by Douglas Higginbottom » Thu Jan 03, 2013 12:58 pm
It might be the 1st this year but it's the same old weather with constant nasty drizzle.Rekik out early and good to see Kolarov out for the session.18 in total and missing were Yaya and Silva of the expected players.Yaya probably because he has been nursing something for a while and Silva maybe just needing an extra day's rest. Kolo and Abdul were involved though and also Guidetti.
In the background was a full EDS training session and a noisy one too plus cameras perched high filming everything.Despite the rain Sharon was also out getting snaps for the OS and later on the Inside City cameras were also out.The usual gentle warm up routines started procedures quickly followed by Mancini getting a team working on the basic disciplines,shape,formation,passing which is part of a regular routine.That didn't last too long before the game started with Mancini himself balancing up the teams as Kolarov wasn't a starter in the contact stuff.
Panti started the game in style saving superbly from Tevez and later from Milner in 1 on 1 situations. A dodgy pen brought the first goal with a Nasti challenge on Edin. Guidetti ( not Mario) slotted home. Nasri ended his session limping off with what looked like a slight thigh strain. I think Carlos scored at the other end before golden goal was announced.Two Mario efforts went just wide before Carlos got the winner.I thought that was it but they split into two groups for more exercises.The Stoke team did theirs and went in but the rest stayed for a 6 a side game with Mancini again involved.
It was Panti plus AR,KT,JG,RM.MB,JG against RW,SS,MN,CT and KR and ANO while Kolarov was working solely with Faust and working hard too.As it was 6 a side there were obviously plenty of goals, coming from:
Mario a few
Carlos 2
Guidetti
Garcia
Rekik
Kolo
Sinclair 2
I doubt Rekik will have done his chances of playing when he flattened the boss with a push. Carlos scored from the free kick.Mario's best goal was when he spotted Wright edging too far one way so he popped it in the other corner.Another penalty was given which Carlos took and like Guidetti has done earlier he tried the chip down the middle. The trouble is Panti didn't move!!
The whole game was developing into a strong competition and I could hear Kolo urging his team mates on from 150 yards away and I reckon Gregucci was having a hard time keeping in control but that's about where it ended.Mario had bundles of shots,hit the woodwork a lot including one occasion where he had already bundled the keeper away for a throw in.And there a strong session ended.