Loan Watch: Darby joins Swindon

By This Is Anfield On · 31 Comments · In LFC Loan Watch

Liverpool youngster Stephen Darby has joined League One side Swindon Town on loan until the end of the season.

The former reserve team captain has made two starts this season, at home to Fiorentina and away to Reading in the FA Cup. He has been overlooked throughout Glen Johnson‘s two months on the sidelines.

Manager Rafa Benitez has preferred to play Jamie Carragher, and more recently Javier Mascherano, out of position rather than blood the 21 year old Liverpudlian.

Despite his mistake against Fiorentina late-on, he performed admirably against Reading but was promptly dropped for Philipp Degen for the replay and has now seen the manager prefer to play Mascherano in his position instead.

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  • http://www.thisisanfield.com Matt

    If Rafa would prefer to move our best centre midfielder (Gerrard isn’t a centre midfielder thesedays) out of position and completely upsetting the balance of the team then how is Darby ever meant to get any experience?

    Feel sorry for the lad, he deserved a chance against Blackburn or Wigan.

  • http://www.thisisanfield.com Matt

    If Rafa would prefer to move our best centre midfielder (Gerrard isn’t a centre midfielder thesedays) out of position and completely upsetting the balance of the team then how is Darby ever meant to get any experience?

    Feel sorry for the lad, he deserved a chance against Blackburn or Wigan.

  • http://www.thisisanfield.com Matt

    If Rafa would prefer to move our best centre midfielder (Gerrard isn’t a centre midfielder thesedays) out of position and completely upsetting the balance of the team then how is Darby ever meant to get any experience?

    Feel sorry for the lad, he deserved a chance against Blackburn or Wigan.

  • Dogshead

    Another sure sign that Rafa has lost it. These decisions baffle me!

  • Dogshead

    Another sure sign that Rafa has lost it. These decisions baffle me!

  • Dogshead

    Another sure sign that Rafa has lost it. These decisions baffle me!

  • rome77

    Well he’ll get more game time at Swindon and i reckon Kelly is more likely to get chances in the first team anyway, plus with the money problems we have it gets him off the wage bill for a bit.
    Matt do you think Kelly or Degan deserved a chance at Blackburn/Wigan ? i know its a daft question as we dont see them every day in training and have no idea about their day to day fitness levels,attitude etc but i’d go for Kelly.
    YNWA

  • rome77

    Well he’ll get more game time at Swindon and i reckon Kelly is more likely to get chances in the first team anyway, plus with the money problems we have it gets him off the wage bill for a bit.
    Matt do you think Kelly or Degan deserved a chance at Blackburn/Wigan ? i know its a daft question as we dont see them every day in training and have no idea about their day to day fitness levels,attitude etc but i’d go for Kelly.
    YNWA

  • rome77

    Well he’ll get more game time at Swindon and i reckon Kelly is more likely to get chances in the first team anyway, plus with the money problems we have it gets him off the wage bill for a bit.
    Matt do you think Kelly or Degan deserved a chance at Blackburn/Wigan ? i know its a daft question as we dont see them every day in training and have no idea about their day to day fitness levels,attitude etc but i’d go for Kelly.
    YNWA

  • rome77

    PS Eccleston picked up a Red card at HTFC so he’ll miss some games, hopefully he’ll learn a lesson which is better learned out on loan.

  • rome77

    PS Eccleston picked up a Red card at HTFC so he’ll miss some games, hopefully he’ll learn a lesson which is better learned out on loan.

  • rome77

    PS Eccleston picked up a Red card at HTFC so he’ll miss some games, hopefully he’ll learn a lesson which is better learned out on loan.

  • robbie9fowler

    Rome77 the wage bill?? what do you think this lad is on? no more than 5k a week I would think.

    Although I agree with you about Kelly – you can tell he will be a class act IF he ever gets a chance. I think the same for Pacheco and Nemeth, Darby would certainly be solid back up. But we will never know as benitez will never play them but he sticks with the likes of lucas and insua no matter what.

