A different day today as only 3 were doing "normal" training ( Micah/Stevie and Vinnie with the others all being involved in a specially arranged reserve game a bit later on. Benjani again working 1 to 1 and the really good news that Robinho also came out for some 1 to 1 stuff as well. Nothing with a ball but just good to see him outside running.
Even with just 3 of them Eddie got them doing some good workouts after the warm ups. Using 3 boards to play off they were playing fast one 2's which needed a good first touch and crisp accurate passing to switch the direction. Sounds easy but it wasn't. Then they changed to a variety of moves involving all the 3 which apart from the passing,crossing and finishing also focussed a lot on the recovery runs after the finish.They were pushed pretty hard during this session.
Then I went over to watch the reserve game v Doncaster and it was a strong Doncaster side. City's team was David ( the Columbian keeper) Vidal, Boyata, Mee and Silvinho in defence and Trippier,Johnson,Tutte and Garrido across the middle with RSC and Ball up top. Quiet a good game all round with Trippier looking good down the right and creating a number of good situations. Johnson showed his quality in the time he seems to have on receiving the ball and basically never gave it away. The only goal of the half was a Johnson through ball to Ball which he finished well past Sullivan. Ball missed an even better chance from a pass by Vidal ( I think) and RSC had a couple of chances , one saved by the keepers legs and the other he tried to chest down rather than head which looked the better option.
No changes at the start of the 2nd half for City but it looked like Doncaster brought on even more experience. Billy Sharp and Heffernan being 2 names up front and the game changed as we were put under more pressure. On the break we still looked dangerous but there was less space to play in but after about 60 minutes we took off RSC/Johnson/Silvinho/Garrido and Tutte with the score still at 1 nil. The new players were Clayton,Nimely,Cunningham,Poole and Marshall. The change in the flow became even more evident and with just unedr 10 minutes to go they got a soft free kick just outside the box which was just smashed into the corner. It was either straight through the wall ( if there was one) or if not just to where the keeper should have been. Within a minute they scored again from 25 yards out and it was almost a speculative shot which caught the keeper off his line.
Redshaw came on for Ball and although we got into a couple of great crossing positions they didn't beat the first man and it was Donny who almost scored again when Heffernan hit the post. A really tough work out for the boys and who knows whether we would have hung on if the 5 hadn't left the field. For Johnno and RSC more good match time under the belt and more still needed.
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