Chelsea have just shown up Liverpool for massive mistake after Bournemouth thrashing

 After a three-week hiatus, Chelsea returned with a bang after the international break. The Premier League's entertainers once again put on a show, with the Blues serving up a five-star showing at home to Bournemouth. And the unlikely hero at the centre of it all... Jordan Henderson. The midfielder joined from Brentford in the summer, which, at the time raised eyebrows, but now appears to have been a masterstroke.

During his first Stamford Bridge appearance in a Chelsea shirt, Henderson notched up two goals and an assist. The first arrived in emphatic fashion, when he whipped the ball into the far corner from the edge of the box with less than one minute on the clock.

Mere seconds later, Henderson was involved again, this time providing the assist for Morgan Rogers. Then, midway through the second half, with the three points firmly in Chelsea's grasp, the veteran midfielder curled in a stunning free-kick to cap off a sensational home debut.

What felt like a bizarre transfer to begin with might turn out to be one of the most sensible bits of business from any club this summer. Which begs the question, why weren't Liverpool, so often praised for their recruitment, all over this?

Granted, much like Chelsea, Henderson wouldn't be considered an automatic starter. But when you look at the make-up of the Reds' squad, aside from the likes of Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, and Dominik Szoboszlai, Liverpool don't really have much in the way of midfield depth.

Curtis Jones wasn't replaced, Wataru Endo is irrelevant, and Trey Nyoni looks promising, but is still young. While Liverpool couldn't have done much more to keep hold of Henderson when he moved to Saudi Arabia, it surely wouldn't have taken much to lure him back.

Having an experienced head, capable of coming in and out of the team, is exactly what Liverpool need right now. Barring disaster for Andoni Iraola's side, they'll be looking to play around 50-plus games this season, and right now, they certainly don't have the depth for that.

And with Henderson having gone to Chelsea on a free transfer, it's not even like Liverpool can use the fee as an excuse. Instead, Liverpool will have to watch on in envy.