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Felt like going back to work today after a break ! Got there early with Lewis in case they were out early again but they weren't so it was a bit of walking around to keep warm as the cold wind was biting. Lewis totally under dressed for it too , typical young uns :)Training was all behind the fence again so it was just short glimpses we could manage trying not to overdo it so the security guys didn't get too much to complain about. To be fair to them they didn't go on to much apart from stressing the health and safety issues .

First out as ever were the keepers then 5 minutes later Mancini and the rest of the coaches . But after 5 minutes or so went back in to get the rest! Then they all came out pretty well as a group giving the one photographer little time to get sorted and all the pictures he wanted. Missing today were SWP/Stevie and RSC plus the obvious others. But included were quite a bunch of the reserves , Vidal,Boyata,Mee,Cunningham,Weiss,Ball,Tutte and One other who I can't remember or spell.

After a brief jog around to warm up they effectively split into pairs and as a whole group Mancini had them moving to different areas of the field to focus on shape and moving together as the ball is played around. Different considerations for different parts of the field. He had them doing this in all corners of the pitch , defensively and attacking as well as throught the central areas.No real ball play or movements but he was talking to them a lot and no doubt all about team play and supporting and angles etc.

This took quite a few minutes and they were all looking bloody cold. After this they split into groups with Mancini working again with a group mainly on defensive things.The group being Boyata,Micah,Vidal and Garrido with Weiss and Silvinho palying out wide to assist Mancini is the attacking side of things. Interesting to watch and plenty of emphasis put on concentration and reacting to different passes from the attacking plays.

Whilst this group were doing this there were 2 other groups working separately. One was just jogging around ( Tevez/Bellers and Petrov) whilst the others were basically doing basically warm up stuff with a ball..

After a fairly short time 4 or 5 went in and another few players joined in with Mancini's group for some plays which ended with crosses and finishing.That didn't go on for very long either and after just over an hour they called it a day.

Brian Kidd who had already said hello and asked if we had had a good Christmas said when they were starting to go in that it wasn't a long session today as there were lots of knocks and niggles after the 2 games so they were giving more recovery time before any hard training. This to the 2 "heads" peering over the fence!

Half way through all this Lewis went around the other side of the pitches as the fencing had blown down and you could get a view from there from some raised ground. It's a bit further away but no climbing involved. Trouble is there is plenty of muddy ground to walk through which is where Lewis lost his shoe! Classic. Pity there were no cameras to record Lewis hopping around when the shoe came off and inevitably dumping the shoeless foot into the mud as well. Shame I didn't see it :)

I trust Lewis has got a slap from his mum?

Looks like we may see the likes of Boyata, Vidal and Ball very shortly then, given our injury/Africa crisis. From what I've seen of Vidal I'd rather have him at LB (he plays either side doesn't he?) than Sylvinho OR Garrido.

Haha, unlucky Lewis!

Good report as per, good to see that concentration is being treated as an issue too.

I wonder when Ms Kloss will be in touch....

Interesting to watch and plenty of emphasis put on concentration and reacting to different passes from the attacking plays.

Yes Markmac - if you're still online, now do you believe Mancini has something to do with it?

john@staustell wrote:I trust Lewis has got a slap from his mum?

Looks like we may see the likes of Boyata, Vidal and Ball very shortly then, given our injury/Africa crisis. From what I've seen of Vidal I'd rather have him at LB (he plays either side doesn't he?) than Sylvinho OR Garrido.

Vidal is a very right sided player.The left full back from the reserves is Cunningham so you never know.

Cheers DH, Nice to see BK give you aknowledgment . . . come on Kiddo, SORT DOUG'S PASS OUT!

john@staustell wrote:Interesting to watch and plenty of emphasis put on concentration and reacting to different passes from the attacking plays.

Yes Markmac - if you're still online, now do you believe Mancini has something to do with it?

lol mate I saw this and wasn't gonna bring it up in another thread but...

Yeah i've said my piece, it baffles me how players need to be told to concentrate. I play Sunday league and don't need to be told to pay attention. What else are these players doing? It's not like we're asking them to complete a suduko at the same time.
I'll stop now, everyone else seems to disagree with me, so that's the end of that one! lol

Cheers Doug as always.

Oh an Lewis, I found your shoe....

MARKMAKAVELI wrote:

john@staustell wrote:Interesting to watch and plenty of emphasis put on concentration and reacting to different passes from the attacking plays.

Yes Markmac - if you're still online, now do you believe Mancini has something to do with it?

lol mate I saw this and wasn't gonna bring it up in another thread but...

