happen when standards have dropped for a period and like everyone else I have to take my share of responsibility. thus.
“This isn’t me being too hard on myself or trying to take the pressure off the other guys either.
“The reality is that unless we stick to the manager’s mantra that everyone is responsible for everything, we’re not going to get the reaction we need not only because of what happened in Napoli, but also because of a start to the season that hasn’t been what it was. good enough. “Yes, there have been some positives here and there, but there have not been enough and this has to change. It has to change quickly.”
Tuesday’s game with Ajax is Liverpool’s last game this month, after Sunday’s league game with Chelsea was postponed.
The Reds hope the international break ends up having a positive result on their season, with Henderson and several of his other team-mates hoping to return from injury in time for Brighton’s visit on October 1.
For now, Henderson insists Liverpool’s form struggle is only temporary, and has challenged the team to take responsibility for getting through a difficult period.
“However, let’s get one thing straight now: We haven’t become a bad team overnight,” he continued.
“The quality of this team is terrifying. We have players who have delivered time and time again at the highest level. “As a team, we have won trophies, reached the final, delved into so many competitions, played great football and brought so many pleasures.
“There is no doubt that we are currently in a bad moment, but we have the ability to change that, so it is up to us to do it.”
