Friendlies Round-Up – Tuesday

Nicolas Anelka grabs a hat-trick as West Brom hit Cork City for six. Ricky Van Wolfswinkel opens his account for Norwich, Shola Ameobi scores again for Newcastle, Sergio Aguero is set to return to training for City, while Luis Suarez goes public with his intentions to leave Liverpool.

AIK 1 Man United 1
David Moyes’ side could only manage a draw in yesterday evening’s clash in Sweden. The United boss named a back-four of Rafael, Jonny Evans, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra, while further up the pitch Wilfried Zaha and Nani started on the flanks, with Robin Van Persie handed the lone forward role. Moyes made five changes during the match, though two were enforced, after Nani and Evans limped out of the proceedings – the Portuguese winger’s replacement, Angelo Henriquez, grabbed the Red Devils’ only goal courtesy of a Zaha assist.

After the game, Moyes gave an update on the injured duo and also spoke on Wayne Rooney’s progress from a shoulder injury ahead of Rio Ferdinand’s testimonial:

“Jonny actually got kneed on the ankle. He thought that he was going to be able to run it off. But if we left him on then it would only have got worse for him. Nani just felt his groin tighten up and he didn’t want to take any risks. Neither did we. We thought it was safer to take him off at that time….I don’t think he [Rooney] will be fit for Friday. There is still a chance, but I don’t think he will be. It is not a serious injury, but the problem we’ve got with the Wembley game on Sunday is that he has not played so we need to take that into consideration. Is his fitness more of a concern than his future? Yes. We’re trying to get Wayne into a condition where he is ready to play.”

Vidic also spoke to the club’s official website after his first appearance of the summer. Having played the entire match, though, the skipper believes he is firmly on course to be ready for the season opener at Swansea a week on Saturday:

“I am pleased that I have 90 minutes under my belt. It’s a long time since I’ve played a full game. I am pleased with that and I hope that after this game I can pick up my fitness and I will be ready for the beginning of the season. It’s frustrating when you don’t get the games. I’ve done some good training, but it’s different when you’re playing a match. I got 90 minutes tonight and we have two more games before the start of the league season. Hopefully I can get another 90 minutes before then.”

Norwich 1 Real Sociedad 1
Chris Hughton rolled out his preferred 4-4-1-1 formation once again, with Ricky Van Wolfswinkel leading the line and fellow new boy Leroy Fer fielded behind in “the hole”. The Canaries boss also handed starts to Martin Olsson at left-back, while Russell Martin shifted to centre-half in Seb Bassong’s continued absence, allowing Steven Whittaker to slot in at right-back. Norwich took the lead within a quarter of an hour after Van Wolfswinkel grabbed his first goal since arriving from Sporting Lisbon this summer – Fer nodded down a Robert Snodgrass cross for his compatriot to open his account. Hughton made six alterations over the course of the second period, affording the likes of Gary Hooper just 10 minutes game time, but the hosts were unable to find another goal.

After the game, Hughton revealed John Ruddy was absent due to a back problem but is certain his first-choice stopper will return in time for Saturday’s friendly with Greek side Panathinaikos:

“He just felt his back a couple of days ago and it would have been a little bit of a risk to play him in this game but he is fine. He will be fit and available for Saturday. He has trained right the way through the pre-season and had no injury problems at all. There has never been any trace of a recurrence of the (thigh) injury he had last season. He has got that good base of fitness work behind him over the summer and this is just unfortunate timing. We could have risked him in this game but it is important he is available to train and play this weekend.”

Cork City 0 West Brom 6
Steve Clarke tinkered with his starting formation yet again last night. The Baggies boss rolled out a 4-4-2 with Shane Long partnered by Nicolas Anelka up top, while Graham Dorrans and Chris Brunt were afforded the flank roles. Anelka was the star of the show with a hat-trick for the visitors and has now notched six times in as many appearances since making his way to the Hawthorns earlier this summer. Dorrans also impressed, bagging a brace and supplying an assist from his role on the right, while Long produced a goal and assist – scoring for the first time this summer. James Morrison – one of seven second-half changes by Clarke – replaced Claudio Yacob in central midfield and provided a couple of assists from his more withdrawn berth. Jonas Olsson was rested as the Baggies look to avoid any more lay-offs from an Achilles problem, while Gabriel Tamas was sidelined with a knee problem.

Anelka was understandably praised by the Baggies number two Keith Downing after the match, who also gave an update on the fitness conditions of new boy Diego Lugano:

“He’s (Anelka) been great. He’s settled in really, really well. The other players like him a lot. He brings a lot of qualities to the team. The more games he plays, their knowledge of how he works is growing….Diego’s a bit behind the other lads in terms of pre-season work. He’s probably a week to ten days behind. We’ve still got 11 days until the first game and he’ll be working with our fitness guys between now and then.”

Eintracht Braunschweig 2 Hull 0
The Tigers were somewhat under-strength as Steve Bruce made six changes to his side for last night’s defeat in Germany. Allan McGregor, Ahmed Elmohamady, Robert Koren and Curtis Davies were amongst the regulars omitted as the Hull boss opted to hand some fringe players the chance to impress. Danny Graham partnered Sone Aluko up top but again failed to open his account and was one of nine players subbed off in the second period, with only Maynor Figueroa and Paul McShane lasting the full 90 minutes.

