Liverpool Loan Watch: November 2018

Welcome to the fourth part of my series of monthly articles; tracking the progress of Liverpool’s loanees for the 2018/19 season. This will be an ongoing series which will hopefully help keep fans up-to-date on how our players are getting on at their temporary homes. Liverpool currently have sixteen players on loan, and this series will follow their campaign closely, and assess which of the loaned players are likely to have a future at Anfield.

If you missed my October piece, here’s a link: http://fanscorners.com/liverpool-loan-watch-october-2018/

Let’s see how they got on in November…

Loris Karius – Besiktas

Another difficult month in Besiktas has seen Loris Karius share gametime as the Turkish side’s number one keeper. Besiktas opened November with a narrow 1-0 defeat to table-topping Istanbul Basaksehir. Despite being blameless for the winning goal, Karius was questionable for a goal ruled out for offside, the former Mainz man getting a hand to the shot which still found a way past him. Karius was dropped to the bench for the subsequent Europa League fixture with Genk, which ended in a 1-1 draw. There was an even bigger surprise up next though as the German found himself completely omitted from the matchday squad against Sivasspor, which Besiktas lost 2-1. After shaky performances by his replacement Tolga Zengin, Karius was restored to the starting eleven for the league fixture with Ankaragucu. Besiktas won the game 4-1 and Karius had a relatively quiet night, although made three saves when called into action. His month finished with a match of real mixed emotions as Besiktas travelled to Norway to take on Sarpsborg in a crucial Europa League match. In the first minute of the game, Karius made a shocking mistake, coming off his line to get to the ball and misjudging it terribly, resulting in Sarpsborg opening the scoring. It got worse five minutes later when the Norwegian side doubled their lead through an amazing strike. Karius was at fault again in the match when he inexplicably let a ball travel under him and go out for a corner. Fortunately for the keeper, Besiktas recovered from the early deficit to win the game 3-2 and go top of the Europa League group in spite of Karius’ disastrous night.

Marko Grujic – Hertha Berlin

November has seen Marko Grujic make a welcome return to fitness for Hertha Berlin. His club have had a difficult month in the Bundesliga, losing 3-0 to RB Leipzig and 4-1 to Fortuna Dusseldorf, both of which Grujic missed. But his spell on the sidelines finally came to an end as Hertha took on Hoffenheim at home. Hertha found themselves 3-1 down with only twenty minutes left, but Grujic’s team found a way back into the game and earned a 3-3 draw. Grujic played the full 90 minutes and impressed on his return to action, being heavily involved in possession and making a number of accurate attacking passes.

Danny Ings – Southampton

After his Liverpool career was damaged so much by injury, it is disheartening to see Danny Ings sustain an injury for Southampton. Ings’ team have been ridiculously short of goals this season, and his successful penalty against Man City was the first goal Saints had scored since their draw with Brighton in mid-September. However, with the goal coming in an embarrassing 6-1 defeat, there was little cause for celebration. Ings managed 41 minutes of the 1-1 draw with Watford at St Mary’s before being taken off with a hamstring injury. The injury kept him out of the following 3-2 loss to Fulham, and he was also unavailable for their Carabao Cup exit to Leicester on penalties – where he really could’ve made a difference. The good news is that the injury doesn’t seem to be too long term and he should be back relatively soon.

Adam Bogdan – Hibernian

Hibernian have had a very difficult November, failing to register a win as their hopes of contesting for the European places have taken a few hits. Neil Lennon’s side lost 1-0 at home to St. Johnstone, but Bogdan was absolutely blameless for this poor result, making a tremendous one-handed penalty save to deny Danny Swanson in the first half. The stopper kept Hibs in the game with this save and couldn’t do anything about the goal. It was another 1-0 loss for Hibernian at Pittodrie as they went down to a resilient Aberdeeen side. Bogdan had a relatively quiet night, being beaten by a long-range strike from Gary Mackay-Steven. Bogdan was beaten by former Sheffield Wednesday striker Stevie May in a one-on-one but the keeper was thankful for his defender Efe Ambrose, who bailed him out with a good clearance. The month ended with a draw at home to bottom side Dundee. Hibs were 2-0 up in this game so it was a very disappointing result, though Bogdan could do little about either goal, and made a good save to deny veteran Kenny Miller in the first half.

