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Priviledged to be inside again at Carrington with the wind howling and rain,at times,coming in sideways! Not too sure some of the players were as keen as usual in the atrocious weather but they just got on with it, all 25 of them.And that was just the outfield players.Not a player missing and Hargreaves back in full training after a week or so of working hard alongside the rest.Also involved were Nedum,Bridge,Rekik,Roman,Suarez and Razak.

Most came out fully togged up for the weather and even Milner had a jacket on but he took it off when he arrived at the pitch probably not wanting to look a wuss! Initial jogs were followed by one and two touch stuff where it was good to see everybody had the measure of the mannequins today.Then it was a game all about pass and move,closing down and first touch which very quickly got the competitive juices flowing. Mancini then did some of his usual work on another pitch with 2 different teams leaving the others to keep working on specific fitness routines or just playing in keep ball circles.Whatever they were it sounded fun from behind the fence where I was watching Mancini working.

Not easy conditions for Mancini, whether working on attacking plays or defending corners as the wind played havoc with anything kicked in the air.It was most notable when I was watching the keepers as some of the crosses got caught in the wind making it almost impossible for the keepers to make catches or sometimes even get a touch on the ball..

Then it was all back to finish with a match of 10 a side. Bridge,Ned,Roman,Suarez rejoined at this point as they had spent a bit of time working with the keepers providing crosses and shots but a few of the key senior players were given a bit of time off. Even though at least one of them wanted to stay out for the game.

A very early goal started it off when Nigel set Bridge free overlapping down the left and his low,cut back cross was met well by Milner. The equaliser came from a great break from Kolarov and again his low cut back ball was belted home ,this time by Razak.The majority of the game was a stalemate.Some very good football but defences largely in control.The wind did not help at all as switching play with a long ball was so difficult.Mario got a knock but seemed to shrug it off as did Roman. Then at 1.1 a penalty was given for hand ball.Looked like it was all down to the swirling wind but it gave a chance for a winner as it was the last kick of the game. It finished 1.1 !!

As the whistle blew for the end the majority headed for the showers a little quicker than usual but Kolo stayed out for some extra with Brian Kidd ( made me tired just watching it) and Mancini did a little extra with Nasri and AJ on a couple of specific things.As I was walking in I took the opportunity of shaking the boss's hand and thanking him for 2011 and also for agreeing that I could be inside to watch the training.Not sure of his response but it might have been "eez normal"

'Eeeez important, for you to be there'.

Cheers for the report Doug, can I just ask if the training behind the curtain is then transposed on the subsequent game?

Who missed the penalty by the way, Mario?

Oh, and watch out for Roberto, he may do an Ade on your ass ;-)

Thanks Doug.

The last bit made me laugh.

do you think the 6 players named at the end of your first paragraph might get some matchtime over the next 2 games doug?
good report as usual.

feedthegreek wrote:do you think the 6 players named at the end of your first paragraph might get some matchtime over the next 2 games doug?
good report as usual.

I doubt very much that any of them would start a match but it's conceivable that one could be on the bench and get on as a sub if the match went perfectly to plan so that one of the main players didn't have to go on.

Cheers Doug. Good stuff as usual. Nice bit of creeping at the end. You may get an embossed pass if you keep it up.

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:

feedthegreek wrote:do you think the 6 players named at the end of your first paragraph might get some matchtime over the next 2 games doug?
good report as usual.

I doubt very much that any of them would start a match but it's conceivable that one could be on the bench and get on as a sub if the match went perfectly to plan so that one of the main players didn't have to go on.

cheers doug, love to see suarez get some gametime if we were coasting v sunderland.

Ted Hughes wrote:Cheers Doug. Good stuff as usual. Nice bit of creeping at the end. You may get an embossed pass if you keep it up.

Had to be done :)

Thanks Doug

Beefymcfc wrote:'Eeeez important, for you to be there'.

Cheers for the report Doug, can I just ask if the training behind the curtain is then transposed on the subsequent game?

