Everton Loans Recap: Onyekuru, Vlasic star as Williams & Garbutt embarrass

As part of Everton’s mass clear out in the summer, a record number of Blues were sent out on loan with more expected to join them before the final part of the summer transfer window closes on 31^st August.

Youngster Joe Williams looks set for a season-long loan to the Championship with Bolton Wanderers, while Yannick Bolasie appears set to join him in the second tier with Aston Villa, while Mo Besic could return to Middlesbrough.

It also remains to be seen whether other youngsters - in particular Kieran Dowell, Jonjoe Kenny and Beni Baningime – will also be sent out to gather more senior experience. Then there could also be moves for Matthew Pennington and Sandro Ramirez, who seem out of Marco Silva’s plans.

But how have the current Everton loanees got on over the past week? It’s been a mixed bag. So let’s take a look.

The Youngsters

Henry Onyekuru

Having joined Galatasaray on a season-long loan, Henry Onyekuru had a memorable home debut in Turkey over the weekend.

Playing wide left in a 4-2-3-1 set-up, the youngster scored the game’s only goal – a sumptuous lob from 30 yards which made national news in Turkey.

Onyekuru spent last season on loan at Anderlecht and impressed prior to a serious knee ligament injury in December which kept him from regular action for the rest of the season and meant he missed out on a place in Nigeria’s World Cup squad.

But it seems the 21-year-old is back and will hopefully fight his way back into Nigeria’s plans – which is key if Everton want to finally get a work permit for the talented attacker.

Antonee Robinson

There was both weekend and midweek action in the Championship, and Wigan Athletic were right at the centre of the drama, with Blues’ pair Antonee Robinson and Callum Connolly plying their trade at the DW Stadium this season.

Robinson completed the full 90 minutes in both games, as Wigan were twice pinned back in a 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest, before causing an almighty shock by beating Stoke 3-0 at the bet365 Stadium.

On Saturday, Robinson was one of Wigan’s better performers and had the most touches of any player on the pitch - but with a passing accuracy of just 50%.

He fared a little better at Stoke, completing 65% of his passes, but its clear that he needs to be more consistent on the ball.

He played a key part in Wigan’s third goal at Stoke, fizzing a dangerous ball across goal before Nick Powell was pulled down and awarded a penalty – which Will Grigg duly dispatched to put the Latics 3-0 up.

Callum Connolly

After scoring on his Wigan debut again (he did the same when out on loan at the Latics in 2016) last week, Connolly was dropped to the bench against both Forest and Stoke.

He did appear in the second half of both games as a holding midfielder but had little time to make an impact.

Nikola Vlasic

It remains to be seen whether Nikola Vlasic has a future at Everton after Marco Silva seemingly discarded him in pre-season, sending him to train away from the squad with the likes of Ashley Williams and Cuco Martina.

But Vlasic certainly has promise and made his debut for CSKA Moscow on Saturday, playing 79 minutes in a comfortable 3-0 win over Arsenal Tula.

Vlasic impressed in central midfield for CSKA in a 3-5-2 setup, almost scoring on the 15-minute mark. He also played a key role as Tula were forced down to 10 men, winning the ball deep and driving at the opponents before attempting to thread a through ball which was handled by the Tula defender.

A good start to life for Vlasic in Russia.

The Deadwood

Ashley Williams

Ashley Williams had a torrid time for Stoke, going down 3-0 to Wigan at home and being sent off after receiving two yellow cards.

His first yellow was for an overreaction to a push from Nick Powell. After being bundled into the advertising boards, Williams retaliated by headbutting Powell in the stomach – something he was lucky to avoid a straight red for.

But Williams was unsurprisingly unable to regain his composure and ensured his early bath with a clumsy challenge just 12 minutes later.

It was a grim night in Stoke for Williams, who also allowed Gavin Massey to pass him easily for the second goal.

He did, though, have the highest pass completion rate of any starting player on the pitch, with 87.2%. Silver linings, eh?

Cuco Martina

Sat on the bench and watched Stoke’s dire performance against Wigan.

Luke Garbutt

Some feel Luke Garbutt was harshly treated at Everton, and he can certainly feel aggrieved to not have been given a shot when Leighton Baines was injured last season.

But it seems his chance has gone at the Blues, with the too-old-to-be-promising left-back plying his trade at League One Oxford for the coming season.

And life with the O’s hasn’t started well for Garbutt. Oxford are bottom of the league after four games, with zero points.

Garbutt was personally called out by manager Karl Robinson for his poor performance on the opening day 4-0 defeat to Barnsley, but kept his place for the next two games.

However, he was very poor again at Portsmouth on Saturday, as his side lost 4-1, with the 25-year-old out of position for the first two goals. He was taken off just after the hour mark and was dropped to the bench for Oxford’s 3-2 home defeat against Accrington Stanley in midweek.

At 25 and struggling in League One, you have to fear for Garbutt’s career.

Shani Tarashaj

Forgotten man Shani Tarashaj returned to his former club in the summer, but it’s not going to well for him at Grasshopper.

His club are bottom of the league after four games, with Tarashaj yet to start a game. He was completely absent from the squad at the weekend for his side’s 2-0 win in the Swiss Cup.