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No training today so easy to pop along to Platt Lane where the EDS had a special friendly arranged and Mario was in the team to continue his return after illness/injury.It was also the first game as far as I know for our Japanese triallist Ishige or Ishegi.

Interesting game too but because of the Mario appearance it was decided not to announce teams or even publish a programme so it didn't become a Mario sideshow. Our team was:
Johansen
Wabara,Rekik,Meppen-Walter,Marin
Henshall,Assiani,Suarez,Mancini
Mario,Ishegi

Not sure of the spelling of the Japanese lad and even less so with the midfield guy who was built like Razak but maybe a bit heavier.Not that much to report on the first half.We had chances and so did they although on balance we might have slightly had the upper hand.Then in the 2nd half it all changed quickly.Mario got the ball on the edge of the box centrally and the defender seemed to stand maybe a yard off him as if saying now what are you going to do.Mario took a second considered his options and put it into the left corner with the keeper not moving.

Not that long after we had a good break on with Suarez on the ball.Mario took off down the onside left position and received the perfect pass,took a perfect first touch and slotted it past the advancing keeper.Sweet goal and you will be able to see it on Inside City at the weekend.I was just behind the camera and it's a great spot to see the goal from.

Mario's performance was interesting.He is not one of those who chases about all over the place like Dickov ( I dropped him in because he was there watching) but he showed plenty of real quality and showed he was a class above the rest much of the time. He won at least two free kicks on the edge of the box and a penalty when he was tripped.He should have had a 2nd as well.

As it happens the 1st pen we got was for a foul on Rusnak who came on as sub at half time.Mario could have got his hat trick but just flicked the ball to Ishegi and told him to take it.His effort was saved but he knocked in the rebound.Again he could have scored a 3rd but when he won the pen he let Suarez take it and he scored easily.

It was only a friendly but interesting to see Ishegi.He is only small (no surprise there) and early on it was more about how tough he would find it again bigger stronger players.He wasn't getting away from his markers to find space and when the ball was played to him he w as brushed aside.But he did get more and more into the game and started to influence things better.He clearly has a decent touch and awareness and wasn't deterred by the physical aspects of the game.OK for a first game over here and I look forward to seeing more of him.

Rusnak came into the midfield for the 2nd half and that helped us take over the game.It also helped when Mancini was taken off.Suarez needs more game time after his injury but was much better than his first game back pre Xmas v Fulham.I think,apart from Rekik,none of the players likely to play on the youth cup game on Thursday were involved today although Evans,Lopes and Pozo were on the bench. ( I am assuming Suarez is too old).

Plenty watching today.Lopes still had the widest smile on his face.I had to congratulate him and shake his hand.PV was there along with Marwood,Txiki plus Dedryk. Colin Hendry was looking after the BBurn team,Lombardo with our lot.

Sounds like an entertaining show.


I hope the J68 Stasi won't object to me having a small moan-ette about the fact that the fucking Mancini kid is taking up valuable playing time which could be used by someone who might potentially have a future playing career with Manchester City...a continuing disgrace

Cheers as always Doug.

There is a video introducing the squad for the FA Youth Cup - no Rekik or Suarez, but many i've never heard of, plus Lopes, Pozo, Ntcham, the Austrian lad, Cole, Hiwula, etc. Not sure if Rekik is too old being that he just turned 18, but he could be on his way for loan the rest of the season.

ant london wrote:Sounds like an entertaining show.


I hope the J68 Stasi won't object to me having a small moan-ette about the fact that the fucking Mancini kid is taking up valuable playing time which could be used by someone who might potentially have a future playing career with Manchester City...a continuing disgrace

The team did improve when he went off.Hopefully it happened because other prime candidates will be playing on Thursday in the Youth Cup game v Burnley which is to be played at the Etihad.

ant london wrote:Sounds like an entertaining show.


I hope the J68 Stasi won't object to me having a small moan-ette about the fact that the fucking Mancini kid is taking up valuable playing time which could be used by someone who might potentially have a future playing career with Manchester City...a continuing disgrace

I agree with you about Daddy's boy but there's so many positives to be taken from that report, you've got to ask yourself why you focus on the negative.

Thanks for the report Doug, nice gesture from Mario to let the others take the spot kicks, he could've been all about himself, good to hear he worked hard too.

