Jordan Henderson Nears Chelsea Debut Against Brentford

Jordan Henderson is closing in on his Chelsea debut – and the scriptwriters have had their fun with this one.

If all goes to plan, the 36-year-old could pull on a Blues shirt for the first time on Friday night against Brentford, the club he walked away from only a few months ago after a gentlemen’s agreement to terminate his deal at the Gtech Community Stadium.

He left west London knowing Chelsea were circling. Newly-appointed head coach Xabi Alonso wanted a seasoned voice in a dressing room stacked with talent but short on top-level experience. Henderson, with Premier League titles and Champions League nights behind him, fit the brief perfectly.

Then came the World Cup. And the bizarre injury that has kept him waiting.

In July, while celebrating England’s win over Mexico at the Azteca, Henderson tumbled over an advertising hoarding as Thomas Tuchel’s players went to salute the travelling support. The fall left him with a broken arm – a freak setback that required surgery and ruled him out of the opening six games of Alonso’s reign.

Chelsea have had to learn on the fly without him. Alonso has patched together midfields, at times leaning on Reece James and Romeo Lavia as a double pivot, a combination that has drawn growing frustration from supporters.

Now, though, Henderson is back on the grass at Cobham. Chelsea’s latest batch of training images this week showed the England international involved with the group, a protective figure in the middle of the drills rather than a spectator on the sidelines.

Alonso hinted last week that this was the moment he had been waiting for, admitting he was hopeful Henderson would be fit enough to feature – at least in some capacity – against Brentford on Friday.

The fans don’t just want that. They are demanding it.

When football.london asked in the Chelsea – football.london WhatsApp Channel whether Henderson should start at Brentford, the response was overwhelming. More than 3,800 supporters voted “yes”. Only 321 said “no”. A further 190 clicked “unsure”.

That’s not a split fanbase. That’s a clear call.

They want the former Liverpool captain in the thick of it, dictating the tempo at the ground he used to call home. They want a different look in midfield, a different voice, a different edge.

Alonso now has a decision to make. Does he throw Henderson straight into the fire at his old stomping ground, or hold him back a little longer after such an unusual and disruptive injury lay-off?

For a Chelsea side still searching for authority in the centre of the pitch, the answer from the stands could hardly be louder.