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My god it was wet out there today.I arrived at 10.20 to hear the noises of players already out there so hurried around to see it was the academy boys working hard.As I watched them for a while the session was two teams passing/moving and with good intensity.More on them later.
Just a few minutes in and the EDS lads were going out and then the 1st team coaches appeared so I moved my spot around (waded through the ferns and brambles)to the far pitch (Sale Sharks side) for the best view I could get. First there apart from the coaches was Greg Leigh brought over from the EDS group to balance the numbers and give him a great experience.It might not have been his first session with the first team squad but it's the first time I have seen him with them.

The best news was seeing not just Vinnie with the team but also Silva and Micah so just Clichy missing.As ever of the main group Milner was out first and typically in shorts with most of the others covered up for winter weather.The Inside City cameras were in action as Pellegrini did a team talk for starters and I think as they broke Guidetti and one other went off either to join the EDS or work inside.

Plenty of routine jogging and simple fitness/stretching exercises followed by some ball work in pairs then in small groups.Then as they broke into 2 groups, Vinnie went off for some specific running exercises with a physio.No problems I am sure all planned this way. The 2 groups did keep ball circles and Negredo showed he meant business with a Nigel like tackle and the noisiest moment came when Jovetic seemed to nutmeg both Silva and Dzeko with one pass.

The groups split again with one lot (the Plzen team) doing some warmdown running before going inside and the others having a pass/move competition trying to get 10 completed passes.Not for long though as Silva and Richards broke off or some work with physios.Initially it was just running but then Silva moved off for more intricate stuff with a physio leaving Micah just stamina building.

The rest of the players worked with Pellegrini on attacking plays,getting the ball out wide,creating space and getting crosses in.Greg Leigh at times in the spotlight and acquitting himself well. Nice to see Jovetic for the first time properly.Looks quality.Sadly there was one very unfit person there...me as I had to quit early but that did give me a bonus as I left to hear some of the academy players being given a rocket from the coach.Can't say who what or why but it sounded good to me.

Cracking as ever, cheers Doug

THANKS DOUG. QUALITY READ.

I've missed these reports. Thanks Doug.

Cheers Doug, can you tell us anymore of Greg Leigh, position etc?

Cheers Doug.

Glad to have these to read again

Beefymcfc wrote:Cheers Doug, can you tell us anymore of Greg Leigh, position etc?

Greg is a left back and a local lad,Sale I think. I believe he was called up for England last year at some age group and he is a prospect.Decent defensively although I have seen him caught out a few times but he seems a good learner.Gets up to support the attack well with good energy and decent in the air so ticks all the boxes.

It's players like that that we should be looking to develop. I'm almost certain players like Neville or Fletcher never totally stood out as exceptional in their youth days but both gradually developed into really good players for United. Not every player has to be a world beating star in their earlier days, but if we can develop a few to bulk up the squad and save us god knows how many million in the transfer window and then produce the odd star then thats job done really.

Appreciate the effort Doug always enjoy reading your reports.

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:

Beefymcfc wrote:Cheers Doug, can you tell us anymore of Greg Leigh, position etc?

Greg is a left back and a local lad,Sale I think. I believe he was called up for England last year at some age group and he is a prospect.Decent defensively although I have seen him caught out a few times but he seems a good learner.Gets up to support the attack well with good energy and decent in the air so ticks all the boxes.

Cheers mate, good to know.

Cheers Doug, great read as usual.

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:

Beefymcfc wrote:Cheers Doug, can you tell us anymore of Greg Leigh, position etc?

Greg is a left back and a local lad,Sale I think. I believe he was called up for England last year at some age group and he is a prospect.Decent defensively although I have seen him caught out a few times but he seems a good learner.Gets up to support the attack well with good energy and decent in the air so ticks all the boxes.

Greg is indeed a Sale lad and was signed from Sale United (the club I have coached for since 2003)

Wonderwall wrote:

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:

Beefymcfc wrote:Cheers Doug, can you tell us anymore of Greg Leigh, position etc?

Greg is a left back and a local lad,Sale I think. I believe he was called up for England last year at some age group and he is a prospect.Decent defensively although I have seen him caught out a few times but he seems a good learner.Gets up to support the attack well with good energy and decent in the air so ticks all the boxes.