I forgot to mention a fun moment involving Mario.He got the ball in the 1st half about 10 yards outside their box with a man right up his jacksi.He forced Mario back pushing and niggling away and Mario was shielding the ball well and just moving it out of the way as the defender just kept trying to force his way to the ball.It seemed to last a while and Mario was pushed back and back and the niggles got worse and worse so that in the end Mario just got out of the way and let the guy have the ball and run away with it!

The ref of course blew up for what was continuing fouling and Mario just walked off to the box to wait for the free kick.

Well I thought it was funny anyway :)

Foreverinbluedreams wrote:

ant london wrote:Sounds like an entertaining show.


I hope the J68 Stasi won't object to me having a small moan-ette about the fact that the fucking Mancini kid is taking up valuable playing time which could be used by someone who might potentially have a future playing career with Manchester City...a continuing disgrace

I agree with you about Daddy's boy but there's so many positives to be taken from that report, you've got to ask yourself why you focus on the negative.

Thanks for the report Doug, nice gesture from Mario to let the others take the spot kicks, he could've been all about himself, good to hear he worked hard too.

Some fans really have to get it into their heads that every game and training game needs to have an overall analisis which includes the good bad and the ugly , now I know some fans like to concentrate on all the posiitves and disregard the nagatives and go home to have a little wank but there are also some of us that like to take off the blue tinted specs and say it how it is..good and bad.

Mancinis son being played continuously is a fuckign disgrace..Nepatism at its worst.

Good report Doug.

BmoreBlue wrote:Cheers as always Doug.

There is a video introducing the squad for the FA Youth Cup - no Rekik or Suarez, but many i've never heard of, plus Lopes, Pozo, Ntcham, the Austrian lad, Cole, Hiwula, etc. Not sure if Rekik is too old being that he just turned 18, but he could be on his way for loan the rest of the season.

I will look for that.I expect Rekik will be the captain of the team.

carl_feedthegoat wrote:

Foreverinbluedreams wrote:

ant london wrote:Sounds like an entertaining show.


I hope the J68 Stasi won't object to me having a small moan-ette about the fact that the fucking Mancini kid is taking up valuable playing time which could be used by someone who might potentially have a future playing career with Manchester City...a continuing disgrace

I agree with you about Daddy's boy but there's so many positives to be taken from that report, you've got to ask yourself why you focus on the negative.

Thanks for the report Doug, nice gesture from Mario to let the others take the spot kicks, he could've been all about himself, good to hear he worked hard too.

Some fans really have to get it into their heads that every game and training game needs to have an overall analisis which includes the good bad and the ugly , now I know some fans like to concentrate on all the posiitves and disregard the nagatives and go home to have a little wank but there are also some of us that like to take off the blue tinted specs and say it how it is..good and bad.

Mancinis son being played continuously is a fuckign disgrace..Nepatism at its worst.

Good report Doug.

I don't disagree with anything you say regards analysis but there needs to be more balance in my opinion, some are too quick to highlight the negative without appreciating the positive, again just my opinion.

Foreverinbluedreams wrote:
I don't disagree with anything you say regards analysis but there needs to be more balance in my opinion, some are too quick to highlight the negative without appreciating the positive, again just my opinion.

I've spent years appreciating the negatives. I'm not going to stop just cos some new owner turns up and throws a billion at it.

Blue Since 76 wrote:

Foreverinbluedreams wrote:
I don't disagree with anything you say regards analysis but there needs to be more balance in my opinion, some are too quick to highlight the negative without appreciating the positive, again just my opinion.

I've spent years appreciating the negatives. I'm not going to stop just cos some new owner turns up and throws a billion at it.

hahahahhaha..thats the spirit !

This suggests to me a starting-berth for Mario against the Gonners.

Is Wabara back from Oldham already Doug? I know he played against Boro on Saturday. Or are there two of them?

Wabara is indeed back. tweeted this weekend that his loan was over. i thought he would've spent the rest of the season there - maybe there are other plans for him.

BmoreBlue wrote:Wabara is indeed back. tweeted this weekend that his loan was over. i thought he would've spent the rest of the season there - maybe there are other plans for him.

Nice one mate

Foreverinbluedreams wrote:

carl_feedthegoat wrote:

Foreverinbluedreams wrote:

ant london wrote:Sounds like an entertaining show.


