It’s been a busy weekend of pre-season friendlies with some notable events for Fantasy Managers, including a debut goal for Malouda , a return for Dean Ashton and a booking for Robbie Savage after 57 seconds. Here’s my round up of all the results, goal, formations and lineups together with links to some highlights so you can take in the action…
Sunday’s Games
Club America 1 Chelsea 2
Chelsea began their pre-season tour of the US with a 2-1 win over Mexican opponents, Club America. Having fallen behind early on, new signing Malouda came off the bench in the second half to hit the equaliser and then provide the free kick delivery for Terry to head the winner. Interesting to note that both Terry played the entire game, while the lineups offered no clarification on Chelsea’s full-back situation. Ferreira missed out having had a ball in the face in training so youth Captain Jack Cork came in on the right, with Glen Johnson taking the left-back spot. Sam Hutchinson came on at right-back in the second half. Both Bridge and Ashley Cole were out as they are still recovering from injury. Chelsea adopted a 4-3-3 formation in both halves.
Chelsea Lineup 1st Half: Cech, Johnson, Ben Haim, Terry, Cork, Sidwell, Lampard, Makelele, J.Cole, Robben, Shevchenko
Chelsea Lineup 2nd Half: Cudicini, Johnson (Sinclair 76), Carvalho, Terry, Hutchinson, Essien, Diarra, Wright-Phillips, Malouda, Drogba, Kalou.
DSC Arminia Bielefeld 2 Blackburn Rovers 1
Blackburn slipped to a 2-1 defeat to Bundesliga’s DSC Arminia Bielefeld, in scorching hot conditions, tonight. Andre Ooijer scored the Rovers goal with Bentley contributing the assist from a free kick. There were several points of interest here. First of Warnock was taken off, clutching his hamstring after just 18 mintues. Also, hilariously, Savage came off the bench for the second half and got himself a booking after 57 seconds. He’s warming up for the new season rather nicely then.
Blackburn Rovers Lineup: Friedel, Ooijer (Khizanishvili 80), Warnock (Berner 18), Samba (Henchoz 80), Nelsen, Tugay (Dunn 61), Bentley, Mokoena (Savage 46), Pedersen, Roberts (Derbyshire 61), McCarthy (Rigters 61)
Saturday’s Games
Barnet 0 Arsenal 2
Arsenal made their annual visit to Underhill to play Barnet and came away with a 2-0 win with goals from Emmanuel Adebayor and Nacer Barazite. There were few clues for Fantasy Managers here, except perhaps the fact that Van Persie proved he’ll see through the pre-season and should therefore be firing come August 11. Neither of the signings, Sagna nor Eduardo turned out for the Gunners.
Arsenal Lineup: Alumnia (Fabianski 46), Toure (Rodgers 66), Gilbert (Nordtveit 46), Clichy (Traore 46), Flamini, Song (Hoyte 46), Randall (Gibbs 46), Denilson (Lansbury 56), Walcott (Perez 66), Adebayor (Fonte), Van Persie (Barazite 46)
Bolton 2 Chivas 0
Bolton ran out 2-0 winners in their second game in the Peace Cup in Korea. They beat Chivas from Mexico with goals from Slovakian, Harsanyi and skipper Kevin Nolan – his second goal of the tournament. Once again Sammy Lee stuck with 4-4-2 which clearly indicates he’s considering a change of formation from Bolton’s 4-3-3/4-5-1 hybrid. Also worth noting is that Danny Guthrie, on loan from Liverpool has started both games in this tournament so Lee is obviously considering him for a run on the right of Bolton’s midfield.
Bolton Lineup: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Michalik, Meite (Cid 60), Samuel (Vaz Te 67), Sinclair, Campo (McCann 69), Speed (Nolan 45), Guthrie, Harsanyi, Davies (Anelka 74).
Ilkeston 1 Derby 5
Derby fielded teams at both Ilkeston Town and Stafford Rangers on Saturday. They notched up a 5-1 at Ilkeston. Jon Macken hit a brace while Teale, an own goal and a tap in from Bob Malcolm rounded things off for Billy Davies’ side.
Derby Lineup: Camp (Kean 63), Edworthy, McEveley (Meredith 46), Leacock (Addison 63), Johnson, Beardsley, Camara (Amory), Malcolm, Pearson (Booth 63), Teale (Mills 63), Macken (Ujcik 63).
Stafford Rangers 1 Derby 1
Over at Stafford Rangers meanwhile they were held to a 1-1 draw with Stafford eqaulising a Paris Simmons goal.
Derby Lineup: Hinchliffe (Atkins 70), Mears (Forde 62), Jackson, Simmons, Moore (Ojaama 70), Nyatanga (Hanson 46) (Dudley 67), Jones, Oakley (Loesch 62), Howard (Robertson 62), Fagan, Holmes (Ricahrds 46).
Northern Ireland XI 0 Everton 2
Everton were another side to split their squad and play two games on Saturday. One squad took on a Northern Ireland XI, winning the game 2-0 with goals from Vaughan and Asgard. The main news in this game being that Andy Johnson played an hour of the game thus removing any doubts that he may struggle pre-season.
