Here’s a quick look at the Sundays pre-season matches for Aston Villa, Chelsea, Arsenal and Stoke taking a quick look at form, line up issues, bargains and value
Shamrock Rovers 0 Aston Villa 2
Aston Villa Line up: Guzan, Lowton (Bacuna 45), Vlaar (Clark 45), Baker, El Ahmadi (Delph 45), Agbonlahor (Carruthers 75), Luna (Okore 45), Westwood (Sylla 75), Benteke (Gardner 75), Tonev (Helenius 45), Weimann.
Goals: Weimann 15, Benteke 30.
Line up looks pretty much a first team one. £4.0m defender Baker started despite my scpetisim. I just cant see how Okore wont start as he’s recovered from injury. He has a far better pedigree. Tonev and El Ahmadi started instead of what I think will be Bacuna and Delph on GW1. Importantly Benteke Weiman (both scoring) and Agbonlahor lined up in a front 3 as expected. Next game is against Malaga next week which should show Lamberts GW1 line up.
Strong performances from the goal scorers and Lowton. Subs Carruthers and new strker Helenius also shone.
AC Milan 0 Chelsea 2
Chelsea: 4-2-3-1 Cech (Schwarzer 45); Azpilicueta (Terry 45), Ivanovic, Cahill, Bertrand (Cole 45); Van Ginkel (Mikel 65), Essien (Ramires 45); De Bruyne (Moses 45), Oscar (Mata 45), Hazard (Schurrle 65); Ba (Torres 45, Lukaku 85).
Booked: Ivanovic.
Goals: De Bruyne 28 (Hazard assist) . Schurrle 90 (Moses assist).
Unfortunately the side that we need the most clarity over, due to the large squad and the double game week, have 2 games in 3 days which really means we may get no clue as what the GW1 line up will be.
Mourinho played 4-2-3-1, Ivanovic and Cahill were the CBs with Azpili and Betrand FBs. The 2 screening midfielders were Van Ginkel and Essien with De Bruyne and Hazard either side of Oscar with Ba leading the line. Luiz and Lamps cried off with injuries.
With 2 of the 3 Spanish contingent on the bench (remember Spain play Ecudaor on the Wednesday before GW1) its possible this could have been a line up although Bertrand definitely wont start and I would back Schurrle starting over De Bruyne.
Ivanovic showed in this game how good he is from set pieces with a couple of good chances. He was also excellent defensively. De Bruyne was impressive as was Moses interestingly, he was a menace to Milan despite spurning a chance to set Torres up. Van Ginkel and Essien in the double pivot looked strong.
All in all a confusing game making the line up even harder to pick for GW1. I just cant see De Bruyne starting and the same for Moses despite a great game. However, life would be alot easier if they had stinkers. As for the strikers we can only hope Rooney joins to give some clarity. Hazard is my only nailed on attacking starter unfortuantely.
Arsenal 1 Galatasary 2
Arsenal Szczesny, Jenkinson, Sagna, Mertesacker, Gibbs (Miquel 69), Arteta, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cazorla (Zelalem 61), Walcott, Sanogo (Giroud 61)
Goal Walcott 38
Subs Martinez, Koscielny, Podolski, Akpom
Pretty close to a full strength lineup. Koscielny will play instead of Jenkinson with Sagna moving to RB and Wilshere will probably play instead of Ramsey in the double pivot. I think Podolski will hold his place over the Ox but it will be a close run thing and despite Sanogo playing well its hard to see anyone except Giroud starting in GW1. Remeber even if Suarez joins he’s suspended.
Anyone thinking Jenkinson may start to give a cheap Arsenal defender wouldnt have been cheered by this performance. Ok going forward but struggled with Sneijder when he came on. Ramsey was excellent and although its impossible to see Wilshere left out Ramsey isnt going to go to the bench for GW1 without a fight. The Oxwas ok but nothing special to think Podolski was quivering over his place on the left flank. Akpom didnt get a run at all and a very long shot miracle cheapie who was in good form in Asia is really only a distant dream.
Nothing else out of the ordinary to report. Arsenal have 1 more game in Finland of all places against Man City where we should see a GW1 line up.
Wrexham 0 Stoke 1
STOKE CITY: Begovic (Sorensen 46); Cameron (Wilkinson 69), Shawcross (c), Huth, Pieters (Muniesa, 69); Pennant (Walters 46), Whelan (Jerome 69), Nzonzi (Palacios 46), Adam (Wilson 69), Etherington (Kightly 46); Crouch (Jones 46). Subs (Not Used): Shotton, Cuvelier.
This really could be the GW1 line up. A 4-5-1 where the defence isnt worth it any longer with no one under £5.0m. The new coach Mark Hughes will be far more attacking and concede far more. There’s no way you’re going to pay the same for a Stoke defender that you will for Toure of Liverpool and Dawson of Spurs.
In the midfield the talking up of Pennant by Hughes and him starting today means we have a credible attacking starter at £4.5m to add to the other gambles of Thomas Barkley and Morrison. However, the only attacking player worth having in my mind is Walters who had good shooting stats last year he just couldnt hit the target. One player who could benefit from the attacking policy is Charlie Adam though. It wasn’t so long ago he was the fantasy premier league midfield darling for Blackpool. Walters and Adam were the undoubted stars of this game with no one else in attack standing out except for Crouch being as wasteful as ever and Etherington also catching the disease.
The good thing is that Stokes first 6 fixtures are the worst of the 20 teams so we’ll have a chance to check out whether Hughes can transform them into a team worthing owning attacking assets. If there is, there are some bargains there brought on by the negativity of Pulis previously.
1 more game next week home to Genoa just to check the line up once and for all and in particular Pennants role
Thats on. hope you enjoyed it.
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