EPL
Sheyi Ojo : The downfall of a promising star
Sheyi Ojo joined Liverpool from Mk Dons at the age of 14 in a deal reported to have cost £2m in 2011. The teenager immediately got integrated into the club’s U-17 side where he began his rapid development in the game.
Four years later, the England international was tipped to be the next star to break out of Liverpool’s youth team due to his high technique and great vision for goals.
At age 18, the youngster was promoted into the first team and many fans thought he would give Raheem Sterling a run for his money by providing intense competition for a place in Klopp’s starting lineup.
Just as predicted by fans, the youngster began to see some game-time from the bench until he made his full debut for the team in the 2016-17 season when he was named in the starting XI against Stoke City.
The game ended 4-1 in favour of the Merseyside club. Ojo assisted one of the goals and that enhanced his growing reputation among the Reds supporters.
In his debut season as a first team player, Ojo featured in eight Premier League games, though, he failed to find the back of the net.
The youngster continues his great rise to prominence in the team but an unfortunate injury, which he sustained before the start of 2017-18 season, ultimately halted his growth.
The injury lasted for three months before he fully recovered.
Though Ojo returned to full fitness, it was too late for him to reclaim a spot in the first team squad as he was loaned out to Fulham for the rest of the season.
A loan to Fulham was the beginning of his stunted growth and the end of his rise to stardom as he could only manage 22 appearances, scoring four goals.
He returned to Liverpool for pre-season tour but didn’t do enough to win Klopp’s trust as the German manager preferred to loan him out to Ligue 1 minnows Reim for the rest of this campaign.
For a club like Reim’s pedigree, one would expect the one-time highly-rated star to have a free ride into the team’s first XI, however, that hasn’t been the case.
Sheyi Ojo his in one of his dreadful form and he’s finding it so difficult to exert his authority in the team.
He has featured in just nine matches for the struggling team and still searching for his first goal of the season.
He didn’t really look like the player tipped for greatness some years back.
With this form, the player will definitely fail to get a chance to play at Anfield anytime soon as he would be unable to displace any player, not even Origi, in Klopp’s team.
It is heartbreaking to see a very lively, pacy, intelligent, and versatile player going down the drain when there are great chances for him to nurture his talent.
With this international break, Ojo needs to reflect on his performance so far this season and equally get his confidence back as soon as possible.
Once that is done, it won’t be surprising to see him become to the player we once tipped him to be while he was at Anfield.
