Unable to gain substantial playing time at the Stade Rennais last season, Johann Carrasso, John Verhoek and Frank Julienne have all been loaned this summer. The first two hoped to bounce back while the third-named hoped to gain professional experience. One to two months after their departure from Brittany, how is their loan spell starting?
Pushed out with the arrival of Benoît Costil and the promotion of Abdoulaye Diallo in the goalkeepers hierarchy, Johann Carrasso has found what he was looking for in Monaco: playing time.
It wasn’t all easy for the former Montpellier man, who started the season in the shadow of Sebastien Chabbert, who had been promised a starting position by Laurent Banide after the departure of Stéphane Ruffier. Chabbert, unconvincing during his first games, unfortunately experienced a knee injury last month. At the moment, the former Lens keeper is still unable to play.
Profiting of his team-mate’s misfortunes, Johann Carrasso could enjoy some playing time in Ligue 2 throughout September, starting five games. In Monaco these days, the goalkeeper’s position is particularly exposed, because of a team struggling in the league, where it lies in an astonishing last position.
Often abandoned by his defence, Carrasso has his work cut-out. Although he logically concedes quite a few goals (seven in five games), the former U21 international still seems to play reasonably well. Managing numerous saves, he has sometimes managed to keep his team afloat and seems – in the general opinion – to be improving since his first start with Monaco.
Although his performances need to be confirmed over the rest of the season, i twill be interesting to see whether Chabbert returns as the number one goalkeeper when he returns from his injury, or if Carrasso is to be confirmed as the number 1 choice. On this situation, one factor as changed in Monaco: on September 12th, Laurent Banide was replaced by Marco Simone as the club’s head manager. A change, that could even the competition between Chabbert and Carrasso.
Despite the young goalkeeper getting himself back on the rails, his future in Rennes seems less and less obvious. Because of Benoît Costil’s takeover in the Rennes goals, as the former Sedan goalkeeper had been more than satisfying so far. However, Carrasso’s performances could convince the Monaco management to raise the purchase option agreed with the Stade Rennais at the end of the season.
The only young player trained at the club to have been loaned in order to gain playing time, Frank Julienne will be disappointed by his fortunes so far.
Sent to Le Havre, the little striker couldn’t get over the status of impact player that was given to him on arrival. In a Normand team competing for promotion, the attacking line is dominated by the promising Ryan Mendes, and Julienne is yet to find his place, in competition with Walid Mesloub, Alexandre Bonnet or Harry Novillo.
In the league, Frank Julienne has only started one game so far, also earning six entrances as a substitute. It has to be noted however, that the young player has only been decisive in a Coupe de la Ligue game so far, a competition in which he earned a second start. Against Metz in the first round, the young Rennais had offered Le Havre an unhoped-for extra-time (trailing 4-1, the Norman club had managed to catch-up, with Julienne equalising at the 88th minute) before his team qualified at the end of the extra-time. A goal which hasn’t been followed at the moment.
Naturally, one should let the season continue before making any conclusions, but the loan of Frank Julienne doesn’t seem to follow the same road as those that prove satisfactory over the last few seasons, as Pajot in Boulogne or Brahimi in Clermont. In order to make his loan-move a success, the player will have to make the most of the opportunities he should be getting from his manager until May 2012.
Last Sunday in Rotterdam, on the Feyenoord’s pitch, John Verhoek has probablyplayed his best game since he joined the ADO Den Haag. With a goal and an assist (for his brother Wesley) to his name, the Rennes striker seems to make the most of his return “home”, since he grew up in the suburbs of Den Haag and grew up at the ADO.
Verhoek has quickly gained his place as a striker in his team, and forms a really interesting partnership with his brother, who plays on the wing.
Since his arrival, with three goals in five games, his stats are really positive. His three goals are yet to convince the most sceptical of observers however, two of them following defensive mistakes and the third being possibly spoiled with a hand-ball.
Against Twente on September 18th, receiving a cross from the left-flank, Verhoek missed his header but pushed the ball in the net in his flight (with the arm?). The goal was validated, despite strong protestations by the players from Enschede.
A week later, against Venlo, Verhoek enjoyed the defensive shakiness of the opposition who, at the reception of a cross from the left, let him incredible amounts of time to beat the keeper with a heavy shot from five meters.
Finally, this Sunday against the Feyenoord, Verhoek intercepted a bad back-pass from a defender to go and beat the goalkeeper – which he did well – by pushing the ball between his legs.
In other words, even though his stats are good and are probably make the Rennes striker feel encouraged, he still needs to convince. Efficient in the Dutch second division, Verhoek seems to have no problems getting used to the top-flight. Will this be enough to hope for a winning return to Brittany, that’s far from certain…
- Photo : srfc.frenchwill.fr
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