Everton Lineup: Turner, Irving, Valente, Rodwell, Lescott, vd Meyde, de Silva, Carsley, Molyneux (Harper 85),Vaughan (Connor 72), Johnson (Agard 66)
Bury 0 Everton 1
Meanwhile Everton’s second side defeated Bury 1-0 with a goal from teenager striker Jutkiewicz. Arteta, Beattie and Osman all failed fitness tests for this game but none of the injuries are said to be serious enough for concern. New signing Phil Jagielka meanwhile was not included in the squads but will lineup against Preston next week. It will be interesting where he’ll be played consdering the various classifications you can find around the games out there.
Everton Lineup: Ruddy, Hibbert, Stubbs, Dennehy, Boyle, Morrison, Neville, Vidarsson, Kissock, Jutkiewicz (Barnett 56), Anichebe
Crewe 0 Liverpool 3
Liverpool cruised to a 3-0 win at Gresty Road with goals from Lee Peltier, Peter Crouch and Ray Putterill. New signing Andriy Voronin was proclaimed as the star man in the game, looking a real handful in his first 45-mintues in a Liverpool shirt. Rafa takes his team to face Werder Bremen and Auxerre in Switzerland next week, in games that are likely to reveal a little more of his plans for the new season – including a likely debuts for Torres, Babel and Benayoun.
Liverpool Lineup 1st Half: Reina, Riise, Hyypia, Roque, Finnan, El Zhar, Peltier, Spearing, Gerrard, Crouch, Voronin.
Liverpool Lineup 2nd Half: Martin, Paletta, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Putterill, Pennant, Alonso, Sissoko, Kuyt, Lindfield
Doncaster Rovers 1 Man City 3
Sven resisted the temptation to hand new signing Bianchi a run out at Doncaster but still fielded a strong side that eventually overcome their Football League opponents 3-1. Corradi, Richards and Mpenza hit the goals for City.
Man City lineup: Isaksson (Hart 46), Richards (D Mills 69), Ball, Onuoha (M Mills 69), Dunne, Ireland, Dabo (Hamann 46), Miller (Johnson 46), Vassell (Corradi 46), Samaras, Mpenza (Dickov 69)
Middlesbrough 0 Schalke 3
Middlesbrough started their pre-season with a whimper, beaten soundly 3-0 by German side Schalke on Saturday night. Boro were without Woodgate and Huth who are both still struggling with injuries while Aliadiere, Downing, Arca and Riggott were all carrying minor knocks. Tuncay Sanli did make his debut though and the interesting thing here is that he seemed to alternate with Morrison in a 4-4-2 as a partner for Yakubu or a right winger.
Middlesbrough Lineup 1st Half: Turnbull, Davies, Grounds, Pogatetz, Wheater, Tuncay, Boateng, Rochemback, Yakubu, Morrison, Johnson.
Middlesbrough Lineup 2nd Half: Knight, Hines, Taylor, Pogatetz, Wheater, Euell, Kennedy, Cattermole, Yakubu (Morrison 72), Craddock, Johnson (Walker 65).
Yeovil 0 Portsmouth 2
Portsmouth fielded 5 new signings in their 2-0 win at Yeovil. Cranie and Distin both started in defence while Hreidarsson, Muntari and Nugent all appeared in the second half. Utaka was absent as he is still awaiting his work permit. Portsmouth’s goals were scored by Lua Lua and Geovani. The Brazilian striker is on trial at Pompey and would have impressed Harry in this outing, scoring one and setting up Lua Lua for his goal.
Portsmouth lineup 1st Half: James, Cranie, Campbell, Distin, Traore, Lauren, Mendes, Davis, Kranjcar, Gianovani, Lualua.
Portsmouth lineup 2nd Half: James, Pamarot, O’Brien, Hreidarsson, Stefanovic, Songo’o, Mvuemba, Muntari, Taylor, Gianovani (Duffy), Nugent.
Dagenham 0 West Ham 2
Dean Ashton made a belated return in a Hammers shirt, playing out a full 45-minutes in the 2-0 at League newcomers Dagenham. Ashton hit the bar in the second half with a head but it was Mark Noble who shone, scoring the first of the West Ham goals with a stunning free kick to promote himself in Curbishley’s thinking for the new season. Along with Nolan at Bolton, he’s a midfielder worth watching as we approach the August 11 kickoff. Also worth noting is that new signing Faubert played in midfield in the second half, while Gabbidon and Upson confirmed their fitness in defence with full 45 minute run-outs. West Ham’s second goal was an own goal from a Boa Morte corner.
West Ham 1st Half: Green, Pantsil, Collins, Gabbidon, McCartney; Reid, Mullins, Bowyer, Etherington; Hines, Cole.
West Ham 2nd Half: Wright; Pantsil (Ferdinand 82), Davenport, Upson, Spector; Faubert, Parker, Collison, Boa Morte; Cole (Noble 67), Ashton.