Training 12/12/12

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Nice crisp day at Carrington with 19 players on show.Missing were Vinnie and Milner but good to see Rodders again plus Kolarov back but Nasri also missing.Maybe nursing the pulled muscle from trying to stop that free kick ! Scapuzzi and Razak making up the squad today.

It was a case of extra clothing for most of them and extra warm up ,running routines to try to ensure no silly pulled muscles or other injuries. Mario with what looked like a big blue and white tea cosy on his bonce was the stand out but quite a few snoods as well.Just 2 in shorts trying to be brave.Even though they were on undersoil heated pitches there was a touch of frost lying on the top.

Mancini's first real work today was with the full defensive set up and it was quite a long detailed session on tactical formation work as a unit.The others played in a large keep ball session with 5 or 6 on the outer plus 2 in the middle to pass with and the other 4 or 5 working hard to win the ball back and pressing hard as a unit.Looked like the pressing aspect was the key focus in this and no surprises to find Carlos leading the way in closing down players.

It all switched round so that Mancini took the attacking players next as a group and had a lengthy spell with them clearly at times showing them the runs he was looking for as well as the angles for passes.Very much a day for technical,tactical work and while each group was being worked on the rest kept going with exercises.It was seriously not a day to just hang about.Milner had come out after a while and worked closely with Ivan on all sorts of exercises. Clearly not 100% over his problem yet but he seemed to be running,stopping,starting,turning pretty well to me.No idea if he will be ready for weekend.The word on Vinnie is that it's not too bad but nobody was making any commitments on a return date.

And so into a match at the end but not the sort the sessions normally end with. For a start Mario was being worked on one to one with one of the coaches and in the game it was 7 v 9.The 7 being a defensive unit of 6 plus Carlos as the release ball against almost a full team.A really tough ask for the defending team but they did very well and from them Kolo was excellent and got my man of the session vote.Top pro and a very good defender.The only goal was from a Silva pass (cut back) for Barry to sidefoot into the far corner.

[AG7]

So they did not stand Nasri in the middle and bombard him with footballs left right and centre?

OR maybe they did just that yesterday and that's why Nasri was missing ...

[Swales4ever]

Great report Sir D, and fairly good news, particularly on the very scaring issue of the Skipper.
Btw, I've yet to understand what kind of recurrence he suffered: knee?

Think that if Baz gets cheated, risking Big Jaws will become a must.
cheers as usual, Senor.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

So they did not stand Nasri in the middle and bombard him with footballs left right and centre?

OR maybe they did just that yesterday and that's why Nasri was missing ...

Maybe they did that in the gym with medicine balls!

[phips]

So they did not stand Nasri in the middle and bombard him with footballs left right and centre?

OR maybe they did just that yesterday and that's why Nasri was missing ...

Maybe they did that in the gym with medicine balls!

one can hope

[Hazy2]

Nice crisp day at Carrington with 19 players on show.Missing were Vinnie and Milner but good to see Rodders again plus Kolarov back but Nasri also missing.Maybe nursing the pulled muscle from trying to stop that free kick ! Scapuzzi and Razak making up the squad today.

It was a case of extra clothing for most of them and extra warm up ,running routines to try to ensure no silly pulled muscles or other injuries. Mario with what looked like a big blue and white tea cosy on his bonce was the stand out but quite a few snoods as well.Just 2 in shorts trying to be brave.Even though they were on undersoil heated pitches there was a touch of frost lying on the top.

Mancini's first real work today was with the full defensive set up and it was quite a long detailed session on tactical formation work as a unit.The others played in a large keep ball session with 5 or 6 on the outer plus 2 in the middle to pass with and the other 4 or 5 working hard to win the ball back and pressing hard as a unit.Looked like the pressing aspect was the key focus in this and no surprises to find Carlos leading the way in closing down players.

It all switched round so that Mancini took the attacking players next as a group and had a lengthy spell with them clearly at times showing them the runs he was looking for as well as the angles for passes.Very much a day for technical,tactical work and while each group was being worked on the rest kept going with exercises.It was seriously not a day to just hang about.Milner had come out after a while and worked closely with Ivan on all sorts of exercises. Clearly not 100% over his problem yet but he seemed to be running,stopping,starting,turning pretty well to me.No idea if he will be ready for weekend.The word on Vinnie is that it's not too bad but nobody was making any commitments on a return date.

And so into a match at the end but not the sort the sessions normally end with. For a start Mario was being worked on one to one with one of the coaches and in the game it was 7 v 9.The 7 being a defensive unit of 6 plus Carlos as the release ball against almost a full team.A really tough ask for the defending team but they did very well and from them Kolo was excellent and got my man of the session vote.Top pro and a very good defender.The only goal was from a Silva pass (cut back) for Barry to sidefoot into the far corner.

