Training Thursday 11/2

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Noon was the scheduled start today and when I arrived at 11.45 the keepers were already at it ( well at least 3 of them were) and Mancini was walking around setting all the cones out exactly where he wanted them.Just 2 players jogging around with a physio ( Petrov and Bridge).

The rest of the players started to come out just after 12 as did the last 2 keepers ( Taylor and Given) and gradually they were all out and basically just hanging around chatting and knocking balls around in small groups. Mancini then gathered them all together for the usual pre session chat and it looked like expalained some of what he was going to do.Lescott came out late during this chat and even later were Boyata and Cunningham) As he was pointing around the pitch the cameras around me were clicking madly away.Mancini then did his usual jogging around the pitch with the players roughly in their positions working the team around the field in team shape.

Missing were Tevez,Johnson,Bellers,Nedum. It was actually quite strange seeing just 1 player in each of the wide positions while they were doing this.This jogging around followed by stretching went on for 10/15 minutes before they split into two groups , one went off to play head tennis whilst a midfield 6 stayed with Mancini to work on their roles.This part was all done around the centre circle and basically without a ball. After 5 or 10 minutes of this these 6 moved to join the rest for some head tennis. ( the 6 were NDJ/PV/PZ/Silv/SI/GB)

The head tennis was another 10 minutes or so away in the distance from me and the only noticeable thing was watching NDJ trying to get scissor kicks over to win a point. After this they switched to a game of 8 a side and a few disappeared inside , notably Micah and Silvinho. Micah did come back out later to work on 1 to 1 basis.The 8 a side was on a very small pitch area and seemed to be more to get them to properly stretch their legs than anything else. It lasted about 15 minutes before the majority finished and just 6 stayed out for some shooting practice down at my end, clearly designed to reward me for watching through a fairly bland session:)

The 6 shooting were JL/JG/SI/SWP/MP and RSC and it was a mixture of all sorts of finishing except free kicks.MP was the pick of the bunch but a few managed to find the field behind the goal to keep me occupied. Brian Kidd did mention to me in passing that it was a light session given the 2 games close together coming up and that Carlos missing was precautionary as he took a knock on his heel on Tuesday. Toure was involved today and I assume Johnson wasn't because he is ineligible for Saturday's game and might have been given a day extra off to sort out his moving a bit more.

[cityPinoy_fc]

hai the dougster strikes again BIG thanks man. keep up the good work :)

[ant london]

Was that Adam Johnson missing?

Is Croque ready for some game time in your opinion

How did Ireland seem, in himself?

[CityFanFromRome]

Great report as usual Doug!

[FA cup winners 2006]

great report doug,

just wondering what you think of the intensity of the training, is there much there. there seems to be alot of positioning and work without the ball, but not much attacking with pace.

[Mark (Blue Army)]

Top report as always there Doug thanks mate.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

great report doug,

just wondering what you think of the intensity of the training, is there much there. there seems to be alot of positioning and work without the ball, but not much attacking with pace.

I am thinking it's time for me to do something to look at the differences in training not after 5 or 6 weeks so I will leave that answer till then.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Was that Adam Johnson missing?

Is Croque ready for some game time in your opinion

How did Ireland seem, in himself?

Yes it was AJ missing.
RSC wasnt exactly looking sharp in the very little football that was played but might be ready for a sub role if needed.
Ireland seemed fine to me but he is a complicated character as we know. At least when they lined up in the positions at the start he was at the head of the midfield.

[dazlebluefrog]

cheers DH great to hear your reports as ever ,so AJ wasn't there so i suppose he'll be in the team for tuesdays "return "
did PV look any sharper ? he'll need a cple of games to get him back up to prem speed carn't remember the last time i saw him give so many balls away like on tuesday

[Douglas Higginbottom]

cheers DH great to hear your reports as ever ,so AJ wasn't there so i suppose he'll be in the team for tuesdays "return "
did PV look any sharper ? he'll need a cple of games to get him back up to prem speed carn't remember the last time i saw him give so many balls away like on tuesday

I am sure AJ will be back for the next league game. As for PV it's hard to say as they did so little with a ball! He did stay behind for some extra running and a few other exercises whilst the shooting practice was going on.

[eastlandsblue]

Was that Adam Johnson missing?

Is Croque ready for some game time in your opinion

How did Ireland seem, in himself?

Yes it was AJ missing.
RSC wasnt exactly looking sharp in the very little football that was played but might be ready for a sub role if needed.
Ireland seemed fine to me but he is a complicated character as we know. At least when they lined up in the positions at the start he was at the head of the midfield.

And thats where he belongs

[john@staustell]

Must brush up on my initials - PV, JG etc etc