Scout Notes – Pre-Season Round-Up

Henrikh Mkhitaryan bags his first goal for United in a 4-1 loss to Borussia Dortmund. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain earns Arsenal a draw in Lens, Victor Janssen and Michy Batshuayi open their accounts for Spurs and Chelsea and Salomon Rondon nets as the Baggies see off Vitesse.

Borussia Dortmund 4 Man United 1

Henrikh Mkhitaryan netted his first goal for United as Jose Mourinho’s side were well beaten by Dortmund in Shanghai.

After featuring as a number 10 against Wigan on his debut, the Armenian international started on the left before swapping flanks with Adnan Januzaj later in the first half. Juan Mata – who was afforded the central support role behind Memphis Depay, then Marcus Rashford after the break – supplied the assist for Mkhitaryan’s consolation.

Luke Shaw and Antonio Valencia were fielded as full-backs and the latter continued to build up his fitness by playing the full 90 minutes along with new boy Eric Bailly. Mainly utilised as a centre-half by Louis van Gaal, Daley Blind partnered Ander Herrera in central midfield, allowing Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo to be handed 45 minutes each alongside Bailly in the heart of the back-four.

With a number of his first-team still yet to participate in the summer action, Mourinho was unconcerned over the result:

“At the moment, I’m not even creating a team. So many players are not here. We’re creating individuals’ form and trying to bring these players to a good condition. For the new signings and all of the players, they had a chance to play 45, 70 or 90 minutes. It’s very, very important and I can imagine it will take a long time to recover from this effort in the game. In this weather, in reality, at this stage of pre-season for them individually it’s good.”

Man United XI: Johnstone (Romero 46), Valencia (Pereira 75), Bailly, Jones (Rojo 46), Shaw, Blind (McNair 66), Herrera, Mata, Mkhitaryan (Januzaj 66), Lingard (Young 46), Depay (Rashford 46).

Lens 1 Arsenal 1

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain netted the Gunners’ equaliser in a 1-1 stalemate in Lens last night.

In his first appearance for five months, the fit-again midfielder chipped in after being teed up by fellow substitute Serge Gnabry with just nine minutes remaining.

With many of his regulars still yet to return to training due to the recent Euro 2016 tournament, Arsene Wenger’s side contained just one of last season’s guaranteed starters, left-back Nacho Monreal.

The likes of Per Mertesacker, Francis Coquelin, Mohamed Elneny, Theo Walcott and Alex Iwobi (who was handed the central support role) were also named in the XI, with Walcott seeing a goal ruled out for offside.

Given that this was their first match of the summer, it was no surprise to see Wenger make numerous changes over the course of the second period, with only Mertesacker, Coquelin and Callum Chambers afforded the full 90 minutes to step up their fitness.

Arsenal XI: Martinez (Macey 46); Debuchy (Bielik 46), Mertesacker, Chambers, Monreal (Gibbs 46); Elneny (Campbell 46), Coquelin; Walcott (Zelalem 77), Iwobi (Willock 77), Reine-Adelaide (Oxlade-Chamberlain 46), Akpom (Gnabry 46).

Vitesse 1 West Brom 2

Salomon Rondon and Callum McManaman grabbed a goal apiece as the Baggies registered a second successive victory on Thursday evening.

Tony Pulis handed Jonny Evans and Gareth McAuley their first taste of action after the duo returned to the fold a little later than usual due to their exertions for Northern Ireland in Euro 2016. The pair were afforded just over 45 minutes apiece in a match that saw the Baggies boss make ten second-half changes, with only Craig Dawson playing from start to finish.

Jonathan Leko recovered from the knock that saw him miss the previous friendly against Kidderminster Harriers to take up the left flank berth in a 4-2-3-1, with new boy Matt Phillips again starting on the opposite wing. The youngster terrorised the Vitesse defence and drew a foul that led to Rondon’s opener courtesy of a 25-yard free-kick.

McManaman also staked a claim for minutes out wide, though – emerging from the bench as a replacement for Leko early in the second period, he produced an eye-catching winner as Pulis’ side scored twice for the second match running.

West Brom XI: Foster (Myhill 45); Dawson, McAuley (Fitzwater 48), Olsson (Wilson 48), Evans (McClean 48); Fletcher (Field 48), Yacob (Gardner 48); Phillips (Roberts 48), Morrison (Berahino 48), Leko (McManaman 48); Rondon (Lambert 48).

Atus Ferlach 0 Chelsea 8

Loic Remy bagged a hat-trick, whilst new boy Michy Batshuayi and Pedro both netted twice in a behind-closed doors friendly against local Austrian outfit Atus Ferlach on Thursday.

Antonio Conte once again lined his side up in a 4-2-4 formation, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek utilised as a central striker – the youngster bagged a couple of assists, whilst Juan Cuadrado also earned an assist in an impressive second-half showing on the flank. John Obi Mikel was also in the goals thanks to a deflected effort.

Conte made six changes at the break as he afforded a number of players who joined up with the squad this week – including Pedro, Batshuayi and Cesc Fabregas – crucial pitch time.

Chelsea first half XI: Blackman, Azpilicueta, Miazga, Hector, Baba Rahman, Kenedy, Mikel, Chalobah, Atsu, Loftus-Cheek, Remy.

Chelsea second half XI: Blackman, Cuevas, Cahill, Miazga (Chalobah), Baba, Cuadrado, Fabregas, Mikel, Pedro, Loftus-Cheek (Remy), Batshuayi.

Tottenham 3 Rotherham 1

Vincent Janssen grabbed his first goal for Spurs in a behind-closed-doors friendly win over Rotherham on Thursday afternoon.

Tottenham’s summer signing was supplied by right-back Kieran Trippier to level matters after his side went behind before youngsters Shayon Harrison and Marcus Edwards (who also supplied an assist) found the net to secure a 3-1 win.

Although the club’s official website didn’t list a full starting XI, they did reveal that first-team squad players such as Victor Wanyama, Nacer Chadli, Heung-min Son and Ryan Mason were all handed a run-out as Spurs prepare to fly to Australia to face Juventus and Atletico Madrid next week.