Ryan Kent – Rangers

After a brilliant October, Ryan Kent’s month in Glasgow has been very quiet due to an injury. The winger started the away trip to St Mirren and played the full 90 minutes as his side claimed an important 2-0 win. It was a decent performance from Kent but at times in the game at The Simple Digital Arena he tried to be too tricky and lost possession. This was to be his only involvement of the month as an injury sustained in training kept him out of the trip to Spartak Moscow – where Rangers lack of width was notable. Kent was also unable to feature in the league wins over Motherwell and Livingston, and ahead of the Europa League stalemate with Villarreal at Ibrox, Steven Gerrard said that Kent would be back to action sooner rather than later. Rangers have been in good form lately and Kent will be key to Rangers hopes on both fronts.

Ovie Ejaria – Rangers

In a busy month for Rangers, Ejaria has been heavily involved. He played 88 minutes in the 2-0 win away at St Mirren, seeing lots of the ball but was criticised by some sections of the Rangers support for being too safe in possession and not offering enough in an attacking sense. Ejaria again started in Russia as Rangers were beaten 4-3 in an epic Europa League clash. The former Sunderland midfielder failed to get himself involved enough in the game, and alongside his midfield partner Lassana Coulibaly, was roundly slated for his display. He responded in style though with probably his best game of the season so far against Motherwell. He was heavily involved and showed some excellent ball retention and was denied a goal with a low strike by a good Trevor Carson save. Ejaria was one of the standout players as Rangers ran out 7-1 winners against Steve Robinson’s beleaguered team. However, this was not the case against Livingston, as despite a 3-0 win, Ejaria was wasteful in possession and was hooked with ten minutes to spare. He was an unused substitute in the 0-0 draw with Villarreal which leaves Rangers needing a win in their final game against Rapid Vienna to qualify. Steven Gerrard denied that Ejaria was benched for being late to training – although he confirmed that the player was indeed late but had apologised for this. With such spiky ups and downs in his performances, consistency is clearly something Ejaria needs to seek.

Sheyi Ojo – Stade de Reims

After making a positive impression at Reims so far, I was surprised to see Ojo have such little game time over the course of November. The month started with Reims claiming a superb 1-0 win over Thierry Henry’s Monaco (who are 19^th) but Ojo was an unused sub in this famous result. His only involvement of the month was a 28 minute cameo in a 2-0 loss to St Etienne, during which Ojo had a few shots and got himself in the game. This was not enough to earn him a start against bottom of the table Guingamp though, with manager David Guion again electing to have Ojo on the bench, though this time he remained there as his side won 2-1 to move into a highly impressive 7^th in the league table.

Connor Randall – Rochdale

November has seen Connor Randall make his comeback from injury for Rochdale. He was not involved in his side’s respectable 0-0 draw with promotion candidates Luton Town, nor did he make the matchday squad for Rochdale’s exit from the Checkatrade Trophy which came about after a penalty shootout defeat to Leicester U21s. His side secured passage into the FA Cup Second Round with a 2-1 victory over Gateshead before losing to Shrewsbury and winning against Accrington in League One. Randall returned to action in a 4-2 defeat against struggling Oxford United and played well, getting involved in the attacking side of the game. The emphasis now will be on getting a run of games together.