Who missed the penalty by the way, Mario?

Oh, and watch out for Roberto, he may do an Ade on your ass ;-)

So much of the routines they do each training session is about 1 and 2 touch ball retention under pressure so yes in that context they definitely do take it into practice games and indeed the real thing.Stuff they work on with Mancini when he takes a team is only relevent to actual matchdays rather than the end of training matches which are always on small sized pitches and there is very little space.

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:

Ted Hughes wrote:Cheers Doug. Good stuff as usual. Nice bit of creeping at the end. You may get an embossed pass if you keep it up.

Had to be done :)

Is there an explanation on one of the training threads as to how you got your pass? Been keeping an eye out for one, but it might have passed me by. From the above it appears that Bob may have been given a deciding say, is that right? Also, if it's already been explained, do you know roughly when you posted it, so I can have a trawl? Thanks.

BlueinBosnia wrote:

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:

Ted Hughes wrote:Cheers Doug. Good stuff as usual. Nice bit of creeping at the end. You may get an embossed pass if you keep it up.

Had to be done :)

Is there an explanation on one of the training threads as to how you got your pass? Been keeping an eye out for one, but it might have passed me by. From the above it appears that Bob may have been given a deciding say, is that right? Also, if it's already been explained, do you know roughly when you posted it, so I can have a trawl? Thanks.

How did I get my pass? Well first of all I havent got an actual pass but just an agreement that I can go in (not every day) and that is agreed/organised on a daily basis as I have a contact to ring to sort it out.

The rest of it I suppose is that I have been going to training for some years and it is known by City (through Vicky Kloss and others) that I post on fans forums and I don't post negative stuff.Whilst they don't really want an audience at training and 100% do not want the photographers that plagued the place,they (the club and the manager) seem ok with me going in to maintain the link with the fans howver small that link is.

I was told ,when the big fences went up,that it had been agreed I could go inside BUT it had still to be ratified by the manager so yes Mancini was ultimately the man who had to agree.That agreement was given just before Christmas.Best christmas present I got:)

Nice one Doug. I love it (say LOVE IT) that you finally got you're regular entry to watch and I think its great that the club have conceded your link role with the fans. This obviously has been done as they trust you and no doubt someone at the club avidly reads your reports to ensure you 'keep it clean'.

To those club officials watching .... any chance of getting Doug a pass for the bench on matchdays? ... ;)

Chinners wrote:Nice one Doug. I love it (say LOVE IT) that you finally got you're regular entry to watch and I think its great that the club have conceded your link role with the fans. This obviously has been done as they trust you and no doubt someone at the club avidly reads your reports to ensure you 'keep it clean'.

To those club officials watching .... any chance of getting Doug a pass for the bench on matchdays? ... ;)

They can't fit everbody on as it is.

I agree it's a credit to the club that they've done this.

It takes high level of commitment and willpower to write these reports every week.

Thanks Doug !:-)

BRIDGE GOT AN ASSIST?

So i see you say that all senior players were involved...did Richards look like he has fully recovered from his injury? Did it look like he could play vs. Sunderland? Same with Kolarov? I wonder if we're gonna play Kolarov and give Clichy a rest or try to go with Clichy and have a strong side to maintain our "lead" at the top of the table.

nice report Doug, cheers.

Great post, again :)

phips wrote:So i see you say that all senior players were involved...did Richards look like he has fully recovered from his injury? Did it look like he could play vs. Sunderland? Same with Kolarov? I wonder if we're gonna play Kolarov and give Clichy a rest or try to go with Clichy and have a strong side to maintain our "lead" at the top of the table.

nice report Doug, cheers.

I think Richards was ready for the last game but Mancini said in a press conference somewhere that it was better safe than sorry and left him out at WBA.Kolarov had also trained fully before christmas so it was the same for him.Hard to be sure which way Mancini will go with a fully fit squad.

Doug
Do you have to have your reports vetted by someone at the club now, to make sure confidential info is not leaked?