Training Friday 11/2

[Douglas Higginbottom]

So the day before the derby and what do we get? A hoard of photographers ( no surprise), a bunch of oiks (school hols for some apparently) and all the squad bar AJ.Yes Nigel and Mario joined the rest in the warm up routines and stretching which took them jogging around and doing some of the playground tag stuff to have some fun.

Mancini then took them away behind a fence for some of his usual stuff and as for what the team is likely to be he wasn't giving anything away as he changed the players and formation quite a lot with basically everybody involved at some stage. Having said that I got the feeling this was Nigel's first fitness test.He didn't stay out for the football and no doubt they will be looking to see how he reacts tomorrow morning before doing the final test. Mario also didn't play the football although I think he was keen to but sense prevailed and he continued with his rehab one to one work. Milner also finished early as a precautionary measure.

The football was fairly routine with the snappers hammering away.One guy said to another after about 45 minutes,"have you got anything yet" No was his answer. Hundreds of pictures no doubt but nothing sensational for a headline!Pathetic.Nothing really to highlight in the football. I reckon it might have been a notch down from the normal session with such a big game tomorrow but competitive enough.That really showed when Kidd announced golden goal time and the attention to defending got even more evident.It took quite a while for it to be scored and then it was the expected right boot of non other than.....Jo who scored it.

Three things I could hear constantly today were the cameras snapping , an oik in a tree commentating on the game to his mates ( even worse than John Motson and that's saying something ) and Joe Hart always shouting out encouragement and instruction to his teammates. One of the photographers who is a scum fan said he fears for them tomorrow as they have been playing poorly.I hope he is right.

[Fesan]

Great report, thank you:-)

[john68]

Cheers Doug....Well that's all the parade ground stuff done and dusted...All they have to do now is march to the swamp and win the battle.

[BadKompany]

Cheers Doug,very interesting.....

[Mikhail Chigorin]

Thanks for the report Mr H......from what you saw, do you reckon SuperMario will be fit to play some part, if required, in tomorrow's proceedings ??

P.S. Just for a bit of fun, ever considered taking a few chums along and temporarily confiscating the cameras of all the media morons on show ??

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Thanks for the report Mr H......from what you saw, do you reckon SuperMario will be fit to play some part, if required, in tomorrow's proceedings ??

P.S. Just for a bit of fun, ever considered taking a few chums along and temporarily confiscating the cameras of all the media morons on show ??

Re Mario I wouldnt be surprised if he makes the bench but whether he would be a real candidate to get on would still be doubtful. Chances are that Mancini will start with Dzeko on the bench so he would probably be the first striker substitute if any are needed at all. I don't doubt at all that Mario would think he can play a part.

On the other question I think you know the answer but

[Mikhail Chigorin]

If (or should that be when ??) you were apprehended by the stentorian custodians of the law and placed before the magistrate, you could drop into 'Tale of Two Cities' mode and tell the gathered cognoscenti "It's a far, far better thing I do, than I have ever done before".

You could also tell the world that the jackals and hyenas of the 'Trash Taliban Media Moron Persuasion' only got everything they deserved and that you, a representative of the fair minded British footballing public, was only standing up for truth, honesty and the little man......... You'd be a veritable hero, indeed a legend in your own lunchtime.

OK, OK. Perhaps not......(exits stage left to catcalls, derision and bad eggs and tomatoes being hurled).

[Duckman]

thanx Doug.

[johnny crossan]

"commentating oiks in the trees " - very irritating Doug - whatever next?!

[Beefymcfc]

This:
[center]Joe

Micah.....Kolo.....Vince.....Zab

James.....Gaz.....Yaya......Aleks

Silva

Carlos[/center]
[center]_____________________________[/center]
or this:
[center]Joe

Micah.....Kolo.....Vince.....Zab

Gaz.....Yaya......Aleks

Silva.....Carlos.....Edin[/center]

[Douglas Higginbottom]

This:
[center]Joe

Micah.....Kolo.....Vince.....Zab

James.....Gaz.....Yaya......Aleks

Silva

Carlos[/center]
[center]_____________________________[/center]
or this:
[center]Joe

Micah.....Kolo.....Vince.....Zab

Gaz.....Yaya......Aleks

Silva.....Carlos.....Edin[/center]

Given

Boateng,Boyata,Lescott,Kolarov
Vieira,Barry,Milner
SWP,Jo,Guidetti

[circumspect]

NdJ.

Any chance of him playing Doug?

Ta.

[Goataldo]

Nice one, cheers.

Kidd should shout 'golden goal' at kick off tomorrow if it has that effect. Just hope Jo isn't on the field.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

NdJ.

Any chance of him playing Doug?

Ta.

Gut feeling is no

[Goataldo]

NdJ.

Any chance of him playing Doug?

Ta.

Gut feeling is no

Gutted. Really hope your gut is mistaken.

[gaudy]

NdJ.

Any chance of him playing Doug?

Ta.

Gut feeling is no

Gutted. Really hope your gut is mistaken.

same as.really want nigel playin this one,have so much more confidence when hes sat in front of the back 4

[Beefymcfc]

Given

Boateng,Boyata,Lescott,Kolarov
Vieira,Barry,Milner
SWP,Jo,Guidetti

Seems we're resting a few mate, thanks for the heads up. Looks like the cups are on ;-)