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Thankfully no rain or wind at Carrington today but the good news were some of the curtains were down so I had a good view.It looked like rent a crowd had been hired today as there were loads of spectators filing in to watch.

19 on view which included Scapuzzi and Vlad Marin but as expected no Vinnie or Clichy, both if whom I understand will be subject to a fitness test on Sunday.I think even more than usual exercises and stretches were done today before any thing else happened and then it was off to another pitch for Mancini to start his work.

That's when something a little different happened. Mancini took the 4 strikers and had Kidd helping him , Platt and Fausto took the midfield players and Gregucci took the defensive unit or what's left of them! So effectively 3 separate groups working independently of each other. It was being filmed for Inside City so will probably be on the OS soon if not already.

Good news while this was happening was John Guidetti coming outside for some one to one work.I tried to get him to confirm when he would be fit to play but he wouldn't commit. Very soon was the nearest I got.Then all the players got together for a game with a difference. One team of 9 playing towards a big net and the other team playing to score in two 5 a side nets at the other end. Milner scored a really good goal in the big nets past Wright but at the other end t was goals from Edin and Mario I think which were decisive.Looks like Mario is over his back problem.

Then the team from wednesday went in leaving a 5 a side game to finish so I left to go over to Platt Lane for the EDS match v C Palace.Quite an entertaining game too.What I saw of the first half was mostly City with occasional breaks from Palace which were fairly dangerous. How City didn't score I have no idea apart from their keeper who made great saves from Pozo, Lopes and Ntcham and Lopes hit the bar but really we should have made one of them count.

The 2nd half started the same and we just couldn't score. Rekik came close twice, another magnificent keeper save for one of them and plenty of nearly moments but the same could be said for Palace who hit the bar and missed 2 golden chances.How the game ended nil nil is a mystery.

I still like the look of Lopes and Pozo but Ntcham caught my eye again today.Not because he was doing brilliant things but because he is still so young and stands out in the midfield. 2 good feet,sees a pass,powerful ,likes to attack and shoot.Rekik we know is quality but he has to improve his decision making in defensive situations at times.He seems to want to and expect to win the ball all the time and sometimes it just isn't on.Add to that he loves to go roaming forward to join the attack.

It seems the team caters for that easily as Evans just slots in to cover but I do wonder whether he can always play like that.So a game that felt like a 3.2 ended in a no score draw.

Thanks Doug, excellent as ever ...

Pozo cost us 3 million euro so Id expect him to eventually progress to the first team squad in a couple of years.

carl_feedthegoat wrote:Pozo cost us 3 million euro so Id expect him to eventually progress to the first team squad in a couple of years.

yeah, no doubt he'll build his way up eventually. Cheers Doug, great read as usual. Nothing on Michael Johnson whatsoever?? I believe he's out of contract come summer.

Biamp wrote:

carl_feedthegoat wrote:Pozo cost us 3 million euro so Id expect him to eventually progress to the first team squad in a couple of years.

yeah, no doubt he'll build his way up eventually. Cheers Doug, great read as usual. Nothing on Michael Johnson whatsoever?? I believe he's out of contract come summer.

More likely to see MJ in Tescos I think.
Pozo might well make it.Still only 16 now but shows a great touch/control and moves very well with the ball which makes him exceptionally dangerous in and around the box. First team squad when he is 18? Maybe

Did Mario ever show signs of a back injury? It all sounded kind of fishy to me and like an excuse for Mancini to leave him out without sending the media into a frenzy....

phips wrote:Did Mario ever show signs of a back injury? It all sounded kind of fishy to me and like an excuse for Mancini to leave him out without sending the media into a frenzy....

Yes he did.Left the training field last Friday after trying and ultimately failing, when he got a push while in mid air,with a back problem

What formation did the EDS play Doug?

Cheers Sir DH.
top class as usual.

seems as someone read my rants on Gregucci, then... and Alex Sapphire was bang on again, saying that the stubborn italian will never give up with practice of the back 3/5.

exciting sunday ahead.

Enjoyable as always

Cheers Doug.

dazby wrote:What formation did the EDS play Doug?

