There were plenty of friendlies last night as the Premiership big boys continue to ramp up their preparations for the new season. Highlights included a second brace for Bellamy, a sparkling display from de Ridder and another win for Chelsea as Anelka continues to look interested. Well I never.
Here’s the notes..
Barnsley 0 Wigan 6
Wigan’s pre-season took off with a highly impressive win at Championship Barnsley. De Ridder grabbed the headlines with a lively display and a brace of goals with King, Heskey, Valencia and Brown completing the rout.
Bruce gave Lee Cattermole his debut in midfield after his move from Boro was completed last night. He enjoyed a memorable debut, biting into tackles and providing creative impetus alongside Palacious. It was Cattermole who provided the assist for Wigan’s first, feeding King who found the top corner after just 8 minutes. Heskey added a second and three minutes later de Ridder hit a crossfield ball that found Valencia who struck the ball home to make it 3-0.
de Ridder then fired the first of his two goals with a deflected effort before delightfully chipping the Barnsley keeper to make it five. He had the chance to claim a hat-trick minutes later but saw his spot-kick saved. However, Brown capped the night for Bruce’s side, providing the finish from a Cotterill cross.
Wigan’s lineup looked strong with Bruce opting with Figueroa at left back after he agreed an extended loan at the club. Kilbane started in midfield but moved to left-back after Scharner sustained an ankle injury after just 11 minutes. That saw Figueroa shift to centre-back. King started alongside Heskey for the first time in pre-season, perhaps indicating that Bruce may hold onto the striker. Brown’s demotion to the bench to make way for Cattermole meanwhile, may indicate that his future lies elsewhere.
Wigan take on Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.
Wigan vs Barnsley:
Pollitt, Melchiot (Montrose), Boyce, Scharner (Valencia(Kupisz)), Figueroa; Cattermole (Cotterill), Palacios (Brown), de Ridder, Kilbane; Heskey (Camara, 46), King.
Peterborough 0 West Ham 2
Craig Bellamy continued his impressive pre-season by firing his third and fourth goals of the summer to see off League One Peteborough.
The Welsh strike hit the first after just three minutes, receiving a pass from Parker before rounding the keeper to finish. He hit his second with 3 minutes to go before half-time, lifting the ball over the keeper from a Neill pass.
Curbishley handed a debut to new signing Behrami. He started at right-back with club skipper Neill moving to the left of the defence. That would seem to indicate that McCartney’s place will be under threat next season. Ashton missed out due to illness.
The Hammers take on Southampton next on Friday.
West Ham vs Peterborough:
Green (Stech 69), Neill, Ferdinand (Collison 82), Upson, Behrami (Widdowson 66), Parker, Faubert, Noble, Reid (Stanislas 82), Bellamy (Sears 69), Cole.
Notts County 0 Stoke City 2
A first half brace from Mamady Sidibe was enough to see off County.
Stoke boss Pulis gave Kitson another run out. He again showed promise over another 45 minutes but with the likes of Lawrence and Fuller still missing, Stoke still lacked firepower. New signing ,Olofinjana, was also missing but will hope for his first start against Shrewsbury on Saturday.
Stoke City vs Notts County:
Simonsen; Griffin, Shawcross, Pugh; Pulis, Delap, Diao (Dickinson 46), Whelan (Shotton 65); Cresswell (De Laet 71), Sidibe (Pericard 46), Kitson (Parkin 46).
Northampton 0 West Brom 1
A fine goal from Korean Do-Heon Kim, his second in pre-season, decided this game. Kim curled home a 20-yard free kick to cap an impressive performance in the centre of midfield.
Mowbray chose to rest the likes of Greening, Morrison, Clement, Robinson and Miller for this one but did hand Carson his first start in goal. He shifted back to a conventional 4-4-2 after dabbling with 4-5-1 last time out. That meant that Cech was deployed at left-back having been pushed into midfield against Ipswich.
The Baggies take on Hereford on Friday next.
West Brom vs Northampton:
Carson (Kiely 45); Hodgkiss (Barnett 45), Hoefkens, Pele, Cech; Dorrans (Elford-Alliyu 45), Worrall, Kim (MacDonald 60), Brunt (Tininho 45); Bednar (Beattie 60), Moore (Slusarski 60)
Crystal Palace 0 Fulham 0
Hodgson blooded some youngsters and second string players at Championship Palace and saw them battle to a draw in Dougie Freedman’s testimonial.
Trialist Zuberhuler started in goal, while youngsters Moncur and Milson lined up in an inexperienced back four.
Fulham travel to Birmingham next Saturday in a game which should see returns for the likes of Zamora, Bullard and Davies. Andrew Johnson could even make his debut against his former club if his move from Everton is completed later today as expected.
Fulham vs Crystal Palace:
Zuberhuler (Stockdale 45), Moncur, Milsom, Kallio, Baird, Davis, Dempsey (Brown 45), Smertin (Anderson 60), Johnson, Nevland (Wilson 60), Cook (Bouazza 45).
Malaysia 0 Chelsea 2
Anelka contnued his decent pre-season run with another goal to help Chelsea on their way to a 2-0 win over a Malaysian XI. Ashley Cole got the second to wrap up the win.
Scolari went with a 4-3-3 for the second game running but gave us something to think about by opting to shift Essien to right-back rather than persevere with Ferreira in the absence of the injured Bosingwa. Ferreira did appear in the second-half however with Essien moving into midfield. Bridge got a first pre-season start at left-back following his new contract agreement.
Deco, Lampard and Mikel all got starts again for the third game running. Wright-Philllips also kept his place in the starting lineup playing to the right of Anelka with Joe Cole on the left of the front three.
Chelsea vs Malaysia:
Cech (Cudicini 64); Essien, Carvalho (Alex 45), Terry (Ivanovic 77), Bridge (A Cole 45); Deco (Shevchenko 64), Mikel, Lampard (Sinclair 77); Wright-Phillips (Ferreira 45), Anelka (Di Santo 64), J Cole (Malouda 45).
Carlisle 1 Middlesbrough 2
Goals from Aliadiere and new singing, Didier Digard, gave Southgate’s men the win at League one Carlisle.
Southgate handed a start to Mido – his first appearance in a Boro shirt for many months. Aliadiere started out wide on the right with Johnson on the left – Mido and Alves up front. Jones got the nod over Turnbull in goal as Southgate continues to rotate the pair in pre-season giving us few clues as to who has the edge for the keepers jersey right now.
Boro travel to Hibs on Saturday.
Middlesbrough vs Carlisle:
Jones (Steele 71); Young (McMahon 79), Huth (Grounds 67), Wheater, Taylor (Bennett 79); Aliadiere (Emnes 79), Shawky, Digard (Arca 67), Johnson; Alves, Mido (Tuncay 46).
Oldham 1 Hull City 1
Caleb Folan got the goal for the Premiership newboys but it wasn’t enough to give Phil Brown’s men a much-needed pre-season win. Folan headed home from a Fagan cross on 39 minutes. The league one side levelled the game on 69 minutes and Hull were unable to claw back the lead.
Brown started with new signing Gardner alongside Turner in the centre of defence with Dawson at left-back and Mendy on the right. Geovanni moved into midfield for this one having previously being employed up front. Fagan partnered Folan in attack.
Hull City vs Oldham:
Duke, Dawson (Ricketts 45), Mendy (Garcia 78), Turner, Gardner ( Brown 59), Ashbee, Boateng, Geovanni, Halmosi, Fagan, Folan,