Training Friday 18/2

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Much the same turnout as yesterday on what was a perfect day for training. Shay,Nigel,SWP,MJ and Milner all missing.The latter was out later working with a physio alongside Boyata.SWP is hoped to be back in full training tomorrow.So it was a group of 16 players (excluding keepers) which included Razak again.

All the usual warm up stuff plus a pass/move game before Mancini took a team away behind the fences.2 days in a row the main training had been on the open pitch.A rarity today as Mancini also took across a bunch of players from the EDS to form the opposition for the practice he wanted for the "team",normally it is all done with nobody playing against them.It was all about passing the ball as we know they can but with Mancini looking for them to increase the tempo at the right times.The only worry in this was when Mario went down injured.It looked iffy for a few seconds as he got up very slowly and was flexing his right knee but not long after he was sprinting for a ball so all seemed fine.

Quite a bit of time on this even though 4 or 5 changes were made to the team. Whilst this was going on the rest were having shooting/finishing practice with most players involved at some point or another.I tried to keep an eye on this as well but the word was the best in the finishing were Boateng and Jo. What can I say. As everyone came back over it was into a 9 a side match on a small pitch with all the EDS players going back to their regular training.

Cant recall much of note in the game until seconds from the end when Carlos went down injured.Again it didn't look good as the final whistle blew and he was still lying face down.But after amoment or two with the doc he was up and walking away looking ok thankfully.So in they went leaving just 3 for a few penalties.The twins to start with and then joined by Kolarov after the boss had spent a bit of timing chatting with him.As the penalties went Micah struggled to find the target but was happy he at least sent the keeper the wrong way.

Mario was just sublime usually sending the keeper the wrong way but baffling them enough that they basically hadnt a clue what to do.He would have had a 100% record if he hadnt tried to chip gently down the middle on one only to find Stu hadnt moved.Kolarov was awesome as well.He hit with power all the time but changed his side as well as trajectory and he did have a 100% record.

[Chinners]

Cheers Doug

[gaudy]

great stuff again doug,
is it just me or do you say that jo is always one of the best finishers at these training games,
somethings not adding up!

[avoidconfusion]

Sounds like Mario is made of glass to be honest. I can see him getting injured again in the next game.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

great stuff again doug,
is it just me or do you say that jo is always one of the best finishers at these training games,
somethings not adding up!

I didn't see him looking good toady but that was the message from those who stayed to watch. But yes he does show some quality at times but you have to bear in mind that's it's close t a 5 a side scenario and anyone with half a clue is bound to have the odd good moment or spell from time to time.He has ability but when put under pressure in games it largely seems to disappear.

[Ted Hughes]

great stuff again doug,
is it just me or do you say that jo is always one of the best finishers at these training games,
somethings not adding up!

I didn't see him looking good toady but that was the message from those who stayed to watch. But yes he does show some quality at times but you have to bear in mind that's it's close t a 5 a side scenario and anyone with half a clue is bound to have the odd good moment or spell from time to time.He has ability but when put under pressure in games it largely seems to disappear.

That's the most disappointing thing. He does have ability & Bob has seen it, but in spite of having more opportunities than most, he still fails to produce it when it matters.

Any chance we may see Dzeko & Mario play together on Sun do you think?

Cheers for the report btw.

[zuricity]

great stuff again doug,
is it just me or do you say that jo is always one of the best finishers at these training games,
somethings not adding up!

I didn't see him looking good toady but that was the message from those who stayed to watch. But yes he does show some quality at times but you have to bear in mind that's it's close t a 5 a side scenario and anyone with half a clue is bound to have the odd good moment or spell from time to time.He has ability but when put under pressure in games it largely seems to disappear.

That's the most disappointing thing. He does have ability & Bob has seen it, but in spite of having more opportunities than most, he still fails to produce it when it matters.

Any chance we may see Dzeko & Mario play together on Sun do you think?

Cheers for the report btw.

Cheers Doug.

It's not quite true about Jo though is it ? He has got himself into the right position on many occasions this season when he has played. However, other players have opted not to pass ( ie be greedy. I can think of Teves on at least two occasions).
OR someone else has gone for a chance that he would easily have buried ( Jonno comes to mind). He hasn't really had many opportunities in front of goal if we are really honest about him.

