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Late start today at 3pm but I wasn't to be fooled! A good session too where I think they were worked harder than yesterday. Good warm up routines mixed with fun sharp exercises and then they went onto a game on basically half a pitch. Not much room to dwell on the ball and everbody seemed well up for it.

Nothing to tell from the team line ups as they were all mixed but I got the impression that Micah was maybe putting extra in. Johnno looking ok in midfield if not yet fully sharp , Bellers looking for as much of the ball as possible but somehow today it just wouldnt go in for him.Really good to see such a high intensity game as a warm up prior to a match tomorrow.

At the end a few stayed behind for more. Bellers , Petrov , Tevez with Garrido working on free kicks and at the other end Ade and RSC on shooting practice.Working hard too with Eddie N pushing them. Sometimes it was 6 balls on the edge of the area taken in turn right foot left foot and then it would be taking on crosses ( from Vidal and Silvinho) and after thet it was feeds from Eddie to the edge of the box and either 1 or 2 touch finishes.

Plenty were going high and wide but as they say practice makes perfect. let's hope so but at least it kept Lewis occupied as he was ball boy in the horses field where the balls were landing.

Needless to say Hughes had to have a go at this volley stuff and typically his first attempt went into the top corner like a bullet. Bowen was not so good!

Re Johnson- is he still carrying a lot of weight, or has he reverted to a similar build he was when at match fitness?

good stuff yet again mr H
sounds like hughes has still got the touch and as we have no bigman upfront tomorrow whats the chances of him starting

BlueinBosnia wrote:Re Johnson- is he still carrying a lot of weight, or has he reverted to a similar build he was when at match fitness?

steve isle of man wrote:Thanks Doug
Would Jonno look out of place in a premier game now?
Is he still sporting the crew-cut and bum-fluff look?

Biamp wrote: How's Johnson looking? Does he look fitter? How long do you think until he gets involved with first team action?

Slim wrote:Does Johnno look ready to step onto the pitch at all? I think another option in midfield is something we are really missing at the moment

Mark Garrett wrote:What about Johnson mate? Is he looking sharp enough to be involved on Monday night?

Same question EVERY Training thread !!

Abu Dhabi wrote:

BlueinBosnia wrote:Re Johnson- is he still carrying a lot of weight, or has he reverted to a similar build he was when at match fitness?

steve isle of man wrote:Thanks Doug
Would Jonno look out of place in a premier game now?
Is he still sporting the crew-cut and bum-fluff look?

Biamp wrote: How's Johnson looking? Does he look fitter? How long do you think until he gets involved with first team action?

Slim wrote:Does Johnno look ready to step onto the pitch at all? I think another option in midfield is something we are really missing at the moment

Mark Garrett wrote:What about Johnson mate? Is he looking sharp enough to be involved on Monday night?

Same question EVERY Training thread !!

Pretty much, but I was wondering more along the lines of whether it's 'perma-bulk', or merely weight he'd gained during injury, that was being shed on the way to achieving match fitness.

Hughes's volley was like a bullet. BANG, Top corner, It flew as soon as it left his boot. The squad is in great mood and has got a very warm feeling to it right now!! Looking forward to tommorow night and hopefully we can stuff them!! I'm looking forward to it, I will see some of you there tommorow night no doubt.

Cheers

Lewis

I would not say Johnson is ready for a prem start yet. As I have said he has a good touch and awareness and can still make a pass and score goals but he needs real match practice to get properly fit. Looks to me he has bulked up from all the work he has done inside and is simply a bigger unit now but the quality is still there. Still the crew cut and possibly a little bit to work off around the backside but I would not be at all surprised to see him on the bench soon.

Do you think Santa cruz will be on the bench tommorow then?

Seanmcfc1 wrote:Do you think Santa cruz will be on the bench tommorow then?

Yes I do.

Doug, any word on Robinho?

Blue Toy wrote:Doug, any word on Robinho?

Funny you should mention that but no. I say funny because we did realise afterwards that we forgot to ask and it is weird that we should forget about somebody so talented as Robinho. I suppose that in a way reflects the quality we have in the squad that maybe he isn't the key player missing. He was in that leg splint thing at the swamp and I know he is out of that now. I expect to see him out running in a week or so.

hughes always did have a bloody good shot on him.

" At the end a few stayed behind for more. Bellers , Petrov , Tevez with Garrido working on free kicks"

Nice to see those extras paying off. Petrov worked very hard in training on Saturday and when the rest of the regular first team squad went in he stayed for more work bombing up an down the wing. Then after the Sunday session he stayed back to take some free kicks. Well done Martin.

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:" At the end a few stayed behind for more. Bellers , Petrov , Tevez with Garrido working on free kicks"

Nice to see those extras paying off. Petrov worked very hard in training on Saturday and when the rest of the regular first team squad went in he stayed for more work bombing up an down the wing. Then after the Sunday session he stayed back to take some free kicks. Well done Martin.

And petrov practising those freekicks certanly paid of tonight hey. Quality!! Petrov certanly impressed me and a few others tonight.

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:" At the end a few stayed behind for more. Bellers , Petrov , Tevez with Garrido working on free kicks"

Nice to see those extras paying off. Petrov worked very hard in training on Saturday and when the rest of the regular first team squad went in he stayed for more work bombing up an down the wing. Then after the Sunday session he stayed back to take some free kicks. Well done Martin.

It certainly does help all that extra work. Also great to see our players desperate to get in the team. Competition really does bring out the best in sportsmen.