Doug, can I ask do we work on shape as we have no width and a times, and manage to be caught out by counter attacks both Everton, and the scum seemed to be breaking off our attacks.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Nice crisp day at Carrington with 19 players on show.Missing were Vinnie and Milner but good to see Rodders again plus Kolarov back but Nasri also missing.Maybe nursing the pulled muscle from trying to stop that free kick ! Scapuzzi and Razak making up the squad today.

It was a case of extra clothing for most of them and extra warm up ,running routines to try to ensure no silly pulled muscles or other injuries. Mario with what looked like a big blue and white tea cosy on his bonce was the stand out but quite a few snoods as well.Just 2 in shorts trying to be brave.Even though they were on undersoil heated pitches there was a touch of frost lying on the top.

Mancini's first real work today was with the full defensive set up and it was quite a long detailed session on tactical formation work as a unit.The others played in a large keep ball session with 5 or 6 on the outer plus 2 in the middle to pass with and the other 4 or 5 working hard to win the ball back and pressing hard as a unit.Looked like the pressing aspect was the key focus in this and no surprises to find Carlos leading the way in closing down players.

It all switched round so that Mancini took the attacking players next as a group and had a lengthy spell with them clearly at times showing them the runs he was looking for as well as the angles for passes.Very much a day for technical,tactical work and while each group was being worked on the rest kept going with exercises.It was seriously not a day to just hang about.Milner had come out after a while and worked closely with Ivan on all sorts of exercises. Clearly not 100% over his problem yet but he seemed to be running,stopping,starting,turning pretty well to me.No idea if he will be ready for weekend.The word on Vinnie is that it's not too bad but nobody was making any commitments on a return date.

And so into a match at the end but not the sort the sessions normally end with. For a start Mario was being worked on one to one with one of the coaches and in the game it was 7 v 9.The 7 being a defensive unit of 6 plus Carlos as the release ball against almost a full team.A really tough ask for the defending team but they did very well and from them Kolo was excellent and got my man of the session vote.Top pro and a very good defender.The only goal was from a Silva pass (cut back) for Barry to sidefoot into the far corner.

Doug, can I ask do we work on shape as we have no width and a times, and manage to be caught out by counter attacks both Everton, and the scum seemed to be breaking off our attacks.

Absolutely they do.It's one of Mancini's key things to re cover and get back into shape as soon as possible after losing the ball.It's inevitable though with Silva roaming about and the full backs pushing on a lot that there will be times when we lose the ball and we are exposed if a team can break quickly enough and switch the play.

That's where the likes of Barry and Nigel were so important to be in the right place at the right time but it's also so important that players recognise situations and recover very quickly to get back.That recovery isn't always there from what I see, at least not from everybody.

[Biamp]

Cheers Doug, great read as usual. We really miss Nigel. Now with Barry suspended I am keen on seeing if Javi Garcia can step it up and be counted on, he hasn't impressed me at all.

[Hazy2]

Nice crisp day at Carrington with 19 players on show.Missing were Vinnie and Milner but good to see Rodders again plus Kolarov back but Nasri also missing.Maybe nursing the pulled muscle from trying to stop that free kick ! Scapuzzi and Razak making up the squad today.

It was a case of extra clothing for most of them and extra warm up ,running routines to try to ensure no silly pulled muscles or other injuries. Mario with what looked like a big blue and white tea cosy on his bonce was the stand out but quite a few snoods as well.Just 2 in shorts trying to be brave.Even though they were on undersoil heated pitches there was a touch of frost lying on the top.

Mancini's first real work today was with the full defensive set up and it was quite a long detailed session on tactical formation work as a unit.The others played in a large keep ball session with 5 or 6 on the outer plus 2 in the middle to pass with and the other 4 or 5 working hard to win the ball back and pressing hard as a unit.Looked like the pressing aspect was the key focus in this and no surprises to find Carlos leading the way in closing down players.

It all switched round so that Mancini took the attacking players next as a group and had a lengthy spell with them clearly at times showing them the runs he was looking for as well as the angles for passes.Very much a day for technical,tactical work and while each group was being worked on the rest kept going with exercises.It was seriously not a day to just hang about.Milner had come out after a while and worked closely with Ivan on all sorts of exercises. Clearly not 100% over his problem yet but he seemed to be running,stopping,starting,turning pretty well to me.No idea if he will be ready for weekend.The word on Vinnie is that it's not too bad but nobody was making any commitments on a return date.

And so into a match at the end but not the sort the sessions normally end with. For a start Mario was being worked on one to one with one of the coaches and in the game it was 7 v 9.The 7 being a defensive unit of 6 plus Carlos as the release ball against almost a full team.A really tough ask for the defending team but they did very well and from them Kolo was excellent and got my man of the session vote.Top pro and a very good defender.The only goal was from a Silva pass (cut back) for Barry to sidefoot into the far corner.

Doug, can I ask do we work on shape as we have no width and a times, and manage to be caught out by counter attacks both Everton, and the scum seemed to be breaking off our attacks.

Absolutely they do.It's one of Mancini's key things to re cover and get back into shape as soon as possible after losing the ball.It's inevitable though with Silva roaming about and the full backs pushing on a lot that there will be times when we lose the ball and we are exposed if a team can break quickly enough and switch the play.