Glasgow Rangers 1 Newcastle 1
Alan Pardew rolled out a 4-2-3-1 formation for last night’s draw in Scotland. Tim Krul returned from injury to take his place between the sticks and lined up behind a strong looking defence, with Mathieu Debuchy, Fabricio Coloccini, Steven Taylor and Davide Santon getting the nod. Further up the field, Hatem Ben Arfa and Jonas Gutierrez patrolled the flanks, while Moussa Sissoko was handed an advanced role in “the hole” behind Papiss Cisse. Debuchy and Taylor were the only two players to manage the full 90 minutes as Shola Ameobi – on for Papiss Cisse with just 17 minutes remaining – continued his superb summer form by scoring for the fourth time in four appearances, with his late leveller ensuring the Magpies a share of the spoils.

After the match, Pardew confirmed Coloccini was subbed off with a groin pull but was confident the problem was no more than minor. The Magpies boss also revealed he’s still in the market for new faces up front and questioned whether new boy Loic Remy will be fit in time for the Gameweek 1 trip to Man City:

“The problem we have is that he’s got a calf injury. We weren’t under the knowledge that he hadn’t trained for three weeks. So really and truly, he needs a bit of a pre-season. We’ll have to cram it in somehow. I think it would be unfair on the other players if he jumped ahead of them if he wasn’t right. He has a lot of work to do in a short amount of time. I don’t think he will make Manchester City, but he could be in condition enough to make the bench, and certainly make West Ham (on August 24)…..We need more firepower. We needed that other option to Papiss. Shola (Ameobi) is coming on nicely, and Gouff (Yoan Gouffran) is coming on too. We have a nice little pool there now. Hopefully, we still have another player to come in, maybe two.”

Dulwich Hamlet 1 Crystal Palace 4
Ian Holloway named a mixture of fringe players and first-teamers for last night’s victory. New signing Elliot Grandin was quick off the mark, grabbing a double on his debut, while Jerome Williams and Yannick Bolasie were also amongst the goals against the non-league hosts. The likes of Peter Ramage. Owen Garvan and new signing Dwight Gayle were also afforded game time, with the latter picking up an assist for Bolasie’s strike after the hour mark. Holloway replaced all 11 of his starters over the course of the game as he continues to hand his squad the chance to impress before the season gets underway.

Valencia 1 Everton 0
Roberto Martinez also utilised the depth of his squad for the final match of Everton’s US tour. Starting with four at the back again, the Spaniard named the likes of Ross Barkley, John Stones, Gerard Deulofeu, Steven Naismith, Bryan Oviedo, Joel Robles and Victor Anichebe in the XI, using the game as a chance to assess the strength of his squad. After the match, the Toffees boss explained the absence of Steven Pienaar over the last couple of games and gave an update on Nikica Jelavic, who was forced off after coming on as a second-half substitute:

“Steven Pienaar was more of a precaution. Tony Hibbert has got a bit of a niggle but in a couple of weeks he should be in full contention. Nikica Jelavic got a bit of a dead leg and he had to come off. Apart from that everyone else has been able to play their part and work for the team and that is what pre-season is all about.”

SC Braga 1 West Ham 0
Having beaten Sporting Lisbon just 24-hours beforehand, the Hammers made plenty changes to the first XI. Razvan Rat, Guy Demel and James Collins all returned at the back, while Adrian was handed a chance between the sticks as Jussi Jaaskelainen dropped to the bench. Sam Allardyce also omitted the likes of Kevin Nolan, Matt Jarvis and the in-form Ravel Morrison, rolling out a front three of Ricardo Vaz Te, Modibo Maiga and Jack Collison against the Portuguese side. The visitors made a number of changes over the course of the second-half but were unable to prevent defeat for only the second time in nine matches this summer.

In Other News
Sergio Aguero is set to return to training for Man City by the end of the week. The Argentine has failed to feature over the summer due to a knee problem, allowing Edin Dzeko the chance to rack up four goals in the last four matches, but is now set to give Manuel Pellegrini’s side a boost ahead of their final friendly of the pre-season against Arsenal. With City set to face Newcastle, Hull and Cardiff in their opening three league fixtures, Fantasy investment in Pellegrini’s frontline is on many radars, with Aguero’s imminent return likely to see interest in the Argentine elevate. Elsewhere, City have confirmed Matija Nastasic is sidelined for “four to six weeks” with an ankle injury. The youngster’s absence could bring Joleon Lescott or Micah Richards into contention as Vincent Kompany’s central defensive partner, though Pellegrini has also trialled Javi Garcia at the back in a recent friendly.

Luis Suarez has rocked the Liverpool boat in the most public of manners as he attempts to engineer a move away from Merseyside. With Arsenal still hot on his tail, the Uruguayan is clearly doing all he can to ensure he clinches a transfer to the Emirates and after pulling out of the Reds’ trip to Valerenga with a foot complaint, Suarez is now expected to submit a written transfer request by the end of the week after accusing Brendan Rodgers of going back on his word:

“I don’t feel betrayed but the club promised me something a year ago just as I promised them that I would stay and try everything possible to get us into the Champions League. I have the club’s word and we have the written contract and we are happy to take this to the Premier League for them to decide the case but I do not want it to come to that. We have the backing of the PFA….I spoke with Brendan Rodgers several times and he told me, ‘stay another season, and you have my word if we don’t make it then I will personally make sure that you can leave’.”

While Suarez edges towards the exit door, summer signing Iago Aspas was the subject of his manager’s praise yesterday as Rodgers revealed he has wasted no time in settling on Merseyside. With Daniel Sturridge yet to feature in pre-season after an ankle injury, the former Celta Vigo man has caught the eye up front, notching three times already and providing an assist in the weekend win over Greek side Olympiakos.

“Very well, I can see that he loves being here. He has already thrown himself into the language. He is mixing with his friends very well, and you can see in and around the box he’s exciting; he’s got a nice touch, he can create something out of nothing – which I like, players that can do something a wee bit different. Overall, he and the other players have been very good.”