Ben Woodburn – Sheffield United

Unfortunately, this loan is seeming a little pointless lately. Woodburn’s only involvement of the month came from the bench in a 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. Woodburn was introduced from the bench with 10 minutes left and was presented with a golden opportunity with pretty much the last kick of the game. He received the ball from Sharp and right in front of goal, directed his shot wide. This was his first appearance since mid-September and after wasting a chance to draw his side level in the clash between the two playoff contenders, the Welsh attacker failed to make a matchday squad for the rest of the month. United had successive derby fixtures against Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham – both of which finished draws. The scorer of United’s first in the Rotherham game was Mark Duffy, whose superb form this season has been a major factor in Woodburn’s lack of gametime so far. Woodburn was recalled to the Liverpool U23s for the 1-0 win over Everton, and Woodburn put in a bright performance in a now rare 90 minutes for him. The Blades ended the month with a hard-fought 3-2 win away at Brentford, and after the game Chris Wilder admitted that the loan isn’t going as well as he or Woodburn had hoped but emphasised that this was down to the form of his attacking players like Fleck, Duffy, McGoldrick and Sharp. With Sheffield United playing a fluid 3-4-1-2 formation, it is difficult to fit Woodburn in stylistically.

Harry Wilson – Derby County

Another very successful month for Harry Wilson has seen him assert himself as one of the best players in the Championship as his goals trail continues. Derby found themselves 1-0 down at home to surprise package Birmingham City, but they turned it around to get a valuable 3-1 win. Wilson played the full 90 minutes and was a key factor in the win. After coming close with a low strike early on from outside the box, Wilson put Derby 2-1 up with a free kick from the byline which deflected off Lukas Jutkiewicz into the net. This was Wilson’s fourth goal for Derby but he couldn’t add to his tally as Derby took on another Midlands team in Aston Villa. This time it was defeat at Pride Park as Aston Villa ran out 3-0 winners after a second half surge, though Wilson did impress in the first half with a good performance. Derby bounced back from this defeat at Hillsborough. Despite going 1-0 down to an Adam Reach goal, Wilson got them back in the game with a brilliant equalising goal. After being fed the ball from Jack Marriott, Wilson launched a stinging volley into the corner from 12 yards out to bring the scores level. Shortly afterwards, Marriott himself scored earning Derby a big win away from home. November finished with Derby travelling to Stoke City to take on former manager Gary Rowett. After falling 1-0 down early on, Wilson was once again the man to provide a moment of magic for the Rams, equalising with a marvellous bending free kick in the second half. Sadly Stoke ran out 2-1 winners courtesy of a winner from former Derby winger Tom Ince, but in terms of goals and performances, November has been a splendid month for the Welsh attacker.

Taiwo Awoniyi – KAA Gent

After starting the season as a crucial part of the team, Taiwo Awoniyi is now firmly a bench player for KAA Gent. He was unused as his side won 3-1 against Kortrijk, and didn’t even make the squad for the 2-0 loss at Anderlecht. Awoniyi’s first football of the month came in a 0-0 draw with Royal Antwerp. The striker was part of a double change on 55 minutes but couldn’t provide the spark to win the game for Gent. He got 34 minutes from the bench in the next fixture with Lokeren, emerging on the field with Gent 2-0 down, and had a positive impact on the game, helping his side get a 2-2 draw from the losing position.

Allan Rodrigues de Souza – Eintracht Frankfurt

A frustrating month for Allan, as he has spent much of November on the sidelines with injury, having to watch his side perform superbly without him. He was an unused sub in Eintracht’s 3-0 win over Stuttgart away from home and was of course ineligible for their 3-2 win in Cyprus over Apollon Limassol, which secured their qualification from the group. After a knee twist in training, the Brazilian was unavailable for the next two Bundesliga fixtures – impressive wins over Schalke and Augsburg by scores of 3-0 and 2-1, which puts them a brilliant 2^nd in the league. Eintracht confirmed themselves as group winners in the Europa League with a 4-0 rout of Marseille, so let’s hope that when the squads get re-registered in February Eintracht adjust theirs to include Allan this time.  not involved 4-0 win.

Anderson Arroyo – KAA Gent

Another month goes by and its another month which has seen Anderson Arroyo fail to make a matchday squad for KAA Gent. Like Woodburn, this may be a loan that Liverpool reassess in January and may choose to relocate Arroyo to a club where he will get greater involvement with the first team.

