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The day of a match and for a change they didn't travel away to a hotel overnight but all reported in early to Carrington. I was told 10.30 for training but that they may not actually get outside. Therefore knowing it would be a very brief session if any at all I arrived to see them coming out at 10.25 and in very good spirits.

The management team were out already and the coaches were working closely on the docs ball skills. Left foot , right foot and then heading was the order of the day for him and I would say with regular practice he will make a footballer in about 30 generations!Mancini got them all together for an opening chat and then moved into a penalty area to work on the zonal positions with what I can only assume would be the team for tonight. Involving 9 in the box and 2 strategically placed for the breakaway.

After a few minutes of that they broke away to do some gentle jogging and movement around the whole pitch before calling it a day at 10.45! My guess is the coach would leave around noon.

I doubt it would matter at all if I said who the 11 were but as I don't think they would like me to I won't until mid afternoon by which time it really won't matter anymore.

Good report Doug,i've never understood why they stay overnight when a lot of our games are so close.

Let the players stay at home with their families and travel early on the day of the game after a cheeky training session and relax at a hotel/Health club and have evening meal.

Good stuff Douglas!! Did you get in again?

The Sun understands that several Man City players are up in arms about having to train on the morning of a match. A source close to one of the millionaire players said: 'They are up in arms about having to train on the morning of the match.' Manchester City spent 200 million pounds last summer and are currently fifth in the Premier League.

Tony P wrote:The Sun understands that several Man City players are up in arms about having to train on the morning of a match. A source close to one of the millionaire players said: 'They are up in arms about having to train on the morning of the match.' Manchester City spent 200 million pounds last summer and are currently fifth in the Premier League.

..............and were booed off by their own fans on Sunday" Oops no it was the ref, but dont mention that!

Doug - a whole 20 minutes eh? Shouldn't be tired tonight then!

john@staustell wrote:

Tony P wrote:The Sun understands that several Man City players are up in arms about having to train on the morning of a match. A source close to one of the millionaire players said: 'They are up in arms about having to train on the morning of the match.' Manchester City spent 200 million pounds last summer and are currently fifth in the Premier League.

..............and were booed off by their own fans on Sunday" Oops no it was the ref, but dont mention that!

Doug - a whole 20 minutes eh? Shouldn't be tired tonight then!

Just got them altogether early for a final walk through of the defensive handling of Stoke's bombs. 20 minutes was plenty.

Would you consider it mid afternoon now Doug ;)

Manx Blue wrote:Good stuff Douglas!! Did you get in again?

Not inside today for a non session. After 3 now so here goes with the 11 who were working on the zonal stuff
Given
Micah,Nedum,Lescott,Bridge
Zaba,Barry,Vinnie,Ireland
Bellamy,Ade

Can't say that's the team or the formation but Toure wasn't out there at all and NDJ was watching with SWP and the rest.

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:

Manx Blue wrote:Good stuff Douglas!! Did you get in again?

Not inside today for a non session. After 3 now so here goes with the 11 who were working on the zonal stuff
Given
Micah,Nedum,Lescott,Bridge
Zaba,Barry,Vinnie,Ireland
Bellamy,Ade

Can't say that's the team or the formation but Toure wasn't out there at all and NDJ was watching with SWP and the rest.

I'll go fucking mad if that is the team....

Bingo Lewis wrote:

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:

Manx Blue wrote:Good stuff Douglas!! Did you get in again?

Not inside today for a non session. After 3 now so here goes with the 11 who were working on the zonal stuff
Given
Micah,Nedum,Lescott,Bridge
Zaba,Barry,Vinnie,Ireland
Bellamy,Ade

Can't say that's the team or the formation but Toure wasn't out there at all and NDJ was watching with SWP and the rest.

I'll go fucking mad if that is the team....

Why play two right backs? Its not as if we'll need the extra support on the right due to threat from any stoke winger

HeyMark wrote:

Bingo Lewis wrote:

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:

Manx Blue wrote:Good stuff Douglas!! Did you get in again?

