Article by Jack Gill @JackLFCGill
The Reds did superbly in August but how did Liverpool’s stars out on loan do?
Ovie Ejaria
Ovie has had a superb month back at Reading and has helped the Royals get some brilliant results in August. London born Ejaria has never quite settled in to life up North and cut short last year’s loan move in Scotland, where he was at Steven Gerrard’s Rangers. He finished the season at Reading and after helping the Royals stay up, they were desperate for Ovie back this season. Some Reading fans were shocked that we allowed Ejaria back there and an obligation to buy clause set at £3million and since rejoining them, Ovie has been class.
Having not picked up a single point from their first two games of the season, Ejaria’s first start for Reading was their third match of the season against Cardiff. Reading blew Cardiff away and won by a 3-0 scoreline and Ovie Ejaria was praised after the game and although George Puscas won the Man of the Match award for scoring a brace, Ovie was certainly a candidate. Ejaria’s next game for the Royals was against West Brom and the 21 year old scored his first goal of the season for Reading – a belter from outside the area – which put the underdogs ahead against a strong West Brom side tipped for promotion. Ejaria also scored in Reading’s next game against Huddersfield, firing in after playing a one-two with John Swift.
My opinion is that Ejaria will be one of the midfielders of the season in the Championship.
Kamil Grabara
Grabara has impressed me so far, despite his side sitting in the bottom three of the Championship. His press conference was impressive when he joined Huddersfield on a season long loan after signing a new deal at LFC as the keeper expressed his desire to develop at Huddersfield ready to challenge to become the number one at LFC. He has performed well for Huddersfield despite conceding 11 goals in the opening 6 games of the season. A potential knockback though for the Hungarian is the manager that signed him – Jan Siewart has been sacked from the club.
Grabara’s best performance in a Huddersfield shirt so far has to be during the draw with QPR where the Hungarian goalkeeper made a string of good saves to keep his side in the game and gain their only point of the campaign so far. He overall has been one of the stand out performers in a very poor Huddersfield side.
Ben Woodburn
Many were shocked when Liverpool’s youngest ever goal scorer joined League One side Oxford United on a season long loan deal ahead of the start of the season. The Welshman made history when he scored for the Reds in the Carabao Cup against Leeds back in 2016 but since then hasn’t lived up to expectation and had a disappointing loan spell at Sheffield United last season.
At Oxford, Woodburn has scored and assisted once in six starts and has had a bit of a mixed month in League 1. Woodburn’s goal came against Bristol Rovers in a 3-1 defeat, it was a lovely finish from 25 yards out into the bottom right corner of the goal. Woodburn seems to be growing in confidence every game during his loan spell since missing a sitter against Peterborough in a 1-0 defeat on the second game of the season.
Woodburn’s Oxford side are 18th in League One after 6 games.
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Sheyi Ojo
Sheyi Ojo is enjoying life at Rangers and has been important for them at the start of the season in Scotland, especially in Europe. Ojo has scored 4 goals and has 3 assists from nine games at the start of the season. 3 goals and 2 assists coming in the Europa League as Rangers managed to qualify for the group stage for second season in a row.
Ojo has been pivotal for Rangers in the first month or so of the season and will be hoping to continue his good form after the international break.
Harry Wilson
Harry Wilson’s introduction to the Premier League was a belter, to use Gerry Cinnamon’s lyric. He scored on his first start against Aston Villa. Despite his strike taking a massive deflection of Tyrone Mings on the way in, what impressed me was his confidence to strike the ball from distance in the first instance and the ability to create a goal from nowhere. But the best was yet to come from Wilson who despite starting on the bench against Manchester City, the Welshman came on late in the first half and scored the ‘Goal of the Month’ with a perfect free-kick from 30 yards that left Josh King shocked with his hands on his head.
It’s an important season for Harry Wilson who looks to prove himself in the Premier League with Bournemouth as he looks to push his way into the Liverpool squad.
Marko Grujic
Grujic went back to Hertha Berlin on loan and it was suggested by the club that he will be an important part of the squad next season after he returns from his second loan at Hertha. His first game of the season in Germany was a tough one against Bayern and Grujic had a game of mixed emotions. Grujic scored to put the away side 2-1 ahead before conceding a penalty that made it 2-2 in the second half. Since then, Hertha Berlin have been dealt with back-to-back 3-0 defeats against Wolfsburg and Schalke. Grujic has played 90 minutes in both defeats.
Nathaniel Phillips
After being an unused substitute in Stuttgart’s first two games of the season, Phillips shone on his debut with a Man of the Match performance winning 100% of tackles and 95% pass completion rate.
At 22 years old, it’s an important season for Phillips who will be hoping to establish himself and get some more game time.
Liam Millar
Millar is yet to get off the mark at SPFL side Kilmarnock after starting their last three games. Kilmarnock are sixth in the league after one win, one draw and two defeats in their first four fixtures of the season
Taiwo Awoniyi
Awoniyi was linked with a £15 million switch to CSKA Moscow over the summer but instead joined Mainz on loan. He is yet to start a game but has been a used substitute in 2/3 of the German sides league losses this season.
Allan De Souza
Allan is a regular starter in the number 6 role for Fluminese but is yet to score for the Brazilian side but hasn’t done anything of note, yet!
Loris Karius
Karius is currently out injured and as far away from Liverpool as possible. He hasn’t played for Besiktas yet this season.
Article by Jack Gill @JackLFCGill