Shamal George – Tranmere Rovers

November has seen Shamal George fail to get any game time for Tranmere, which is frustrating as the opening rounds of the FA Cup would’ve been seen as an opportunity for the goalkeeper to play. After a super win over title challengers Exeter, Tranmere got their FA Cup campaign underway with a 3-3 draw with non-league Oxford City – though Scott Davies kept his place in goal meaning George continued on the bench. Tranmere progressed to Round Two via a 2-0 win in the replay, with a 3-2 loss to Crewe Alexandra sandwiched in between. With George on the bench for this as well, we were robbed of a potential Liverpool U23 derby as Corey Whelan could’ve taken on Shamal George. Never mind. George’s only football of the month came for Liverpool’s U23s as they were resoundingly battered 7-0 by Villarreal in the Invitational Cup. George’s lack of game time showed in this fixture, with a number of mistakes from a goalkeeper starved of regular football. George was back on the bench for Rovers as their play-off hopes were dented with a 1-1 draw with Oldham and a 3-2 defeat to Grimsby.

Herbie Kane – Doncaster Rovers

Has there ever been a better month in the history of Liverpool loans? Herbie Kane is absolutely ripping it up for Doncaster in League One. Despite a disappointing 2-0 defeat to fellow playoff contenders Charlton, the midfielder was Rovers’ best player, getting himself into advanced positions and impressing with his ability in tackles. Doncaster travelled to non-league Chorley in the First Round of the FA Cup and it was this game that he opened his account for Donny. His first goal came as he slotted in past the keeper after a shot from John Marquis, but it was his second that really grabbed the headlines. With his side 2-1 down and facing an embarrassing exit, he picked up on a loose ball before unleashing an incredible dipping strike from distance which landed in the top corner to equalise. The midfielder was also the subject of a horror tackle late in the second half which fortunately didn’t cause him injury. Kane was not involved as Doncaster exited the Checkatrade Trophy at the hands of Notts County but was recalled to the team as Doncaster got back to winning ways in League One with a 2-1 win over struggling AFC Wimbledon. Kane showed good energy and a good passing range despite clearly being targeted by the London club. Kane was among the goals again as Doncaster made light work of Chorley in their replay, winning 7-0. Kane got the third, another great goal from range, finding the corner with an arrowed shot. He was also involved in all of Doncaster’s build up play and made a superb raking pass to Matty Blair for the second goal. Next up, Doncaster travelled to promotion favourites Barnsley, and earned a creditable 1-1 draw, courtesy of yet another Kane goal, this time an accurate header from a cross to give his side the lead, and receiving plaudits left, right and centre for his performance in both halves of the pitch. His tremendous November concluded with another goal as he set Doncaster on their way to a 2-0 win at home to Blackpool. This was perhaps his best goal of all, a wonderful curling hit from distance which rifled into the top corner. He struck the bar in the second half from a free kick to round off an unbelievable month. The Rovers fans are waxing lyrical about Kane being one of the best players to ever play for the club and the consistency of his performances is phenomenal, so watching this young player develop is going to be very exciting.

Corey Whelan – Crewe Alexandra

Despite some mixed performances, there is no doubt that Corey Whelan has made the right back spot his own at Crewe, being a permanent fixture in the team. He was subbed at half time in a 2-0 defeat to Northampton Town, with David Artell stating that the made the change because Whelan “didn’t deserve to stay on pitch.” He was an unused sub as Crewe exited the FA Cup at the first hurdle at the hands of Carlisle United, but was restored to the side for the following games. Crewe lost 2-1 to Shrewsbury Town in the Checkatrade Trophy, though Whelan performed well in the clash against higher league opposition, offering a great attacking outlet on the right and getting an assist for Jordan Bowery’s goal with a great cross. He continued on the assist trail with one for Callum Ainley as Crewe went down 3-2 to Tranmere, which was followed with another disappointing loss to Crawley, though there was a positive end to the month with a 2-0 win over Cambridge sealing a full month of League Two action for Whelan.

Make sure to check back next month for a report on how our loanees’ December goes!

Daniel

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Daniel Daykin

A non-biased voice of reason among fellow Liverpool fans. I'll always tell you the truth, no matter how hard you find it to accept. I miss Suarez. A lot.

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