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Seems such a long time away so good to get back to Carrington for the first full session since the window closed. 19 I think on show today which excluded Aguero,Micah and Zaba.The "physio room " site says Zaba has an injury but it said that about Rodders too and he was out training! Yaya did his usial after a break and went around the team with a hand shake as also does Brian Kidd.Mancini was sporting a new bobble hat with Mancini written on it.Nasti in green boots,Maicon in green and yellow,Garcia in orange.

It wasn't long before Sergio came out and worked with Ivan Carminati and worked quite hard too. Plenty of jogging,sprinting but also a lot of twisting /turning to test the knee and a limited amount of ball work.I wll leave it to Mancini to consider when he will be back but he was looking ok.At the end Micah was also out jogging but further away from fitness I would say and smiling as ever.

Along with the main squad there were a bunch of EDS lads out as well but warming up seperately.After all the initial stuff of jogs, a couple of exercises and kicking balls around in 2's and 3's they switched into a game involving 4 small nets. Wabara joined them for this part to balance up the numbers. Fairly gentle compared to what I have seen in the past although one nice challenge introduced Nasti to Milner. Neither of course gave an inch.

Mancini had spent a little time setting things up for some corner practice and it became evident that was why the EDS lads were really there. After the game it was all into the penalty box for some defending work and all the EDS lads were given specific positions as were the attacking players as Mancini went through the routines in his usual meticlous way.Those not fully involved were watching intently.

Just about then a large group were ushered in to watch the training and then a minute or so later the whole thing finished!Probably the shortest session I have seen and probably the right way after the International breaks with two games and plenty of travelling. I would expect a stronger day tomorrow to get more of an impression from the new boys.

Just like a Farmhouse loaf ... The 'original and the best'

Any sign of Gaz Baz?

Cheers as always DH

oh and 'Ha ha' @ Nasti I'm sure the French media will agree

Im assuming Nasti is the new Serbian centre-half and not the French play-maker?

Goaters 103 wrote:Im assuming Nasti is the new Serbian centre-half and not the French play-maker?

naturellement

Took me a while to work out that Samir hasn't changed his name...

cheers DH

Does nastasic look ready to slot in, Doug? Cheers.

Everything I have read has really bigged up Garcia, did you note anything that leads us to believe he is the 'special one' or another overhyped player from the Portuguese league?

And also concerned over Bazza.

Cheers Doug, great read as usual. Was Maicon fully involved? He might start against Stoke keeping in mind the injuries we have(Zab and Micah). Is it too early for him to play? You think Mancini would rather use Kolo as a RB?

Biamp wrote:You think Mancini would rather use Kolo as a RB?

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Hard to say anything after a short session like that. All the new boys looked fine to me and blended in nicely to the best squad in the league!

Must get ready to go to Hyde to watch the under 19's v Fenerbahce.

Goaters 103 wrote:Im assuming Nasti is the new Serbian centre-half and not the French play-maker?

That threw me for a sec too, thought it was a Nasri typo!

Good to hear Sergio getting there...

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:Hard to say anything after a short session like that. All the new boys looked fine to me and blended in nicely to the best squad in the league!

Must get ready to go to Hyde to watch the under 19's v Fenerbahce.

Missed the 19s tonight Doug, how were they? saw they were losing at half time feared the worst, and they went on a won! Skybet is as good as any results app!

bobby brows wrote:

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:Hard to say anything after a short session like that. All the new boys looked fine to me and blended in nicely to the best squad in the league!

Must get ready to go to Hyde to watch the under 19's v Fenerbahce.

Missed the 19s tonight Doug, how were they? saw they were losing at half time feared the worst, and they went on a won! Skybet is as good as any results app!

Not sure what to make of tonight's game.If you had asked me for a prediction after 25 minutes or so I would have said we would lose 3 or 4 nil. I was sat next to the guy who was responsible for Fenerbahce while they are over here.He works for Next Gen effectively and he said to me they get tired very quickly. Apparently they were hammering Juventus but ended up 3.3.

