Jack Harrison’s second successive season on loan at Everton from Leeds United has got off to the worst possible start.
After a summer where the majority of their transfer business was done early, optimism was fairly high at Goodison Park they could build on their 15th place finish from last term, which would’ve been considerably higher but for an eight-point deduction.
Iliman Ndiaye, Jake O’Brien, Tim Iroegbunam and Harrison were all signed in the early stages of the summer in what should have helped them hit the ground running.
However, Everton have lost all four league matches so far, with both of the last two seeing them squander two-goal leads.
The Toffees are now also out of the Carabao Cup after a penalty shootout defeat to Southampton on Tuesday, the only other side who sit on zero points in the Premier League.
What Everton’s media have made of Leeds loanee Harrison
Harrison’s first loan spell at Everton can be described as inconsistent at best, but ultimately, he was a regular in their best league finish for a good couple of years.
He managed three goals and three assists which is not an overly impressive return, but his work rate is something that can never be knocked and clearly Sean Dyche likes that.
However, work rate can only get a player so far at this level and Harrison is still yet to provide a single goal contribution this season, which is reflected in the media ratings he has received from the Liverpool Echo.
Everton’s first game came against Brighton in which Harrison is said to have had a bright first half, before then fading as the away side took control.
They wrote: “Jack Harrison 6 – A real lively first half display but faded like so many of his team-mates after the break. He was a bundle of energy and enterprise early on, putting in a lofted shot before his early goal from a corner was disallowed for offside, while also fashioning chances for others.”
Another comprehensive defeat then followed the week after at Spurs, with this performance seemingly his worst of the season.
“Jack Harrison 5 – Made way for Jesper Lindstrom, who managed something in seconds he’d failed to do in almost an hour by having a shot on target, the on-loan Leeds United man spurned a decent opportunity at the back post shortly after Spurs went ahead as he scuffed a shot wide and didn’t get much change out of the home defence.”
There was a slight improvement for Everton’s second home game of the season but it was him switching off which allowed Bournemouth back into the game.
“Jack Harrison – 7 – His cross into the box helped Everton open the scoring. However, he could have done better to prevent Lewis Cook from heading home the equaliser.”
And at Aston Villa, Harrison was again at fault for one of the opposition’s goals, all be it there wasn’t a huge amount he could have done.
“Jack Harrison 5 – Was unfortunate that it was his clearance at full stretch that fell into the path of Watkins for the equaliser, and while he put in a shift down the right flank, tracking back to help Garner after his introduction, it was more perspiration than inspiration from him with few opportunities to put in quality deliveries.”
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Will Everton sign Harrison from Leeds permanently?
There was talk earlier in the summer that Everton could look to make Harrison’s move permanent as early as possible.
However, since then, Everton’s proposed takeover has fallen through, while Harrison has seemingly failed to deliver on the pitch.
Unless Harrison improves, it is hard to see Everton coming forward with the offer of a permanent proposal, particularly if they also decide Dyche is not the right man to take them forward.
Either way, though, it does not look like Harrison has any kind of way back at Leeds and based on his comments from an interview in the summer, he knows that.
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