Another busy night of friendlies sees Liverpool held, Wigan defeated, a Johnson-less Everton win at Preston and Barry booed with every touch as Villa edge past Walsall. Here’s all the notable events and lineups from tonight’s action…
Preston 0 Everton 1
Everton recovered from two consecutive pre-season defeats to sneak a win against Championship Preston. The goal came on nine minutes as Jagielka headed home a Baxter corner kick. The second-half petered out but was notable for the appearance of Arteta after the hour mark as he continued his recovery from a summer operation on his stomach injury.
In terms of team selection, the big talking point was the absence of Andy Johnson. He is at the centre of quite a bit of transfer speculation and his omission tonight will add further fuel to that. Moyes was also without Baines, Osman, Hibbert, Cahill and Vaughan through injury while Yobo and Yakubu are still on a prolonged break due to international commitments. Anichebe meanwhile was preparing for his participation in the Olympics with Nigeria.
It’s interesting that van der Meyde has started every pre-season game thus far. Could he be set to play a part in Everton’s early season? Unless Moyes can bring in the “five or six” players he’s been talking about, that seems a distinct possibility.
Everton vs Preston:
Turner, Neville, Valente (Molyneux 75), Rodwell, Lescott, Jagielka, van der Meyde, Gosling, Jutkiewicz (Irving 90), Agard (Arteta 63), Baxter (O’Kane 83).
Eintracht Frankfurt 2 Wigan 0
Steve Bruce’s side slipped to defeat against their Bundesliga opponents as De Ridder and Kapo made their first appearances in Wigan colours. De Ridder started the game on the left of midfield and was replaced by Kapo after the hour mark. Overall it was a strong Wigan side which certainly had more than a whiff of “first eleven” about it.
Bruce’s side take on Hannover 96 next on Friday evening and I’m keen to see if Bruce pitches Kapo in a support role to Heskey for that one, although Amr Zaki could also earn a debut.
Wigan vs Eintracht Frankfurt:
Kirkland (Pollitt 46); Boyce, Bramble, Scharner, Kilbane (Camara 60); Valencia (Cotterill 72), Brown, Palacios (Kupisc 67), de Ridder (Kapo 60): Siberski (Taylor 46), Heskey
Stoke City 0 FC Nuremberg 1
A goal from Greek start striker Angelos Charisteas was enough to see off the Premiership new boys. Kitson made his debut for Stoke in driving rain. He turned out for just 45 minutes as Pulis rang the changes in the second half. The game offered little insight into his team selection then, although Friday’s encounter with a Bahrain national team and Tuesday’s trip to Notts County should shed some more light.
Stoke City vs FC Nuremberg:
First Half: Simonsen; Griffin, Cort, Shawcross, Pugh; Lawrence, Delap, Whelan, Cresswell, Sidibe, Kitson.
Second Half: Simonsen, Wilkinson, Buxton, Matteo, Dickinson; Pugh, Whelan, Pulis, Diao; Parkin, Pericard.
Chesterfield 0 Hull City 3
Hull cruised to victory against their League two opponents thanks to goals from Geovanni, Windass and Folan. Brazilian Geovanni, again playing up front, got his second pre-season goal after being fed by Fagan. Windass then made it two after fine work on the left by debutant Peter Halmosi. Hull boss Phil Brown then made big changes for the second half as Hull put the game beyond doubt with a third when Folan headed Garcia’s centre past the Chesterfield keeper.
With Mendy, Boateng and Halmosi making debuts tonight, the Hull side is beginning to take shape. Before the game Brown listed Turner, Ricketts, Marney, Fagan, Windass and Geovanni as players that needed to get 60-70 minutes under their belt. Aside from the ageing Windass, those names would appear to be in the frame as certain starters come August 16.
Geovanni continues to do himself no harm in the fantasy stakes, hitting a second pre-season goal tonight as Brown again hands him a role off the striker. Halmosi was also significant in tonight’s game and will clearly hog Hull’s set-pieces this season.
Hull City vs Chesterfield:
Duke (Warner 45), Turner (Welsh 71mins), Mendy (Doyle 45), Cooper (Brown 45), Ricketts (France 67), Boateng (Ashbee 45), Marney (Featherstone 67), Fagan (Garcia 62), Halmosi (Hughes 45), Geovanni (Barmby 56), Windass (Folan 45).
Szombathelyi H. 1 Arsenal 1
Theo Walcott spared Arsenal’s blushes as they began their Austrian training camp with a draw against their Hungarian opposition.
Wenger selected a similar side to the one that scrapped past Barnet. The one notable change was the inclusion of Carlos Vela for his Arsenal debut. He joined Bendtner up front, allowing Walcott to drop into midfield. That could be significant with Wenger hinting that Walcott may well be best suited to that position as he pushes for more starts next season.
