The loanees - did we get it right? (ESPN article)

by Dave Usher for ESPN

Liverpool's squad has been stretched to its limits at times over recent weeks, especially in the full-back position where Brendan Rodgers has been without his first choice on the left, Jose Enrique, since September.

On the right, the manager may as well have been without Glen Johnson since then too, for all the impact he made before eventually succumbing to injury himself.

Given that, it's perhaps somewhat puzzling to note that Liverpool actually have three full-backs out on loan, two of whom have first team experience. When Rodgers’ options are so depleted, it's only natural to wonder if the Reds would be better off being able to call on at least one of that trio?

A similar question could be asked regarding other players who have been farmed out -- most notably Fabio Borini -- but it's at full-back where the issue is perhaps most contentious, because that is where the injuries have hit hardest.

Andre Wisdom's temporary switch to Derby County was a good one for all parties at the time it was agreed but with defenders dropping like flies in recent months, would Liverpool have been better served by recalling the England under-21 skipper?

Recently, the club have been without Mamadou Sakho and Daniel Agger (as well as Enrique and Johnson) and with Jon Flanagan also having missed a month with a hamstring injury, Wisdom's presence would certainly have helped plug a gap or two.

The option to recall Jack Robinson from Blackpool does not exist, given that his is a season-long loan.

The 20-year-old desperately needed the move and the decision to loan him to the Championship side was not a bad one. Robinson appeared to be a million miles away from the first team last summer and under-21 football is no good to him at this stage of his development

However, it's probably fair to say that Robinson would have offered more to Liverpool in recent weeks than Aly Cissokho has been able to provide.

The experienced Frenchman was expected to perform better than he has thus far, whilst you can't legislate for the previously durable Enrique being sidelined for most of the season.

Young players need games and leading Premier League sides cannot always provide them with enough opportunities. It is a difficult balancing act that is faced when loaning out players that clubs may need should they have a spate of injuries.

Well, some clubs anyway. It's not a problem for Chelsea, who stockpile players and lend them away almost in numbers without having to worry about their first team squad being weakened as a result. For clubs that are not bankrolled by billionaires, however, it's a lot trickier.

Read the full article here.