That's where the likes of Barry and Nigel were so important to be in the right place at the right time but it's also so important that players recognise situations and recover very quickly to get back.That recovery isn't always there from what I see, at least not from everybody.

Thanks mate I thought so I also think the De Jong danger zone has gone and players run in the middle of the park without a soul about Nigel, did some unsean work which we now miss

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Cheers Doug, great read as usual. We really miss Nigel. Now with Barry suspended I am keen on seeing if Javi Garcia can step it up and be counted on, he hasn't impressed me at all.

I feel Garcia is the classic case of being taken by surprise by the pace of the game here.In the small sided games they play in training there is virtually no room to play or take time so he has to think and play quickly and seems to have done ok but in games where he might think he has time and space he has been found out.I worry that he will struggle for a while yet but will give him time as I do think he can play.

[Ted Hughes]

Cheers Doug, great read as usual. We really miss Nigel. Now with Barry suspended I am keen on seeing if Javi Garcia can step it up and be counted on, he hasn't impressed me at all.

I feel Garcia is the classic case of being taken by surprise by the pace of the game here.In the small sided games they play in training there is virtually no room to play or take time so he has to think and play quickly and seems to have done ok but in games where he might think he has time and space he has been found out.I worry that he will struggle for a while yet but will give him time as I do think he can play.

I would like us to have one player who actually sits properly in big games & then drops back to the 'D' in front of the defence, looking to spot runners through the middle & passes from wide in particular. The number of key goals we have conceded from movement around that area is shocking. Garcia could do that job imo.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

I see Ian Herbert from the Indo has been reading your report Doug.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

Ted,

I agree with you about Garcia but if he were to play there in that defensive shield role, do we sacrifice a striker or a creative player to accommodate it?

[Dameerto]

Speaking of training and journalists, any sign of Vinnie today? (13th) - Ian Ladyman is claiming Vinnie is back in training and targeting the Newcastle game.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Speaking of training and journalists, any sign of Vinnie today? (13th) - Ian Ladyman is claiming Vinnie is back in training and targeting the Newcastle game.

You can never rule Vinnie out as he is a warrior but he wasn't "out there " training today.Can't say what he was doing inside though.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

I see Ian Herbert from the Indo has been reading your report Doug.

Herbert sounds about right doesn't it? No offer of payment either.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

I see Ian Herbert from the Indo has been reading your report Doug.

Herbert sounds about right doesn't it? No offer of payment either.

Ha, it does indeed.

[Mikhail Chigorin]

Cheers Doug, great read as usual. We really miss Nigel. Now with Barry suspended I am keen on seeing if Javi Garcia can step it up and be counted on, he hasn't impressed me at all.

I feel Garcia is the classic case of being taken by surprise by the pace of the game here.In the small sided games they play in training there is virtually no room to play or take time so he has to think and play quickly and seems to have done ok but in games where he might think he has time and space he has been found out.I worry that he will struggle for a while yet but will give him time as I do think he can play.

I would like us to have one player who actually sits properly in big games & then drops back to the 'D' in front of the defence, looking to spot runners through the middle & passes from wide in particular. The number of key goals we have conceded from movement around that area is shocking. Garcia could do that job imo.

By all accounts, David Luiz has starred in this, or a similar, midfield role today in Chelsea's game against Monterrey.

By the same token, given injuries and Barry's potential suspension, it's just a pity that Kolarov would seem to be incapable of stepping up to the plate and slotting into this role as it might have been a way of him re-inventing himself and flourishing in the team.

On that basis, Pab Zab might be the only viable, current option we have, always providing he can be spared from full back.

[Dameerto]

I watched the Chelsea game, he did fairly well (some decent passes) - I would have liked to see Savic try that position before we got rid of him, water under the bridge now though.

[Ted Hughes]

Ted,

I agree with you about Garcia but if he were to play there in that defensive shield role, do we sacrifice a striker or a creative player to accommodate it?

Possibly.

I actually think that (apart from the obvious) Nasri pulled his fucking tripe out v the rags, ran himself into the ground, BUT he created nothing & is just not up to it when it comes to winning the ball back, however hard he tries.

By all accounts, David Luiz has starred in this, or a similar, midfield role today in Chelsea's game against Monterrey.

By the same token, given injuries and Barry's potential suspension, it's just a pity that Kolarov would seem to be incapable of stepping up to the plate and slotting into this role as it might have been a way of him re-inventing himself and flourishing in the team.

On that basis, Pab Zab might be the only viable, current option we have, always providing he can be spared from full back.

That pisses me off somewhat, as I've been saying he should be playing there, since before they signed him.

Kolo Toure would be worth a try there for City. Rodewell too when fit.

People would probably mention Nige, but Nige was rarely there in the kind of situation I'm talking about (such as v Napoli when Cavani was left unmarked in our box to slot home the winner & Nige was on the winger ).