The Loan Report: November 28 – December 4

Posted By on December 4, 2016

It’s been quite the week on the Chelsea loan front with no fewer than five goals to bring you – taking us to a nice round 60 for the season so far – plus plenty of assists and other news besides. We begin with the most important strike of the weekend.

Headliners

It came at the Vitality Stadium, where Bournemouth came back from 3-1 down at home to Liverpool to score three times in the closing fifteen minutes, culminating in Nathan Aké’s stoppage-time winner to ensure his parent club remains four points clear at the top of the Premier League.

It was a game of ups and downs for the Dutchman, who retained his place at centre-back once again but was found wanting for two first half Liverpool goals, as Sadio Mane and Divock Origi both showed they had strength and pace in reserve over him in establishing a lead. He would have the last laugh though, and he now has a pair of winning goals to his name over the last three matches, which does his cause no end of good.

Things elsewhere got underway on Sunday when Kasey Palmer scored his third goal of the season and first since mid-September when he stooped to head home an early corner for Huddersfield Town at Blackburn. The Terriers were unable to hold onto their lead, sharing a 1-1 full time draw, but Palmer has slowly become the first-choice attacking midfielder for David Wagner and the signs are very promising there.

Vitesse ended their recent poor run of form on Saturday evening courtesy of a 3-1 win at home to PEC Zwolle in which both Lewis Baker and Nathan found the back of the net. Neither had a particularly memorable game, instead turning in solid contributions, but Baker scored a first-half penalty for his ninth club goal of the campaign, whilst Nathan came off the bench later on to score a stoppage time clincher that he dedicated to the victims of the Chapecoense tragedy. Matt Miazga came on in stoppage time.

Sunday’s early Serie A action saw Milan host struggling Crotone and their 2-1 victory was notable for Mario Pašalić’s first goal in Rossoneri colours. Having earned a starting place more often under Vincenzo Montella over the past month, the Croatian paid his manager back with the equaliser here just before half time, arriving on time as he usually does to score from close range at a set piece.

He completed the full match and was very assured in everything he did, suggesting he’ll play a bigger role for an upwardly-mobile Milan side going forward.

England

Kenedy returned to Chelsea this week having failed to make an impression at Watford. As an Under-21 he doesn’t need to be registered to feature in the Premier League but, with Watford holding his registration until the transfer window opens, he’s not going to feature in 2016.

Patrick Bamford was an unused substitute for Burnley in another away defeat at Stoke, whilst Loic Remy remains injured.

Down in the Championship, Fulham smashed Reading 5-0, with Tomas Kalas helping them to another clean sheet in his 90 minutes at centre-back, and Lucas Piazon getting a quarter of an hour from the bench. Izzy Brown, meanwhile, claimed an assist for struggling Rotherham in their 2-1 defeat at Burton, delivering a peach of a cross for Tom Adeyemi to score.

Christian Atsu scored a penalty for Newcastle in their League Cup shootout defeat to Hull City in midweek but was an unused substitute as they lost to Nottingham Forest in their return to league duty, but Tammy Abraham won a spot kick for Bristol City to help them arrest a recent slump and defeat Ipswich Town 2-0 at Ashton Gate.

Charlie Colkett was an unused substitute for Bristol Rovers as they were dumped out of the FA Cup at home to non-league Barrow, with Jake Clarke-Salter a long-term injury absentee. It’s also worth checking out this interview with young Colkett from this week as he goes about making a name for himself in League One.

In the hat for Monday’s Third Round draw, however, are Wycombe and Jamal Blackman, who smashed Chesterfield for five at the ProAct Stadium for the young stopper’s third-straight clean sheet. He didn’t have a great deal to do, but he’s having a very good season so far.

Crawley lost 5-0 at Yeovil in League Two action with Alex Davey at centre-back throughout (Mitchell Beeney was an unused substitute) but Doncaster kept their form going with a 4-3 humdinger at Stevenage; Jordan Houghton continuing his important role in their midfield. Alex Kiwomya had the weekend off with Crewe already out of the FA Cup.

Dion Conroy was named in the Non-League Paper’s team of the day for his performance as Aldershot beat Boreham Wood, whilst Nathan Baxter played twice as the Met Police drew 3-3 at Dulwich Hamlet and won 2-1 at home to Leiston to move out of the Ryman Premier League’s relegation zone.

Spain

Jeremie Boga was handed a rare start for Granada against Sevilla on Saturday morning and duly rewarded them for their sense as he claimed an assist in a surprise 2-1 win.

He also caught the eye, as anyone who has watched him for more than five minutes will know he’s capable of…

Victorien Angban, on the other hand, was an unused substitute, whilst Charly Musonda missed out for Betis again as he’s had to return to Chelsea for treatment on a knee problem.

Italy

Juan Cuadrado came on for the last fifteen minutes of Juventus’ impressive 3-1 win over Atalanta.

Germany

Andreas Christensen has rarely enjoyed playing against Borussia Dortmund, going back to his Borussia Mönchengladbach debut against BVB, and that was the case again this weekend as die Föhlen were beaten 4-1 at Signal Iduna Park.

Baba Rahman was an unused substitute as Schalke lost to league leaders RB Leipzig, whilst Michael Hector was a late sub for Eintracht Frankfurt away to Augbsurg.

Netherlands

Danilo Pantic played no part for Excelsior against AZ Alkmaar, whilst the injury picked up by Bertrand Traore in stoppage time last weekend will keep him out for the rest of 2016. He’ll now target a return to fitness in time to represent Burkina Faso at the 2017 African Cup of Nations.

Belgium

All of the Chelsea loanees in Belgium converged on Staaien on Saturday as Sint Truiden beat Mouscron 1-0; Cristian Cuevas getting 90 minutes in victory, Matej Delač 90 in defeat in the visitors’ goal, but Islam Feruz missed out a week after starting his first league match of the season at Anderlecht last Sunday.

Cuevas played the extra-time portion of STVV’s Croky Cup win over Mechelen in midweek, scoring the winning penalty in the deciding shootout, but he was the only one of the trio to feature in the competition this week.

Turkey

Kenneth Omeruo was on the losing side as Alanyaspot were beaten 3-2 at home by Konyaspor.

Brazil

There has been no football this week in Brazil owing to the Chapecoense tragedy, with Wallace and Gremio set to return to action this coming Wednesday at home to Atlético Mineiro in the Copa do Brasil.

Colombia

This will be the last Loan Report Joao Rodriguez will be mentioned in until he features again for Santa Fe; four months without playing renders this section rather pointless…