IT isn’t all that common for young Scottish players to try their luck in a foreign league. Most prefer to develop in Scotland or England, and few decide to test themselves abroad in a new environment. It’s always eye-catching when a young Scot decides to develop beyond our shores, and a fair amount of goodwill normally accompanies them.
Such is the case of Liam Henderson. The former Celtic and Hibernian midfielder took the bold step of moving to Italy in January of last year and it’s fair to say the decision has worked out well for the 22-year-old.
So how exactly has Henderson progressed in Italy’s second tier? We’ve dug into the playmaker’s stats to see how the Celtic youth product has developed over the last few seasons.
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The graphic above details the most relevant metrics for a deep-lying playmaker and as we can see, Henderson is making great progress since leaving Scotland. His assist rate has more than tripled since he left Celtic, and his move from Bari to Hellas Verona has hugely benefited the central midfielder.
Both the number of passes Henderson attempts on average and their accuracy has marginally decreased this season compared to last, but it is the 22-year-old’s forward passing that truly catches the eye.
Henderson is attempting fewer passes into the final third this season than he has in previous years, but his success rate in this regard has improved dramatically. During the 2016/17 season, 71.7% of these passes found their man; this campaign, that figure has jumped to a mightily impressive 87.8% in all competitions.
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Similarly, Henderson’s total forward passing has progressed and developed at an enviable rate. The midfielder is hitting more of these passes than he was last season, for instance, and with the highest accuracy rate he has ever recorded.
To put Henderson’s passing statistics into context: no other Serie B player can match the ex-Hibernian player’s accuracy of passing into the final third. 88% of Henderson’s total passes find their man, and his 56.2 passes per 90 minutes places Henderson in the league’s top 25 players in this regard.
The move to Italy looks like a fantastic decision for Henderson in hindsight. Choosing to move to a league where deep-lying playmakers thrive, where they are afforded time on the ball, looks like a very thoughtful and considered decision from Henderson. There is probably no better league for Henderson to develop in, given the role he plays on the pitch, and the stats bear this out.
So long as Henderson continues to develop at this rate, it will surely not be long until Alex McLeish considers him for a place in the national team squad. We could even see Henderson in Serie A by next season; Hellas Verona are currently sixth in the table but are just three points off of third place and automatic promotion. It would be intriguing to see how Henderson would fare in the Italian top flight. If his career to date is any indicator, Henderson would take the leap up in his stride.
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