Loan Lads – August Recap
Welcome back to our annual roll out of Liverpool loanees. Look out for monthly updates as we check back in with the lads and see how things are progressing.
*all composite scores are averaged from Fotmob match ratings
** (n/a)* indicates lower divisions where match ratings are not calculated
Leighton Clarkson (6.75)*
CM (19 yrs)
England 2. Championship – Blackburn (10th)
Minutes: Started 2/2 – 127/180 (mins)
G/A: –
Blackburn 1 – 2 West Brom // (67 mins)
Middlesbrough 1 – 1 Blackburn // (60 mins)
Through two games, Clarkson has been deployed in the center for both a 3 man and 5 man midfield. He has been the first man off the pitch when substitutes are called upon. Whether that’s down to tactics and performance or protection and minute management remains to be seen.
Sepp van den Berg (7.22) ↗️
RB/RM (19 yrs)
England 2. Championship – Preston North End (16th)
Minutes: Started 6/7 – 585/630 (mins)
G/A: 2/0
Clean sheets: 2/6
Preston 3 – 1 Swansea // (90 mins)
Morecambe 2 – 4 Preston – EFL // (90 mins)
Preston 1 – Peterborough // (90 mins)
Huddersfield 1 – 0 Preston // (90 mins)
Reading 2 – 1 Preston // (90 mins)
Mansfield 0 – 3 Preston – EFL // (90 mins)
Preston 1 – 4 Hull // (Substitued on ‘45 mins)
Fresh off scoring and a MOTM performance vs Swansea, Sepp has seen continued evolution at Preston. First with his switch to Right back and now being most commonly deployed on the right side of a 4, sometime 5 man midfield. His lowest rated performance was against Huddersfield where he turned in an own goal but led the side in tackles and duels won. He OK’d a move back to Preston after a pre-season conversation with Van Dyke. Looks like he received good advice as he continues to be a standout performer for Preston North End, scoring twice in one week.
Ben Davies (7.3) 🔥
CB (26 yrs)
England 2. Championship – Sheffield United (23rd)
Minutes: Started 2/2 – 180/180 (mins)
Clean Sheets: 1/2
Luton 0 – 0 Sheffield United // (90 minutes)
Sheffield United 1 – 2 Huddersfield // (90 minutes)
When you struggle to score (as United have for the past two seasons) you better have a dynamite defense. Davies certainly further strengthens their backline and is off to a great start off the back of a near MOTM performance where he had the most completed passes (74) and duels won (7). He has locked down the left side of a back three.
Rhys Williams (N/A)
CB (20 yrs)
England 2. Championship – Swansea (19th)
Minutes: Started (0/0) – DNP – recently loaned in.
Recently signed on within the last week, Rhys has picked up a knock. The severity of the injury is still murky.
Sheyi Ojo (N/A)
RW (24 yrs)
England 2. Championship – Millwall (17th)
Minutes: Started (0/0) – DNP – recently loaned in.
Both player and club are desperate for a permanent move. So this year is all about showcasing in the buying window. Fingers crossed Ojo can put a decent season together and the club can find a suitable suitor for a permanent move. Let’s also hope for Ojo’s sake it isn’t Millwall.
Paul Glatzel (6.41)
CM (20 yrs)
England 4. League Two – Tranmere (11th)
Minutes: Started 5/7 – 344/630 (mins)
Tranmere 1 – 0 Hartlepool United // (DNP – manager’s decision)
Scunthorpe 1 – 0 Tranmere // (56 minutes)
Tranmere 0 – 1 Newport County // (56 minutes)
Swindon 0 – 0 Tranmere // (Substituted in – 18 mins)
Port Vale 0 – 0 Tranmere // (60 minutes)
Oldham 2 – 2 Tranmere – EFL // (90 minutes)
Tranmere 1 – 0 Walsall // (64 minutes)
Fresh off a devastating injury, Glatzel goes out on loan after being on the cusp of breaking into the first team. Tranmere have struggled offensively, failing to score in their last 5 matches. Whether Glatzel sitting last match and consistently getting the early hook is down to team tactics or managing his injury recovery and fitness remains to be seen.
Jake Cain (N/A)
CM (20 yrs)
England 4. League Two – Newport County (15th)
Minutes: Started (0/1) – 0/90 mins
Newport 2 – 2 Leyton Orient – (DNP – Unused Substitute)
Rising through the youth ranks from the age of 9, Jake Cain broke briefly into the first team after signing a long term deal last summer. A loan to league two will give him an opportunity for quality minutes outside of the academy.
Benjamin Woodburn (6.74)
CM (21 yrs)
Scotland 1. Premiership – Hearts (2nd)
Minutes: Started (1/1) – 61/90 mins
Dundee United 0 – 2 Hearts // (62 minutes)
Off the back of multiple freak injuries, Woodburn has the best pre-season of his career, catching the eye and praise of Klopp. Back out on loan, this time into Scotland’s first division to test his strength and meddle. He has most recently been deployed as a right sided attacking CAM in a 3-4-2-1 for Hearts. He was the first man off to substitution in his debut appearance for Hearts.
Adam Lewis (6.35)
LB/LM (21 yrs)
Scotland 1. Premiership – Livingston (12th)
Minutes: Started (1/2) – 56/90
Rangers 3 – 0 Livingston (DNP – managers decision)
Livingston 0 – 2 Hibernian // (56 minutes)
After finishing a strong second half loan at Plymouth, Lewis will go out to the Scottish first division. He is highly rated by the academy but will have his work cut out for him to seed minutes off of Robertson and Tsmiikas. Livingston manager, David Martindale has hinted that Lewis could be deployed further up the park throughout the season. Stay tuned.
Luis Longstaff (N/A**)
CAM (20 yrs)
Scotland 3. League One – Queen’s Park (1st)
Jakub Ojrzynski (N/A**)
GK (18 yrs)
Wales 1. Premiership – Caernarfon Town
Vitezslav Jaros (N/A**)
GK (20 yrs)
Ireland 1. Premier Division – St. Patrick’s Athletic