4.4.2. The back 4 was:
Drury who for me is really a right winger but is playing more and more as full back or wing back
Bossaerts
Rekik
Meppen-Walter who I think is really a center back.He went off early for Greg Leigh

A midfield of Razak,Evans playing the more holding role with Ntcham and Lopes

Up top were Pozo and Cole

Evans plays a real holding role and as I said will almost drop into the back 4 especially when Rekik wanders forward.Razak was more of a central playmaker but I don't think he has the passing skill to fulfil that role. Lopes does look quality on the ball and is growing game by game.Ntcham just looks special and seems to have a fairly free midfield role with licence to get forward.

Pozo plays a fairly free attacking role.He is only small with the classic low centre of gravity.Super touch,can take the ball either side and a real eye for goal. Cole is more of the classic center forward albeit not with much threat in the air.He looks quick and obviously has an eye for goal.I was worried he was bit lazy in the past but he has grown on me.Sadly in this game v Palace he was mostly well shackled.

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:

dazby wrote:What formation did the EDS play Doug?

4.4.2. The back 4 was:
Drury who for me is really a right winger but is playing more and more as full back or wing back
Bossaerts
Rekik
Meppen-Walter who I think is really a center back.He went off early for Greg Leigh

A midfield of Razak,Evans playing the more holding role with Ntcham and Lopes

Up top were Pozo and Cole

Evans plays a real holding role and as I said will almost drop into the back 4 especially when Rekik wanders forward. Razak was more of a central playmaker but I don't think he has the passing skill to fulfil that role. Lopes does look quality on the ball and is growing game by game.Ntcham just looks special and seems to have a fairly free midfield role with licence to get forward.

Pozo plays a fairly free attacking role.He is only small with the classic low centre of gravity.Super touch,can take the ball either side and a real eye for goal. Cole is more of the classic center forward albeit not with much threat in the air.He looks quick and obviously has an eye for goal.I was worried he was bit lazy in the past but he has grown on me.Sadly in this game v Palace he was mostly well shackled.

Thanks once more for a brilliant report.

that ain't the first time you mention something like that, especially about his passing. What kind of role do you see Razak playing? More like NDJ role, sitting in front I defenders or something completely else

Meppen-Walter is a fantastic name. Perhaps more fitting for a physic then a footballer, but great never the less.

Moonchesteri wrote:

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:

dazby wrote:What formation did the EDS play Doug?

4.4.2. The back 4 was:
Drury who for me is really a right winger but is playing more and more as full back or wing back
Bossaerts
Rekik
Meppen-Walter who I think is really a center back.He went off early for Greg Leigh

A midfield of Razak,Evans playing the more holding role with Ntcham and Lopes

Up top were Pozo and Cole

Evans plays a real holding role and as I said will almost drop into the back 4 especially when Rekik wanders forward. Razak was more of a central playmaker but I don't think he has the passing skill to fulfil that role. Lopes does look quality on the ball and is growing game by game.Ntcham just looks special and seems to have a fairly free midfield role with licence to get forward.

Pozo plays a fairly free attacking role.He is only small with the classic low centre of gravity.Super touch,can take the ball either side and a real eye for goal. Cole is more of the classic center forward albeit not with much threat in the air.He looks quick and obviously has an eye for goal.I was worried he was bit lazy in the past but he has grown on me.Sadly in this game v Palace he was mostly well shackled.

Thanks once more for a brilliant report.

that ain't the first time you mention something like that, especially about his passing. What kind of role do you see Razak playing? More like NDJ role, sitting in front I defenders or something completely else

If Abdul is going to make it I definitely see it in a defensive role where he wins and and plays it simple.He is good in the tackle and strong on the ball so he can hold it quite well.

He can break from a deeper position but then picking the pass isn't his forte so it would be more driving straight at the opposition to just make stuff happen. Or we keep playing him in a central role and he develops the passing.

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:
If Abdul is going to make it I definitely see it in a defensive role where he wins and and plays it simple.He is good in the tackle and strong on the ball so he can hold it quite well.

He can break from a deeper position but then picking the pass isn't his forte so it would be more driving straight at the opposition to just make stuff happen. Or we keep playing him in a central role and he develops the passing.

Cheers mate.