Whilst I admit it has been disappointing seeing him go to ground on a couple of occasions as if being hit by a feather ! He has done some work for the team too. He is often getting back to help out in a defensive role.

[Mark (Blue Army)]

Thanks Doug.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

great stuff again doug,
is it just me or do you say that jo is always one of the best finishers at these training games,
somethings not adding up!

I didn't see him looking good toady but that was the message from those who stayed to watch. But yes he does show some quality at times but you have to bear in mind that's it's close t a 5 a side scenario and anyone with half a clue is bound to have the odd good moment or spell from time to time.He has ability but when put under pressure in games it largely seems to disappear.

That's the most disappointing thing. He does have ability & Bob has seen it, but in spite of having more opportunities than most, he still fails to produce it when it matters.

Any chance we may see Dzeko & Mario play together on Sun do you think?

Cheers for the report btw.

Cheers Doug.

It's not quite true about Jo though is it ? He has got himself into the right position on many occasions this season when he has played. However, other players have opted not to pass ( ie be greedy. I can think of Teves on at least two occasions).
OR someone else has gone for a chance that he would easily have buried ( Jonno comes to mind). He hasn't really had many opportunities in front of goal if we are really honest about him.

Whilst I admit it has been disappointing seeing him go to ground on a couple of occasions as if being hit by a feather ! He has done some work for the team too. He is often getting back to help out in a defensive role.

Some truth in the good positions argument and plenty in the not very good one. I remember when Ireland seemed to always be coing in at the backpost when shots were taken on and missed or saved.I thought then that the team should be aware he was " always" there but hardly ever did they look for him.Maybe it's no different with Jo except for 2 things.One he isn't always there but I accept on a few occasions and second the question of which is actually the better option.Is it to try the pass which might not be a good one and even if it is will he score based on all we have seen so far? I can see why the shot wins.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

http://forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/viewt ... 1&t=208590

I forgot all about Micah having a go in goal at the end. One of the coaches had a quiet word with him to be carefull about diving and injuring a shoulder and they did cut it short a bit.

[dazby]

Good to read that they were pracitsing their passing tempo. Mancio obviously reads the board then.

[john68]

Doug,
Though Mancini seems to be covering what's needed on the training pitch, do you have any idea what sort of stuff is done/said indoors..eg analysing opponents'/City's videos, or talking through and/or explaining strategies and tactics to the team.
Also have you any idea about how Mancio works/talks indoors with individual players to improve them and their skills?
Cheers Doug

[DoomMerchant]

Doug,
Though Mancini seems to be covering what's needed on the training pitch, do you have any idea what sort of stuff is done/said indoors..eg analysing opponents'/City's videos, or talking through and/or explaining strategies and tactics to the team.
Also have you any idea about how Mancio works/talks indoors with individual players to improve them and their skills?
Cheers Doug

wtf...do you think Doug is some secret agent able to slip behind the lines and 007 some shit up for us? he's an old man with a ladder ffs. chillax.

just sayin

p.s. i got Gary James book on Manc footy in the mail this week, so lookout Old Man. within a month i'll be a fuclin Encyclopedia Football Mancunia. That's how i roll. i'm digesting this shit, and i have a memory that's like a steel trap. thanks for the inspirado John. ;)

cheers

[CitizenYank]

Thanks for the info. I am ordering the book used as we speak!!

[DoomMerchant]

Thanks for the info. I am ordering the book used as we speak!!

wait! dont order it dude...

the Amazon UK site sent me two by accident along with Blue Moon Rising in duplicate.

PM mr your addy and i can mail you both! Seriously

cheers

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Good to read that they were pracitsing their passing tempo. Mancio obviously reads the board then.

Doubt it somehow as this is what has been happening in training all the time. On the training ground it seems that Mancini blows a whistle to tell them when to up the tempo. How does it happen in matches?