Yeah i've said my piece, it baffles me how players need to be told to concentrate. I play Sunday league and don't need to be told to pay attention. What else are these players doing? It's not like we're asking them to complete a suduko at the same time.
I'll stop now, everyone else seems to disagree with me, so that's the end of that one! lol

Cheers Doug as always.

Oh an Lewis, I found your shoe....

There is no doubt the concentration thing has been a real issue this season. From set pieces it should be obvious that if you are marking a man you do exactly that but we have been found wanting a lot.That's no doubt why we have had a look at zonal marking.

But from open play concentration is as much about recognising when your role and position when we haven't got the ball. It's great to see opportunities when we are attacking and make some great runs but the work today was without the ball and aiming to defend as a team whather the ball is switched wide or laid back in midfield or whatever and the shape the team needs to defend the situation.

The vast majority of today's work was tactical stuff without a ball. I don't think I actually saw Bellers or Robinho kick a ball.

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:From set pieces it should be obvious that if you are marking a man you do exactly that but we have been found wanting a lot.

That's the equivalent of me going to work everyday an having to be reminded that for text to appear on the screen I have to press the buttons on the keyboard. It frightens me that professionals need to be reminded to pick up.

Anyway, enough of the negativity. I'm really happy the young lads are getting more of a look in now. Who was the last one to come through and be established? Would you argue Joe Hart or am I'm missing someone obvious? (Weiss ain't established yet)

Great report there Doug as usual, good to see Mancini bringing the young ones in and giving them a chance to impress.

Top man Doug, that wind was diabolical, must have been a chill factoe of -12c at least. Just heard Superman out for 2/3 weeks with hamstring problem which he picked up at Wolves. Good job we have numbers in our squad these days.

Nice one Doug.

shortagain wrote:Top man Doug, that wind was diabolical, must have been a chill factoe of -12c at least. Just heard Superman out for 2/3 weeks with hamstring problem which he picked up at Wolves. Good job we have numbers in our squad these days.

Was you at training today?

Thanks Doug, great report as allways - the weather was horrendous today and I hardley stepped outside so credit to you and the little lad ;-)

Really does looklike Manchini's been getting the young lads used to working and training with the 1st team and would explain why they've been on the Bench too instead of just throwing them out there like Lions.

With SWP being away from training I dont suppose you're privy to any news on when he's expected back? Now with Stevie out we're goinna need him.

Thanks so much Douglas, also for commitment in spite of the freeze.
Very accurate, interesting and usefull report. It make feel anyone inside the team and it's great of You!
As understand, this is the first time I read Your topics about trainings... :-)
It's always worthy to cheer up to a well done job, particularly when we are used to have it for free.

Thanks again.

Cheers all. It will be interesting to see who he picks for Middlesboro and whether the reserves today are a big part of it or were they just involved in training today because they were a little short on numbers. I think they may well be getting ready for this weekend at least for one or two. And the resreve players won't have played for 3 or 4 weeks and even longer for Ben Mee and David Ball who are coming back from injuries.

It was cold but not so bad as the wind was behind me and I was slightly sheltered but for those who went over to the other side to look in where the fence was down the wind would have been full in the face. Plus unlike Lewis I knew it would be cold and like a boring old git was well dressed up for it.

Don't forget the flask tomorrow Lewis:)

Douglas Higginbottom wrote: Trouble is there is plenty of muddy ground to walk through which is where Lewis lost his shoe! Classic. Pity there were no cameras to record Lewis hopping around when the shoe came off and inevitably dumping the shoeless foot into the mud as well. Shame I didn't see it :)

PMSL Lewis you are a comedy genius

Cheers Doug, great report as usual. I would like us to give the chance to the likes of Ball, Mee, etc..

Doug, you've had a chance to assess Mancio now. How do you compare/contrast he and Leslie on the training paddock. Also, how about the support staff? Or is it too early to accurately assess?

dazby wrote:Doug, you've had a chance to assess Mancio now. How do you compare/contrast he and Leslie on the training paddock. Also, how about the support staff? Or is it too early to accurately assess?

A bit early yet as I havent seen what I would call a normal training session yet. Couple of early points though.First he is a lot more hands on.Kidd is working with him but he is the main talker.They don't seem to do much warming up! Maybe that's just that I havent seen full sessions and so far there hasn't been anything tough or intense as the focus has been on tactical and awareness.

Most of the time the full group of 20 or so get split up to work in smaller groups with the other coaches.But ,except for Mancini I haven't seen anything specific being worked on yet.And I haven't got the names of the other coaches sorted yet.

Some of the past fitness ( sports science guys)coaches are still around but I havent seen them do anything yet. One of them in particular used to take them through warm up routines but yesterday just watched.