  • robbie9fowler

    Rome77 the wage bill?? what do you think this lad is on? no more than 5k a week I would think.

    Although I agree with you about Kelly – you can tell he will be a class act IF he ever gets a chance. I think the same for Pacheco and Nemeth, Darby would certainly be solid back up. But we will never know as benitez will never play them but he sticks with the likes of lucas and insua no matter what.

  • robbie9fowler

    Rome77 the wage bill?? what do you think this lad is on? no more than 5k a week I would think.

    Although I agree with you about Kelly – you can tell he will be a class act IF he ever gets a chance. I think the same for Pacheco and Nemeth, Darby would certainly be solid back up. But we will never know as benitez will never play them but he sticks with the likes of lucas and insua no matter what.

  • rome77

    Yes it doesn’t sound a lot but 250k a year is a lot when we have debts in excess of 200 mill, he may even be on less. Like you say Kelly is better, Insua is our back up at LB and we’ve had no choice but to play him too much this season. I cant remember Lucas been injured this season unlike the rest of the midfield. With the inclusion of Kuyt,Riena,Carra those 2 have been the spine of the team this season and i bet Ngogg is glad Torres is back because he’s had a lot more responsibility and pressure than he needs.Nemeth is out on loan as part of the bargain basement transfer of kyriagcos and he’s getting plenty of experience.
    Pacheco will be great one day and deserves the odd 15 mins but any more and theres a danger those glorious fans of ours may just start boo’ing and bitching about how he’s not fit to wear the shirt and destroying any confidence he has.
    Its happened with all the other kids who have played a few matches Insua, Lucas, Ngogg even Darby got slated after one mistake same as kelly.
    YNWA

  • rome77

    Yes it doesn’t sound a lot but 250k a year is a lot when we have debts in excess of 200 mill, he may even be on less. Like you say Kelly is better, Insua is our back up at LB and we’ve had no choice but to play him too much this season. I cant remember Lucas been injured this season unlike the rest of the midfield. With the inclusion of Kuyt,Riena,Carra those 2 have been the spine of the team this season and i bet Ngogg is glad Torres is back because he’s had a lot more responsibility and pressure than he needs.Nemeth is out on loan as part of the bargain basement transfer of kyriagcos and he’s getting plenty of experience.
    Pacheco will be great one day and deserves the odd 15 mins but any more and theres a danger those glorious fans of ours may just start boo’ing and bitching about how he’s not fit to wear the shirt and destroying any confidence he has.
    Its happened with all the other kids who have played a few matches Insua, Lucas, Ngogg even Darby got slated after one mistake same as kelly.
    YNWA

  • rome77

    Yes it doesn’t sound a lot but 250k a year is a lot when we have debts in excess of 200 mill, he may even be on less. Like you say Kelly is better, Insua is our back up at LB and we’ve had no choice but to play him too much this season. I cant remember Lucas been injured this season unlike the rest of the midfield. With the inclusion of Kuyt,Riena,Carra those 2 have been the spine of the team this season and i bet Ngogg is glad Torres is back because he’s had a lot more responsibility and pressure than he needs.Nemeth is out on loan as part of the bargain basement transfer of kyriagcos and he’s getting plenty of experience.
    Pacheco will be great one day and deserves the odd 15 mins but any more and theres a danger those glorious fans of ours may just start boo’ing and bitching about how he’s not fit to wear the shirt and destroying any confidence he has.
    Its happened with all the other kids who have played a few matches Insua, Lucas, Ngogg even Darby got slated after one mistake same as kelly.
    YNWA

  • rome77

    PS The same fans will moan about Rafa been a cold confidence destroying man-manager before going on about how crap Ngogg is and saying he’s not giving the kids a chance.
    I’m not sure wether its Irony,hypocrisy or just plain stupidity but its a sad state of affairs.
    YNWA

  • rome77

    PS The same fans will moan about Rafa been a cold confidence destroying man-manager before going on about how crap Ngogg is and saying he’s not giving the kids a chance.
    I’m not sure wether its Irony,hypocrisy or just plain stupidity but its a sad state of affairs.
    YNWA

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