Wenger’s side take on a Burgenland XI next Monday evening as they prepare for the Emirates Cup in early August.
Arsenal vs Szombathelyi H.:
Almunia (Mannone 45), J Hoyte, G Hoyte (Traore 45), Sagna, Clichy, Wilshire (Coquelin 62), Denilson, Ramsey (Lansbury 45), Walcott, Bendtner (Simpson 62), Vela (Randall 45).
Hertha Berlin 0 Liverpool 0
Voronin missed the opportunity to hand Rafa’s men victory as he saw a second half penalty saved after he was dragged down in the box. In truth though it was another lacklustre game which fizzled out as the changes kept coming in the second half.
Yet again then, there is little to be learned from this Liverpool friendly. Rafa has indicated that his side will step things up when Torres, Reina, Alonso and Arbeloa all return from their extended breaks. The quartet will return to training on Friday although to counter that, Benitez will now wave goodbye to Lucas, Mascherano and Babel as they join up with their international sides for the Olympics.
Liverpool take on Villarreal next Wednesday when I’d expect the Liverpool side to have a far more solid and familiar look to it.
Liverpool vs Hertha Berlin:
Cavalieri (Martin 65), Insua (Dossena 45), Carragher (Skrtel 45), Agger (Hyypia 45), Darby (Degen 45), Leto (Spearing 76), Mascherano, Plessis (Hobbs 65), Pennant (Benayoun 65), Voronin, Pacheco (Kuyt 74).
Orlando Pirates 0 Man United 1
Lee Martin struck the winner for United as they recorded this Vodacom Challenge victory. Martin fired the winner after latching on to a smart Frazier Campbell flick on.
Ferguson blooded youngsters Evans, Gibson, Campbell and Martin for this one but the lineup sitll had a solid look to it with Ferdinand playing his first pre-season game and seeing out the 90 minutes. Brown also turned out for the full game before returning to England tomorrow, Tevez started up front and Rooney and Scholes appeared for the final 20 minutes.
United will have their final game of the tournament on Saturday against either the Pirates or the Kaizer Chiefs
Man United vs Orlando Pirates:
Foster, Brown, Ferdinand, Evans (Simpson 88), Silvestre (O’Shea 62), Eagles, Carrick (Scholes 69), Gibson (Fletcher 82), Martin, Tevez (Rooney 69), Campbell.
Shrewsbury 2 West Brom 2
Goals from Kim and Morrison earned the Baggies a draw in a game that sprung to life in the second half. Mowbray’s side were trailing 2-0 before Kim and Morrison produced quality strikes from distant to save the day.
West Brom again went with three strikers with Bednar, Moore and McDonald getting the nod and Miller dropping to the bench.
West Brom vs Shrewsbury:
Kiely (Danek 70); Hodgkiss, Pele, Clement, Robinson; Dorrans (Lake-Gaskin 70), Morrison, Kim, MacDonald (Saied 70); Moore, Bednar (Elford-Alliyu 70).
Walsall 2 Aston Villa 3
Gareth Barry was roundly booed by a section of Villa fans as he turned out for the first time in Villa colours after declaring his intention to leave the club. Barry was stripped of the captaincy for this one, with Harewood taking the armband. In terms of result, Villa recorded the win thanks to a brace from Maloney and a winner from Routledge. O’Neill gave opportunities to a host of his younger players in this one with senior players like Carew, Young and Petrov rested for second leg of the Intertoto on Saturday. Maloney will certainy have done himself some good however and will now push for a start as Villa look to seal their progress against Odense.
Aston Villa vs Walsall:
Parish, Salifou, Lichaj, Baker (Roome 73 ) Steiber, Routledge, Osbourne, Barry (Bannan 60 ) Maloney, Defouneso (Albrighton 82 ) Harewood.
Middlesbrough 1 Celtic 1
A fortunate goal from substitute Aliadiere was almost enough to give Southgate’s men victory over their Scottish opponents in the first match of the Algarve Cup. Strachan’s side fought back and earned an equaliser in the final minute.
Southgate handed a debut to new signing Emnes up front, while his starting midfield was rotated with Shawky and Arca playing alongside youngsters Walker and Owens. The starting back four had a very strong look about it though, with Wheater and Pogatetz providing the spine. Turnbull got the nod over Jones in goal for the entire 90 minutes, adding doubt to just who Southgate fancies for the shirt come the season kick-off.
Middlesbrough vs Celtic:
First Half: Turnbull; Young, Wheater, Pogatetz, Grounds, Emnes, Walker, Shawky, Arca, Owens, Alves.
Second Half: Turnbull; McMahon, Williams, Huth, Taylor; Walker (Tuncay 74), J Johnson, Digard, O’Neil, A Johnson; Aliadiere