Here’s an update on the pre-season games from the end of last week. We cover Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle, Southampton, WBA, West Ham, Aston Villa and Man City. We’ll look at the lineups, goal scorers and form players. We’ll try and track the potential budget players and big hitters and also say what we think the first choice lineup looks like on the current information.
Wycome 0 Chelsea 5
Scorers Bamford 20, Brown 47, 86, Terry 50, Ivanovic 66.
Lineups:
First-half line-up (4-2-3-1): Mark Schwarzer (c); Todd Kane (Kurt Zouma 20), Nathaniel Chalobah, Andreas Christensen, Nathan Ake; Oriol Romeu, Marco van Ginkel; Lucas Piazon, Lewis Baker, John Swift; Patrick Bamford.
Second-half line-up (4-2-3-1): Mark Schwarzer (Mitchell Beeney 73); Branislav Ivanovic, Kurt Zouma, John Terry (c), Jay Dasilva; Oriol Romeu (Jordan Houghton 73), Nemanja Matic; Mohamed Salah, Jeremie Boga, Izzy Brown; Dominic Solanke.
No World Cup players so little learned in terms of the preffered lineup. A number of former loanees also played along with the U21 side. Former Derby loanee Bamford was probably the notable player.
Here’s my initial thoughts on what Chelseas line up will end up being Courtois – Ivanovic/Azpilicueta, Felipe Luis, Cahill, Terry – Matic, Fabregas – Hazard, Oscar, Willian/Schurrle – Costa
Brondby 2 Liverpool 1
Liverpool: B Jones (Ward 81), Kelly (Wisdom 45), Ilori (Stewart 22), Agger (Skrtel 45), Smith (Flanagan 45), Lucas (Peterson 45), Rossiter (Coady 45), Coutinho (Allen 45), Suso (Adorjan 45), Borini (Phillips 45), Teixeira (Ibe 45).
Subs: L Jones
Goal: Peterson 47
No new signings in this and no World Cup players so a bit of a waste of time fantasy wise. Ibe and Coutinho were probably the stars. Interestingly the formation played was 4-2-3-1 which may mean something although it could just be a reaction to personnel available.
Hard to put together how Liverpool will line up as the formation is unclear but if we use 4-2-3-1 then it could be Mignolet – Johnson, Flanagan, Skrtel, Agger/Toure/Sakho – Gerrard, Henderson – Coutinho/Markovic, Lallana, Sterling – Sturridge
Oldham 2 Newcastle 1
NEWCASTLE (4-4-1-1): Alnwick; Anita (Satka 54), S Taylor (Streete 64), Yanga-Mbiwa, Dummett (Bigirimana 71); Gouffran (Ameobi 46), Abeid, Colback, Aarons (Haidara 64); de Jong (Vuckic 64); Armstrong (Perez 54).
Goal: De Jong
No Janmaat, Krul, Tiote and Sissoko from the WC. Also no new signing Riverie. £4.0m cheapie S Taylor started but so did £4.5m MYM so nothing gained there. Cheapie £4.0m LB Dummett did start. Missing was HBA who looks on his way out.
The match was probably notable for the performance of Siem De Jong whio scored with a rebounded free kick he took. Also new signing Perez got on the pitch.
A possible line up could be:
Krul – Janmaat, Dummett/Haidara, Coloccini, Taylor/MYM – Tiote, Sissoko, Gouffran, Colback/DeJong – DeJong/Perez, Riviere
Hoensbrook 0 Southampton 4
Southampton: K. Davis, Chambers, Fonte, Turnbull, Clyne, Cork, Reed, Ward-Prowse, Sinclair, McQueen, Mayuka.
Subs: Gazzaniga, McCarthy, Stephens, Hooiveld, Targett, Flanningan, S. Davis, Tadić, Isgrove, Sharp, Gallagher.
Goals: McQueen 12, Chambers 44, Sharp (pen) 62, Davis 64.
The new manager changed 11 at half time so not that meaningful. Boruc, Lovren, Yoshida, Ramirez, Schneiderlin didn’t appear due to WC. New signing Pelle wasn’t involved.
Nothing particularly interesting to report form wise against poor opposition. Probably the most interesting thing was Clyne at LB and £4.0m Chambers at RB. Clyne could fill this spot with 2 LB’s in Shaw and Fox having left.
Here’s the best I can do with the lineup at the moment although remember Lovren is a flight risk.
Boruc – Chambers, Clyne, Lovren, Fonte – Wanyama/Cork, Schneiderlin – Davis, Tadic, Ramirez – Pelle
Shrewsbury 1 WBA 2
West Brom starting XI (4-2-3-1): Myhill (L Daniels HT); O’Neil (Baird HT), Dawson (O’Neil 87), Olsson (D Daniels HT), Pocognoli (Garmston HT); Mulumbu (Thorne HT), Yacob (Gardner HT); Berahino (O’Sullivan 79), Sessegnon (A Nabi 79), Roofe (Dorrans HT); Anichebe (Roofe 79).