Greg is indeed a Sale lad and was signed from Sale United (the club I have coached for since 2003)

I thought all the good ones were from Unicorn :)

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:

Wonderwall wrote:

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:

Beefymcfc wrote:Cheers Doug, can you tell us anymore of Greg Leigh, position etc?

Greg is a left back and a local lad,Sale I think. I believe he was called up for England last year at some age group and he is a prospect.Decent defensively although I have seen him caught out a few times but he seems a good learner.Gets up to support the attack well with good energy and decent in the air so ticks all the boxes.

Greg is indeed a Sale lad and was signed from Sale United (the club I have coached for since 2003)

I thought all the good ones were from Unicorn :)

ha ha usually! Funnily enough the unicorn in my league folded this year and I have 3 of their players signed for me ;-)

Wonderwall wrote:

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:

Wonderwall wrote:

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:

Beefymcfc wrote:Cheers Doug, can you tell us anymore of Greg Leigh, position etc?

Greg is a left back and a local lad,Sale I think. I believe he was called up for England last year at some age group and he is a prospect.Decent defensively although I have seen him caught out a few times but he seems a good learner.Gets up to support the attack well with good energy and decent in the air so ticks all the boxes.

Greg is indeed a Sale lad and was signed from Sale United (the club I have coached for since 2003)

I thought all the good ones were from Unicorn :)

ha ha usually! Funnily enough the unicorn in my league folded this year and I have 3 of their players signed for me ;-)

I had heard that all was not perfect anymore.

Have you seen much of Brandon Barker Doug ? (Cheers for the report btw).

I get quite excited when I see clips of him legging it past defenders & putting crosses/shots in but I'm assuming those must be one off moments in each game ? Otherwise he's George Best. Seems to be two footed, quick & clever, & also well built.

I really like the look of some players we have coming through at several age groups. Some, on first showing, don't seem to do anything special but I noticed in a recent game how, at 0-0, they were fairly uninspired & names I've heard mentioned but seen little of, looked nothing to write home about, apart from McHale (who looks like & looked better than Scott Sinclair already) & Byrne who was superb, but as soon as they scored, everyone started producing tricks & passes etc.

Whether any at all will make it, I've no idea, but there is a hell of a lot of raw talent there, much more than I can ever remember. We are bound to lose one or two decent players to other clubs. There are too many to play & to keep track of & we will inevitably make a wrong decidion here & there. Hopefully we will get a few through.

Ted Hughes wrote:Have you seen much of Brandon Barker Doug ? (Cheers for the report btw).

I get quite excited when I see clips of him legging it past defenders & putting crosses/shots in but I'm assuming those must be one off moments in each game ? Otherwise he's George Best. Seems to be two footed, quick & clever, & also well built.

I really like the look of some players we have coming through at several age groups. Some, on first showing, don't seem to do anything special but I noticed in a recent game how, at 0-0, they were fairly uninspired & names I've heard mentioned but seen little of, looked nothing to write home about, apart from McHale (who looks like & looked better than Scott Sinclair already) & Byrne who was superb, but as soon as they scored, everyone started producing tricks & passes etc.

Whether any at all will make it, I've no idea, but there is a hell of a lot of raw talent there, much more than I can ever remember. We are bound to lose one or two decent players to other clubs. There are too many to play & to keep track of & we will inevitably make a wrong decision here & there. Hopefully we will get a few through.

Saw Brandon in action today Ted playing for the under18's and I have seen him occasionally before.Today he was a threat and as you say two footed and quick and giving the full back a torrid time today. He actually missed a great chance in the first couple of minutes when one on one with the keeper cutting in from the left but he just got too close to the keeper.

Talented but needs to be able to get his head up more for that final delivery, either shot or more importantly a pass.McHale much the same but imo not as good and he seems a very moody (cocky) player but I haven't seen a good reason for that yet.Surely we teach them to play with the head up and not just to be able to do tricks and beat players.

Jack Byrne came on at the start of the 2nd half and looks very good.He was the one making the passes in the game v Plzen.He replaced Horsfield (birthday boy who scored our penalty) who apparently should be playing fullback rather than midfield. Jack's another confident boy but he can hold the ball and sees a pass.

Defensively today we were shocking.Our number 4 Elan Assiani ,had a mare and couldn't pass water.The theme seemed to be tto pass it from the back but the players just were not up to it (keeper included) and we created many of Reading's attacking opportunities for them.