Seems he was right. Their goal was a header from a corner and a Micahesque leap ot was too.They then gave us a bit of a lesson for a while without getting that close to a 2nd but we weren't really in it.Then after about half an hour Suarez started to get more and more into it. One chance for Pozo well saved and at half time 1 nil wasnt bad.

It was all different in the 2nd half.Their excellent touch and movement seemd a distant memory and we were the team likely to score and it came when Suarez was brought down and he scored from the spot. A bit soft but the ref was right there and gave it immediately. By this time Suarez was the main man and dictating what was going on and City were just playing through him down the left. A neat pass to Huws set him free to run straight at their central defence and although he wasn't ,imo, fully in control of what he was doing, his shot was deflected past the keeper. Goal number 3 came from Hiwula running straight through at the keeper ( not sure how it happened) knocking it past him and going over his legs. Again an immediate pen but for me his touch was very heavy,he wouldnt have got close to it and he dived.

Fenerbahce never really threatened in the 2nd half.Not sure if we got much better or they just got knackered.I liked the look of Pozo again.Some great touches and excellent awareness. Huws was good when we got attacking and I guess Evans did a good defensive midfield job although I thought his quality on the ball was missing.

So lovely and peaceful to have these reports, Doug

Cheers Doug

I attended the first game and the Boro u21 game. I'll be honest i'm not sure there is anyone i've seen that looks as if they could step up to the first team yet, even as cover. Although I'd give Jeremy Helan a run out a left back cos if running with the ball was the entire game he'd be Pele. PSG had players who looked like they'd be handy in Ligue 1 and Boro fielded players who'd prob earn a living in the football league.

Did we have anyone tonight who looks they might earn a living in the Premier League?

bobby brows wrote:Cheers Doug

I attended the first game and the Boro u21 game. I'll be honest i'm not sure there is anyone i've seen that looks as if they could step up to the first team yet, even as cover. Although I'd give Jeremy Helan a run out a left back cos if running with the ball was the entire game he'd be Pele. PSG had players who looked like they'd be handy in Ligue 1 and Boro fielded players who'd prob earn a living in the football league.

Did we have anyone tonight who looks they might earn a living in the Premier League?

It's all too easy to sound negative but really only Suarez I would say is even close and he's not really there yet. I do have a real fancy for Pozo though.Just 16 so not that close but there is something about him that the others just don't have.

If I had to go for one of the midfield players it would be Huws rather than Evans.I agree with you about Helan he certainly can run with the ball but it's all a bit straight line running isnt it?

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:

bobby brows wrote:Cheers Doug

I attended the first game and the Boro u21 game. I'll be honest i'm not sure there is anyone i've seen that looks as if they could step up to the first team yet, even as cover. Although I'd give Jeremy Helan a run out a left back cos if running with the ball was the entire game he'd be Pele. PSG had players who looked like they'd be handy in Ligue 1 and Boro fielded players who'd prob earn a living in the football league.

Did we have anyone tonight who looks they might earn a living in the Premier League?

It's all too easy to sound negative but really only Suarez I would say is even close and he's not really there yet. I do have a real fancy for Pozo though.Just 16 so not that close but there is something about him that the others just don't have.

If I had to go for one of the midfield players it would be Huws rather than Evans.I agree with you about Helan he certainly can run with the ball but it's all a bit straight line running isnt it?

It amazes me that Helan cannot even pass the ball a couple of yards when he's at a dead stop, if he could cross he would be lethal. Defending not necessary.

I didn't get to see a lot of Huws in the last game, he and Evans couldn't make up their minds who was holding and who was roaming so they did both at the same time at the wrong time. Thought George looked like a player when he played a alongside GB.

I think Suarez would be better around better players. I think he's been guilty of trying to do too much, its felt likes he's in a rush. The important part is he seems to be a lot better technically than the rest of his age group, decision making and the physical aspect of his game (by which I mean being physically strong enough to play football) can be improved at a later date

i really hope we rest Sergio this weekend...no need for him to aggravate his injury at the difficult, bullish Birttania.
we need him fully fit and raring to go for Real Madrid.

Glad to hear the new boys look good.