Jordan Henderson’s last match against Al Ettifaq ended in a 1-1 draw, with Al Hazem playing in front of just 5,000 people and 20,000 empty seats. A month later, Henderson’s debut at Ajax ended with the same result, but in a very different atmosphere. The clash between Ajax and PSV Eindhoven, known as De Topper in Holland, is always a highlight.
But there was an even bigger wave of excitement among the 50,000 fans at the Johan Cruyff Arena on Saturday night. Henderson’s controversial move to Saudi Arabia and his costly exit just six months later sparked widespread ridicule. But not in Amsterdam.
Unconfirmed reports claim that Henderson’s number 6 shirt has broken popularity records, with everyone associated with the club patting themselves on the back to praise their new signings. A successful person who has been active in all areas of life for a long time begins to turn into a parody.
They stop looking for the most suitable solution and return to the most common options. Henderson fell into that trap one night when he admitted he was nervous before the game. In an unusually cautious first half, Henderson barely crossed the halfway line and completed 23 of his 24 passes, which were only in front or behind.
When the stadium announcer read the team sheet and called his name, there was an uproar on the ground. The joke at half-time was whether Henderson would start in the second half.Henderson entered cautiously for the next 45 minutes and displayed his trademark touch and direction, despite the hand still holding the handbrake when the index finger was not extended.
PSV won 17 consecutive league matches to start the campaign, effectively earning their place in the Eredivisie Cup. But a spate of injuries at the start of the new year abruptly halted Peter Bosz’s runaway run and Ajax Eindhoven were held to a second draw on the road.
To borrow a Dutch phrase, Henderson can be generously credited with being the cement between the bricks in Ajax’s midfield. The hosts showed strength after Hirving Lozano equalized 10 minutes from the end of the first half. With Henderson in midfield, Ajax limited PSV to just five shots on goal.
That’s the league-leading fewest shots on goal against a top team this season.New manager John van ‘t Schip gave Ajax additional stability before Henderson’s arrival. Saturday’s draw left the Dutch giants fifth and extended their unbeaten run to 12 games since taking charge in October.Van ‘t Schip praised Henderson’s fitness after the match and commented that the Englishman was “important for this team”.
The Dutch press was not so optimistic. Valentin Driessen was dismissive in his scathing review, writing in De Telegraph: “With one flick he got rid of the waiting ball and stopped Henderson’s attack.” Southgate is not just familiar with Henderson’s cocktail of attention and flattery, he loves it. The England manager continued to select Henderson during his move to Saudi Arabia. It was a decision that was publicly debated at Wembley Stadium last October. There was no change in the confident support for Henderson, 33, on Saturday.
