da bet nacional： The Eredivisie giants' form has fallen off a cliff since the former Liverpool captain's arrival in Amsterdam

da cassino online： The 2024 January transfer window provided frightfully little in terms of storylines. However, one saga that did cut through the radio silence was Jordan Henderson's much-debated decision to call time on his Saudi Pro League 'adventure' at Al-Ettifaq.

Just before the window swung open, rumblings began to surface of Henderson's desire to manufacture an early exit, due to concerns about the low standard of competition in the country ahead of the Euros and his family's inability to settle in their new surroundings.

Midway through the month, he got his wish, with Ajax snapping him up on a surprisingly-long two-and-a-half year contract. Speaking immediately after that move was confirmed, Henderson unsurprisingly spoke of his desire to draw a line under his controversial Saudi transfer, also hinting at his hope that he could fade into the background at Ajax and focus solely on his on-field performances.

"If any people from that [LGBT+] community feel let down or hurt I apologise. If anyone was offended or feel as though I upset them, that's on me, that was my decision and I apologise for that. It was never my intention. I just want to look forward now and concentrate on being the best player I can for Ajax. My beliefs have never changed and never will. Again I can only apologise if people feel let down," he said at his unveiling.

And while Henderson has found himself on the back pages on UK newspapers far less frequently since his arrival in Amsterdam, it's been far from plain sailing at Ajax so far.

Getty ImagesExcitement sky-high

There were few signs that Henderson's Ajax spell would be rocky when he arrived in the Netherlands. Prior to the ex-Liverpool captain's signing, the Eredivisie giants were enduring a quite miserable campaign, with off-field scandal being twinned with staggering underperformance on the pitch.

Henderson, with his plentiful experience at the top level, was viewed as a potentially-calming head, capable of using his leadership skills to marshal the club through the remainder of a chaotic season. After his signing was announced, his No.6 jersey became the fastest-selling shirt in the club's history, and this clear excitement among the fans was matched by manager John van 't Schip.

Following Henderson's Ajax's debut – a 1-1 draw with champions-in-waiting PSV Eindhoven – Van 't Schip beamed: "He has shown that he is fit and important for the team. He helps and coaches the boys, before the game, at half-time and on the field. He also tries to keep calm when he can. Sometimes you have to keep possession of the ball a little longer, he also told [Borna] Sosa at one point…. If you take all that into account, he played a good game."

His coach's enthusiasm was mirrored in the Dutch football media early on, with Wesley Sneijder also praising Henderson after that PSV game. "That boy comes in, brings his experience with him and immediately ensures that everything is back in order," he said.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesResults have nosedived

But since that positive result, Ajax's form has nosedived dramatically. Indeed, in the six games that have followed the PSV encounter, Ajax have won just once. Henderson has featured in all of those, barring a 2-0 defeat to AZ Alkmaar.

Swerving that loss has done little to improve the midfielder's alarming seasonal record. At the time of writing, Henderson has been on the victorious side on just seven occasions at club level for Ajax and Al-Ettifaq this campaign. That averages out at a winning percentage of just 27%, in what has been a season to forget.

Henderson can hardly blame the fixture list for his inability to win in the Dutch capital, either. Aside from the aforementioned PSV fixture and a Europa Conference League meeting with Premier League side Aston Villa, his club side have had a spell of favourable games.

That Ajax failed to win just two of the nine games that preceded his arrival will only make this recent run even tougher to take. As will the fact that Al-Ettifaq have won three of their four fixtures since Henderson skulked away in January.

Getty ImagesCriticism for playing it safe

Amid this underwhelming collective form, Henderson has also received some personal criticism. A lot of this will be familiar to onlookers on the United Kingdom. Throughout his career, the 33-year-old has been derided – sometimes unfairly – for being overly safe in his passing and not influencing games enough from midfield.

Rafael van der Vaart, who is never afraid to speak his mind, especially when it comes to Ajax, has continued this tradition since Henderson's return to Europe.

"They signed players with zero quality; you may have to sit this season out. They have brought in Jordan Henderson, who passes sideways and backwards all the time. That doesn't make anyone happy," the television pundit said after Ajax's underwhelming 2-2 home draw with Bodo-Glimt in the Europa Conference League play-offs last month.

In keeping with the doomed vibe of Henderson's season, he would not be able to prove Van de Vaart wrong in the return leg either, missing Ajax's 2-1 victory in Norway with a knock.

Getty ImagesHenderson bites back

Henderson has not taken this criticism lying down, though. Speaking to at the beginning of the month, he responded: "That's football, right? There are always different opinions. I've experienced that so much, it doesn't bother me. You have to deal with it as a player and keep your focus on what you want to achieve."

There may be reasons beyond his control why Henderson is being perceived as an overly-safe operator. His ability to spot team-mates' runs beyond the opposition defence has always been a strength – with his success in finding Moussa Dembele with this type of pass one of the only bright spots of his time at Al-Ettifaq.

But recent injuries to Steven Berghuis and Steven Bergwijn have forced Van t' Schip to reshape his side into a 5-4-1 recently, with Brian Brobbey the only remaining forward capable of darting in behind the other team's backline consistently. And this lack of off-ball running might be forcing Henderson into these 'boring' passes.

analyst Kees Kwakman certainly thinks so, explaining this month: "Henderson needs boys who he can send deep. That is of course a bit of the story, that he only gives balls sideways. But that is not entirely true, because he also did this at Liverpool with [Mohamed] Salah and [Sadio] Mane.

"So [Henderson] benefits from having Bergwijn in this team, who he can then send away with these kinds of balls. And that's what he's really looking for. And he doesn't do that like [Andrea] Pirlo or [Joey] Veerman, 25 times per game, but he is looking for it."