Kevin Mirallas (Fiorentina)
Mirallas sat out his side’s 4-1 win over SPAL last weekend with a calf injury, but could return for this weekend’s clash with Inter.
Sandro Ramirez (Real Sociedad)
Sandro came off the bench again for the last 12 minutes of Sociedad’s 3-0 win over Leganes, dribbling past a player before getting a shot on target away. The goals had all gone in before the Spaniard entered the fray, though.
Henry Onyekuru (Galatasaray)
Onyekuru got an assist in last week’s 4-1 win at Kasimpasa, making a couple of key passes from the left wing as well as getting booked in the first half.
He got a couple of shots away in the 0-0 draw at Benfica in midweek which meant Gala were eliminated from the Europa League, in a relatively quiet performance before being replaced on 83 minutes.
Nikola Vlasic (CSKA Moscow)
Vlasic returned to English soil this week for a friendly with Newcastle United, which ended 1-1 with the Croat playing a typically lively game in central midfield. His side then beat Spaniards FC Cartagena 3-1 in another friendly three days later.
Cuco Martina (Feyenoord)
After last week’s successful debut at centre-back, Martina was used as a right wing-back in the 1-0 defeat to Groningen, getting on the ball plenty. The Curacao international made 68 passes in the game and covered his area of the pitch well.
Yannick Bolasie (Anderlecht)
Bolasie rose like a salmon at the back post in stoppage time against Royal Antwerp FC to bag a late winner and the only goal of the game, which he played on the left wing of a front three. A great header well worth googling. Here’s a picture in the meantime:
Shani Tarashaj (Grasshoppers)
I admit it, even I’d forgot about him. Finally back in my Loan Report this week after a prolonged absence, Tarashaj came on for the last twenty-five minutes but couldn’t prevent a 1-0 defeat to Neuchâtel Xamax.
Just for a catch-up, the Swiss forward has been restricted to such cameos for a few weeks now, but did bag a goal just under a month ago in a 2-2 draw with Chemnitzer FC.
Matthew Pennington (Ipswich Town)
Pennington was involved in an interesting battle with Stoke striker Sam Vokes last weekend, winning out in several aerial battles and making six clearances. He also made three interceptions in the 1-1 draw, one preventing a guaranteed goal.
Luke Garbutt (Oxford United)
Garbutt was left out of the squad for his side’s 1-0 defeat to Peterborough United, but had a fantastic cameo after coming on for the final half hour of the 4-2 defeat to Accrington Stanley.
Although the result sounds bad, Garbutt was brought on in his new left wing position with an hour gone, and bagged a goal back for his side with a header at the back post before assisting another for John Mousinho. It’s far too early to call it a stroke of genius from Karl Robinson as Garbutt excelled in his new position, but it’s definitely worth keeping an eye on.
Antonee Robinson and Beni Baningime (Wigan Athletic)
Wigan had a Premier League-esque winter break this week, with no game for the Latics loanees.
Ashley Williams (Stoke City)
Williams sat out the 1-1 draw with Ipswich from the bench again, with Bruno Martins Indi and Danny Batth preferred.
Muhamed Besic (Middlesbrough)
Besic put himself about well for 73 minutes of Boro’s 1-0 win at Blackburn Rovers after being recalled to play in the middle with John Obi Mikel, and won six of his eight duels as well as a 92% passing accuracy from 39 passes.
Joe Williams and Callum Connolly (Bolton Wanderers)
We finally got to see the pair in action together at Bolton, but it was unfortunately one to forget as they fell to a 4-0 defeat at home to Norwich City. Connolly’s distribution was criticised before he was shifted to left-back during the game from central midfield, and he’s yet to find his best position.
Williams came on at half-time to return from his thigh injury, perhaps a little early as he was evidently getting into his stride for a while after the restart. He grew into the game, though, and provided the occasional threat running forward as the game wore on.
Kieran Dowell (Sheffield United)
Dowell played the last nine minutes of the Blades’ 4-0 win over Reading, by which time all the goals had gone in and he didn’t have much time to do anything of note. What I didn’t mention last week, though, is that he was tried out at left wing-back in the 1-0 win over Middlesbrough.
Mason Holgate (West Bromwich Albion)
Holgate picked up two assists this week, one in each of the 2-0 win at Aston Villa and the 3-2 win at Queens Park Rangers, begging the question of whether he should be Everton’s long-term right-back. It’s not his preferred position, but he seems to be excelling in it from his loan spell so far.
His assist in the latter game was for a dramatic stoppage time winner – we could do with a few of those. He also started the move for Jefferson Montero’s opener in the QPR game.
Shayne Lavery (Falkirk)
Falkirk’s fixture with Ross County was postponed due to a fixture clash last weekend.
Joe Hilton (Marine)
Hilton put in another particularly commanding performance in the 1-0 win at Hednesford Town, and is excelling so far looking mature beyond his years in goal for Marine.
Oumar Niasse (Cardiff City)
Niasse and Cardiff were on the wrong end of a 5-1 drubbing last night, but again you couldn’t fault Niasse for trying. He was isolated up front for the Bluebirds but did manage four successful dribble attempts and won ten of his 20 duels, having a couple of shots on target despite missing a good chance early on.
Anthony Evans (Blackpool)
Evans got about the pitch well in the 0-0 draw with Charlton Athletic, but was a touch wasteful in possession at times – something that will surely come with game time.
@TomClarke40
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