Sub not used: Atkinson.
Absentees: Gareth McAuley, Joleon Lescott (tight calves), Chris Brunt (groin), James Morrison (knee) and Ben Foster (extended break).
Goals: Anichebe, Mulumbu
Multiple changes again ruled the day so difficult to take anything from it. Potential £4.0m cheapie Baird played RB although the potential loan of Wisdom may cloud that although he too is £4.0m. New £4.5m LB Pocognoli started. £5.5m cheapie FWD Anichebe scored for those looking at 3-5-2. Sessegnon with 2 assists was probably the most positive form shown in a disappointing performance
A possible lione up could be: Foster – Baird/Wisdom, Pocognoli, Lescott, McAuley – Mulumbu, Yacob/Thorne – Morrison/Berahino/Dorrans, Sessegnon, Brunt – Anichebe
Ipswich 0 West Ham 0
WEST HAM: Jaaskelainen, Demel, Collins, Tomkins, Cresswell, Kouyate, Noble, Downing, Diame, Jarvis, Cole
SUBS: Adrian, O’Brien, Reid, Chambers, Page, Cullen, Poyet, Vaz Te, Nolan, Lletget, Zarate, McCallum, Spiegel, Jarney, Sadlier
Not a particularly good start to Big Sams promise of more attacking football. West Ham have no WC worries so everyone potentially on show eexcept for new boy Enner Valencia. As you can imagine from the result it wasn’t exactly a sucess for new entertaining football. The big issue again was the lack of Andy Carroll. Rumours of a return to Newcastle continue. The starting lineup was strong and it is a positive point for £4.5m Collins starting over Reid. I don’t understand how myself but it did happen last year. Form wise Cresswell seemed to have the best game.
My thoughts on the lineup at this stage would be Adrain – Demel, Creswell, Tomkins, Reid/Collins – Noble, Nolan, Kouyate – Downing, Valencia, Zarate/Diame. I’ve left Andy Carroll off that at the moment as something isn’t right
Mansfield 1 Aston Villa 3
Goals: Bent 2 Gardner
VILLA (1st half): Given, Lowton, Okore, Clark, Bennett, Bacuna, Carruthers, Delph, Tonev, Cole, Agbonlahor. VILLA (2nd half): Steer, Herd, Westwood, Baker, Hutton, El Ahmadi, Gardner, Richardson, N’Zogbia, Bent, Weimann. Subs: Grealish, Stevens.
Another game of 2 halves. Both half teams were evenly balanced. CBs Vlaar and Senderos were absent through WC participation. No real baragins to look out for. The defence is mainly £4.5m so Vlaar is the natural choice. In midfield nothing particularly standouts out. £5.0m FWD Bent was the star with 2 goals. Should be interesting to see who lines up in Bentekes absence
To hard to pick a lineup at the moment
Hearts 1 Man City 2
First half: Wright, Richards, Leigh, Nastasic, Rekik, Garcia, Zuculini, Sinclair, Nasri, Navas, Negredo.
Second half: Caballero, Bossaerts, Kolarov, Denayer, Boyata, Rodwell, Fernando, Sinclair, Huws, Jovetic, Guidetti
Goals: Kolarov pen Sinclair
The first half lineup probably had the most amount of potential starters. Interestingly form wise it was Sinclair who probably shone
My thoughts on City’s ultimate lineup could be
Hart – Zabaleta, Clichy/Kolarov, Kompany Demichelis – Fernandinho YYT Nasri Silva – Dzeko Aguero
With most of the side still on post World Cup rest and 2 different sides for each half th is couldn’t have been more of a waste of time.
Sporting Hasselt 0-6 Southampton
Goals: Pelle 2, McQueen, Weerts og, Mayuka, Gallagher
Southampton first-half XI: Davis, McCarthy, Stephens, Hooiveld, Targett, Cork, Ward-Prowse, Davis, Tadic, Isgrove, Pelle.
Southampton second-half XI: Boruc , Chambers, Fonte, Yoshida, Turnbull, Flannigan, Reed, Sharp, McQueen, Mayuka, Gallagher.
Again 2 mixed sides which changed at half time. No Clyne but £4.0m Chambers again started at RB. Also no Wanyama.
New FPL £7.5m FWD Pelle had a great debut with 2 goals and was the star of the show. 2 games for £7.5m new player Tadic with little impression though.
Boruc – Chambers Clyne Lovren Fonte – Wanyama/Cork Schneiderlin – Davis Tadic Ramirez – Pelle
Thats it, I’ll catch up with the weekends games early next week
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