London, Oct 31 (IANS) Chelsea midfielder Jordan Henderson has described scoring on his home debut for the club as a special and emotional moment, saying he had been dreaming of making a strong start after spending a long time away from the game.
Henderson, who scored twice on his home debut earlier this month, found the back of the net within the opening two minutes of Chelsea’s 5-1 victory over Bournemouth. The midfielder said the early goal was an unforgettable experience, particularly after the challenges he had faced before getting an opportunity to start for the London-based club.
“You can never prepare for stuff like that. It was quite emotional for me because I’ve been out for so long and then come to start at Chelsea and have to wait a little bit,” Henderson said in an exclusive interview with Chelsea’s matchday programme ahead of their Premier League fixture against Manchester United.
The midfielder added that making an immediate impact was something he had been hoping for since joining the club and expressed relief that things worked out as he had imagined.
“So it was a big moment for me personally, but it was just something that I’d dreamt of over the few months that I’ve been here… that I could get a good start, and thankfully it happened in the first couple of minutes,” he said.
Henderson also opened up about adapting to a different midfield role under head coach Xabi Alonso, particularly his partnership with Ecuadorian midfielder Moises Caicedo.
The 35-year-old said playing in a double pivot alongside Caicedo has been a different experience compared to his previous roles but admitted that the quality of his teammate has made the adjustment easier.
“I think it’s been a little bit different from what I’ve done in the past, playing a little bit of a double pivot with Moi. But when you play with somebody like Moi, he makes it so easy,” Henderson said.
He also showered praise on Caicedo, describing him as one of the finest midfielders in world football and highlighting the importance of building a strong understanding with him on the pitch.
“He’s a world-class midfielder, probably one of the best in the world in his position. So for me it’s trying to help him and have a good relationship with him as much as possible, and he’s an incredible player to play with, which makes it easier for me,” he added
–IANS
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