Not inside today for a non session. After 3 now so here goes with the 11 who were working on the zonal stuff
Given
Micah,Nedum,Lescott,Bridge
Zaba,Barry,Vinnie,Ireland
Bellamy,Ade

Can't say that's the team or the formation but Toure wasn't out there at all and NDJ was watching with SWP and the rest.

I'll go fucking mad if that is the team....

Why play two right backs? Its not as if we'll need the extra support on the right due to threat from any stoke winger

Rumour has it Etherington will be playing.
Can't be sure that's the team but that's the 11 he was working with.

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:

HeyMark wrote:

Bingo Lewis wrote:

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:

Manx Blue wrote:Good stuff Douglas!! Did you get in again?

Not inside today for a non session. After 3 now so here goes with the 11 who were working on the zonal stuff
Given
Micah,Nedum,Lescott,Bridge
Zaba,Barry,Vinnie,Ireland
Bellamy,Ade

Can't say that's the team or the formation but Toure wasn't out there at all and NDJ was watching with SWP and the rest.

I'll go fucking mad if that is the team....

Why play two right backs? Its not as if we'll need the extra support on the right due to threat from any stoke winger

Rumour has it Etherington will be playing.
Can't be sure that's the team but that's the 11 he was working with.

As much as I think Etherington is a decent winger and I dont think he's the type of player that requires two RB's to be looking after him.

One would imagine if that is the team, he will work the midfield 4 as a diamond..

Vinnie
Zabaleta Barry
Ireland

Just my two cents though, as I wasn't at training.


That line up certainly looks like we are intending to play them at their own game. Can't wait for this cracker.

Hold on just a minute.. just because those players were in the mix of some zonal training, i dont see how that suggest anything to do with a line up. i mean for starters some of those players might have been positioned as dummy Stoke players, especially anyone with a bit of height.

personally i dont read anything into this at all

brite blu sky wrote:Hold on just a minute.. just because those players were in the mix of some zonal training, i dont see how that suggest anything to do with a line up. i mean for starters some of those players might have been positioned as dummy Stoke players, especially anyone with a bit of height.

personally i dont read anything into this at all

I can say with certainty that none of the players were being used as dummy Stoke players but with no certainty that will be the team.
Maybe Toure will be fit and replace Nedum in the 11?

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:

brite blu sky wrote:Hold on just a minute.. just because those players were in the mix of some zonal training, i dont see how that suggest anything to do with a line up. i mean for starters some of those players might have been positioned as dummy Stoke players, especially anyone with a bit of height.

personally i dont read anything into this at all

I can say with certainty that none of the players were being used as dummy Stoke players but with no certainty that will be the team.
Maybe Toure will be fit and replace Nedum in the 11?

I wudnt even of dignified that with a response doug

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:

brite blu sky wrote:Hold on just a minute.. just because those players were in the mix of some zonal training, i dont see how that suggest anything to do with a line up. i mean for starters some of those players might have been positioned as dummy Stoke players, especially anyone with a bit of height.

personally i dont read anything into this at all

I can say with certainty that none of the players were being used as dummy Stoke players but with no certainty that will be the team.
Maybe Toure will be fit and replace Nedum in the 11?

fair enough Doug - your the man.

so how about those were all the players in the squad expected to play a part in defensive duties, whether or not they would be on the bench or not?

or maybe thats the line up, strange as it may seem..

tonight we will know for sure

One thing I have noticed in games when they are setting up zonal is Shay Given occasionally will wander to a player and move him a little bit to the exact spot he wants them in. ( often Adebayor) Anyone coming on during the match will know his defensive role when he goes on I am sure.

I hope I am wrong about the 11 but that doesnt mean I think we will lose as I expect a win tonight.

tbh i am also expecting a win as i rekon we will have learnt more about what to do about them than the other way round.

if the midfield turns out to be zabba, barry and vincent and with ireland floating around i would think they should cope.

gonna be interesting iether way

Doug. You are spot on with that team, this is it.

Given
Richards
Onuoha
Lescott
Zab
Kompany
Barry
Ireland
Bellamy
Adebayor