Tuesday’s Pre-season round-up

There were plenty of Premiership sides in friendly action tonight and all of them seemed to have come out of it unscathed, although in the case of Everton, only just. Get the results, scorers, lineups and other rambles here…

Peterborough 0 Birmingham 3

Birmingham continued their promising pre-season form with their fifth straight win at Peterborough. Kapo hit a debut goal to get things started for Steve Bruce’s side before Jerome and Larsson wrapped things up. Birmingham finish their pre-seaso with a visit to Sheffiled Wednesday on Saturday which should offer more clues on their final lineup for the Stamford Bridge clash on August 11. Ghaly is expected to make his debut in this match while McSheffrey and Forssell seem likely to start after appearing as subs tonight.

Birmingham Lineup: Doyle, Kelly, Parnaby, Taylor, Jaidi, Larsson, Nafti, Kapo (McSheffrey 66), Muamba (Lea 81). O’Connor, Jerome (Forssell 66)

Brondby 0 Chelsea 2

Drogba put his Premiership Golden Boots to work on Brondby, hitting both goals in this Chelsea victory. Drogba got the first after an hour, outjumping the Brondby keeper to nod home Johnson flighted cross. He then added a second with five mintues to go, combining smartly with Pizarro before blasting home. Chelsea began the game in a 4-3-3 with Wright-Phillips, Malouda and Drogba making up the advanced trio. That all changed after the half hour mark. Mikel was forced off in this game after just 29 minutes – no word as yet, on his condition. His replacement, Pizarro, went straight up front with Drogab as Chelsea switched to 4-4-2. Ashley Cole completed over an hour of this game and appears to be in line to start the Community Shield match.

Chelsea Lineup: Cudicini (Cech 45), Johnson, Ben-Haim, Carvalho, A Cole (Hutchinson 64), Mikel (Pizarro 29), Sidwell (Grant 78), Malouda (J Cole 45), Lampard, Wrigth-Phillips, Drogba.

Derby 2 Nottingham Forest 0

Derby got back to winning ways with a 2-0 scoreline over local rivals Forest. McEveley and Fagan struck the goals within the first 15-minutes. McEveley hit the first from 25-yards after being invited forward by a Pearson layoff. He then turned provider, looping a ball over the Forest defence for Fagan to run on and finish smartly. Billy Davies preferred youngster Beardsley at right-back to new signing Mears while Todd and Earnshaw got their home debuts.

Derby Lineup: Bywater, Beardsley (Mears 69), Camara, McEveley (Jones 77), Todd, Moore, Teale, Oakley, Fagan (Howard 71), Earnshaw (Macken 71), Pearson

Everton 2 Werder Bremen 2

Everton dominated their Bundesliga opponents but only just got away with a draw in this home encounter. McFadden and de Silva grabbed the goals, the latter firing home with just minutes to go from a McFadden cross. He had earlier hit an equaliser, despatching Arteta’s cross which deflected to him off Osman. Cahill made his first pre-season appearance after International duty with Australia. Arteta showed moments of brilliance on the night, while Neville was also prominent.

Everton Lineup: Howard, Hibbert, Lescott (Stubbs 46), Yobo (Jagielka 46), Valente, Neville, Arteta, Carsley, Cahill (McFadden 61), Johnson, Anichebe (Osman 46).

Carlisle 0 Middlesbrough 2

Southgate put out a youthful side at Carlisle tonight but managed to come home with a win thanks to goals from Kennedy and Hutchinson. Luke Young completed a full 90-minutes, while Rochemback and Euell were the only other first team contenders figuring.

Middlesbrough Lineup: Jones (Knight), Young, Grounds, Williams (Thompson), Hines, Walker, Goulon (Hutchinson), Rochemback, Euell, Craddock, Kennedy.

Bournemouth 1 Portsmouth 4

A timely hat-trick from sub Lua Lua turned what was looking like a dull draw, into a rout at Bournemouth. It was Kranjcar who broke the deadlock on 50 minutes, firing in a shot that deflected past the home keeper. Then Lua Lua took over, slotting home his first after the hour, then sliding in his second on 77 minutes. His hat-trick came just a few minutes later, curling home a beauty from outside the box. Pompey out a strong side, resting Distin and Campbell but playing an almost first choice midfield and attack. Interestingly Taylor and Kranjcar started the match for the first time together in pre-season. Muntari was rested but Nugent and Utaka started up front, only to see Lua Lua come on and take over after an hour with devastating effect. Harry has some thinking to do.

Portsmouth Lineup: Ashdown (Begovic 46), Lauren (Cranie 46), O’Brien, Pamarot, Hreidarsson (Traore 46), O’Neil (Benjani 46), Mendes, Kranjcar (Trialist 67), Taylor (Mvuemba 46), Nugent (Lua Lua 46), Utaka (Songo’o 60).

Norwich City 1 West Ham 2

Dean Ashton struck against his former club as the Hammers came out of this tough encounter with a win. Jonathan Spector got West Ham underway, firing home after Boa Morte had slotted him in. Boa Morte also played a part in the second, firing a shot that the Norwich keeper could only parry into the path of a gleeful Ashton who duly silenced the home crowd jeers in the best way possible. Norwhich pulled one back in the second half but the Premiership finished the match stronger, without adding to their lead. West Ham have their final friendly on Saturday and Curbishley’s starting lineup there will doubtless big the best indicator of his thinking come August 11. An Ashton/Bellamy pairing looks likely but perhaps the biggest area of doubt is his defence with Upson, Gabbidon, Collins, Ferdinand and Davenport all competing for centre-back roles.

West Ham Lineup: Green; Neill (McCartney 45), Collins (Davenport 45), Upson, Spector; Bowyer, Mullins, Noble (Etherington 70), Boa Morte; Ashton (Cole 79), Zamora (Bellamy 66).

Barnsley 0 Wigan 2

A second goal for new signing Koumas and a penalty from Landzaat were enough for Wigan to overcome Championship side Barnsely. Koumas curled home the first from a Landzaat pass before the Dutchman converted a spot-kick for a handball decision. Later in the game, new signing Michael Brown made his debut in midfield. It will be interesting to see whether Brown displaces or partners Scharner in the Wigan midfield, right now Landzaat is impressing in that postion so this is far from clear cut. Aghahowa meanwhile, seems to have got himself in Chris Hutching’s thinking, completing a full 90 minutes alongside Heskey tonight. Kilbane again found himself at left-back with Baines now almost certainly set for pastures new.

Wigan Lineup: Kirkland; Melchiot, Hall (Bramble, 46), Boyce, Kilbane; Valencia, Scharner (Brown, 73), Landzaat, Koumas; Heskey, Aghahowa.