The England Under-21 international arrived from Sunderland in the summer at a cost of £16million and found the going difficult after a bright start.

He has played in a variety of positions, often on the right side of midfield, and has never really had a settled run in his favoured central role.

Liverpool's patchy form, especially since the turn of the year, has not helped, but but having featured in all but one of the club's Barclays Premier League matches this season he is looking to build on the experience he has gained.

"I've played in a lot of different positions throughout the course of this season but I don't think that's an excuse," he said.

"That gelling process doesn't just happen overnight, but I think good players should be able to play with each other pretty quickly.

"It depends which way you look at it but, of course, it takes time for everyone to gel.

"Obviously I want to play in every game that I'm fit and available for, so yes, I've enjoyed playing on a regular basis and hopefully I can carry on doing that."

Henderson, who scored only his second goal of the season on Tuesday with a well-taken effort against Chelsea, has not been the only player to underperform this season.

Liverpool's woeful home record of just six wins at Anfield has seen them slip to eighth in the table, although they have a chance to move back above Everton in the final match against Swansea on Sunday should the Toffees slip up at home to Newcastle.

Even winning the Carling Cup and reaching the FA Cup final cannot mask how poor the Reds have been in the league.

"We've got a lot to learn, but if we can do that and rectify the mistakes we've made this season then we can definitely be better equipped to improve next year," Henderson told LFC Weekly.

"Overall, it's been an up and down season but I think we have achieved great things as a team in winning the Carling Cup and getting to the final of the FA Cup.

"But we know our league form will need to improve for next year.

"We are well aware of that and I'm sure that we'll work on that and we'll get better at it.

"I think there are positive signs there that we can do that.

"We have hit the post and the bar a lot of times this season so we need to be more clinical in front of goal and a bit more streetwise as well.

"We have to concentrate on the last bit of the season and making sure we finish as strongly as possible."