I hope the J68 Stasi won't object to me having a small moan-ette about the fact that the fucking Mancini kid is taking up valuable playing time which could be used by someone who might potentially have a future playing career with Manchester City...a continuing disgrace

I agree with you about Daddy's boy but there's so many positives to be taken from that report, you've got to ask yourself why you focus on the negative.

Thanks for the report Doug, nice gesture from Mario to let the others take the spot kicks, he could've been all about himself, good to hear he worked hard too.

Some fans really have to get it into their heads that every game and training game needs to have an overall analisis which includes the good bad and the ugly , now I know some fans like to concentrate on all the posiitves and disregard the nagatives and go home to have a little wank but there are also some of us that like to take off the blue tinted specs and say it how it is..good and bad.

Mancinis son being played continuously is a fuckign disgrace..Nepatism at its worst.

Good report Doug.

I don't disagree with anything you say regards analysis but there needs to be more balance in my opinion, some are too quick to highlight the negative without appreciating the positive, again just my opinion.

Personally I hate the fact that Mancini Jr & that other useless wanker Scapuzzi have been taking up space in City's squad. I am clearly not alone but can only speak for myself when I say that I will most likely say something negative about it, every time it happens. Speaking as someone who was watching youth/reserve football back when people like Tony Towers & Dennis Leman were involved, I have never in my life seen such an abuse of the system. It makes me sick.

As for balance; why don't a few of you start some nice positive threads about all the wonderful stuff you have seen so far this season & all the high points, like v Stoke & Fulham ?

Anyhow, cheers for the report Doug. I wonder if Bob will take the gamble with Mario at weekend ? Ordinarily it would be nailed on for Dzeko to play, but Mario looked so much better than Dzeko when he came on v Watford. it must surely be a possibility.

Well, that's what Bob gets paid for. Let's hope it works out the correct call either way.

Ted Hughes wrote:
Personally I hate the fact that Mancini Jr & that other useless wanker Scapuzzi have been taking up space in City's squad. I am clearly not alone but can only speak for myself when I say that I will most likely say something negative about it, every time it happens. Speaking as someone who was watching youth/reserve football back when people like Tony Towers & Dennis Leman were involved, I have never in my life seen such an abuse of the system. It makes me sick.

As for balance; why don't a few of you start some nice positive threads about all the wonderful stuff you have seen so far this season & all the high points, like v Stoke & Fulham ?

Anyhow, cheers for the report Doug. I wonder if Bob will take the gamble with Mario at weekend ? Ordinarily it would be nailed on for Dzeko to play, but Mario looked so much better than Dzeko when he came on v Watford. it must surely be a possibility.

Well, that's what Bob gets paid for. Let's hope it works out the correct call either way.

I'm not confident he will start him having not played a full game in the PL since his absence. I've also got a feeling that Bob will play a five man midfield with Toure gone and Aguero injured. Dzeko will lead the charge with the possibility of Tevez included in the midfield to support Silva. In my opinion that is.

Quick one Doug. How many times has Txiki turned up for training and EDS matches, is he a regular now?

Risby wrote:

Ted Hughes wrote:
Personally I hate the fact that Mancini Jr & that other useless wanker Scapuzzi have been taking up space in City's squad. I am clearly not alone but can only speak for myself when I say that I will most likely say something negative about it, every time it happens. Speaking as someone who was watching youth/reserve football back when people like Tony Towers & Dennis Leman were involved, I have never in my life seen such an abuse of the system. It makes me sick.

As for balance; why don't a few of you start some nice positive threads about all the wonderful stuff you have seen so far this season & all the high points, like v Stoke & Fulham ?

Anyhow, cheers for the report Doug. I wonder if Bob will take the gamble with Mario at weekend ? Ordinarily it would be nailed on for Dzeko to play, but Mario looked so much better than Dzeko when he came on v Watford. it must surely be a possibility.

Well, that's what Bob gets paid for. Let's hope it works out the correct call either way.

I'm not confident he will start him having not played a full game in the PL since his absence. I've also got a feeling that Bob will play a five man midfield with Toure gone and Aguero injured. Dzeko will lead the charge with the possibility of Tevez included in the midfield to support Silva. In my opinion that is.

Quite possible, & perhaps the best system to start the game, but I wouldn't like to predict the 11 for this one.

Ted Hughes wrote:
Quite possible, & perhaps the best system to start the game, but I wouldn't like to predict the 11 for this one.

True, you just never know what he will put out.