[john68]

Thank you so very much...I will forever savour and cherish that quote of yours about our Doug..."HE'S AN OLD MAN WITH A LADDER." hahahahahahahahaha.....I am certain that Douglas will also cherish that thought of your opinion of him....:-) Personally the "OLD MAN" bit made me PMSL....:-)

Now then you Floridian septic...let's get something understood....There is no place, nor ever was, called MANCUNIA. It is a myth. It is also a word used by the rags on a banner at the swamp that they WRONGLY believed was some Romanic term for Manchester. It merely proves what fuckin thick stupid bastards they are when referring to God's own patch of land/the centre of the cultural and football universe....The correct term IS; MAMUCIA...Loosely translated...THE CAMP/FORT AT THE HILL THAT IS SHAPED LIKE A WOMAN'S BREAST. The truth is that Manchester is named after TITS, KNOCKERS, JUGS, BOOBS. The MAM bit being from the same derivative as MAMMARY.

Now then...Back to the old man with the ladder...:-)...and look at some of the facts....There is a fence, then a non see through wall, yet Douglas each day is able to observe and report on each tiny piece of action, every little nuance of player and coaches behaviour, he can relate what is said, by who to whom...or even whom to who...Apart from having a masters degree in Voyeurism (Universatie De Marquis De Sade 1972 Hons)...Douglas also possesses super powers...He also wears a frock and wig and doubles as Gispy Rose Frankenstein Nostradamus on Blackpool's Golden Mile knocking out bogus palm readings at two bob a chuck.
Uwe'sSkyBlueDuvet will confirm all this as true.
Just answerin.
ps...if you have the new updated version, can you clarify and post what Gary says about our foundation, now that Anna Connel has been outed as a myth....please...ta...XXX

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Doug,
Though Mancini seems to be covering what's needed on the training pitch, do you have any idea what sort of stuff is done/said indoors..eg analysing opponents'/City's videos, or talking through and/or explaining strategies and tactics to the team.
Also have you any idea about how Mancio works/talks indoors with individual players to improve them and their skills?
Cheers Doug

wtf...do you think Doug is some secret agent able to slip behind the lines and 007 some shit up for us? he's an old man with a ladder ffs. chillax.

just sayin

p.s. i got Gary James book on Manc footy in the mail this week, so lookout Old Man. within a month i'll be a fuclin Encyclopedia Football Mancunia. That's how i roll. i'm digesting this shit, and i have a memory that's like a steel trap. thanks for the inspirado John. ;)

cheers

Old man with a ladder is a bit cruel and off the mark Doom. They are steps:)

But in answer to John you are right I don't get any insights anymore re what goes on behind closed doors.Plenty I would hope. I do see Mancini at times having longish chats with players during and sometimes after training which seems to be about a specific role and things they should be doing.An example of that today when he spent plenty of time with Kolarov in the middle of the session and again at the end before he took his penalties.All about the midfield role was the impression I got.

[john68]

Thanks Douglas...
Following your reports regularly, it just seemed that quite obvious weaknesses were either being ignored on the training pitch or only having a few minutes spent on them. I could only assume/hope that this was being covered by longer sssions in the classromm when it was discussed and analysed by the coaching staff and then brought to the attention of the players.
As if the actual practise was merely a practise to demonstrate if the players had fully understood what they had been told.

I note there were no denials in your post...See Doomie...I am right...AGAIN!!!...:-)

[DoomMerchant]

Thanks Douglas...
Following your reports regularly, it just seemed that quite obvious weaknesses were either being ignored on the training pitch or only having a few minutes spent on them. I could only assume/hope that this was being covered by longer sssions in the classromm when it was discussed and analysed by the coaching staff and then brought to the attention of the players.
As if the actual practise was merely a practise to demonstrate if the players had fully understood what they had been told.

I note there were no denials in your post...See Doomie...I am right...AGAIN!!!...:-)

John...you are my father. i won't resist.

i love the facl that Doug gives us his insights. And i swear to god CARL wishes he was Doug or some uni cunt pissing away his time at university. i certainly do. i'd love to retire right now to Manc...and fucking make footy my life. if there is one thing i've learned from City fans in the last several years it's that we can turn City into a lot of excuses for fucking up our personal lives. And honestly, that's just normal. Football kinda transcends a lot of other things in life, as sad as it seems. FACT.

cheers