Went along to find no first team training so EDS it was.Shame as well as most of the 2nd tier fencing has been blown down.Not surprised either as it was howling across the pitches today and especially the pitch where the EDS train which is nearest to the swamp training grounds.I went all the way around to get the best view and saw 17 involved in the session.
Patrick Vieira was there to watch as I think were Gregucci and Fausto as they were put through their paces with basic warm ups a la the 1st team.The players I was sure of included Plummer,Evans,CMW,Cole,Rusnak,Facey,Leigh,Pozo plus Lopes,Bossaerts,Kennedy,Huws and Maicon,Evans,Guidetti,Suarez and I think Glendon. Thinking about who was missing and we have Hiwula (injured) Henshall ( I think injured but might have been doing some one to one stuff or might be talking with Coventry!)Helan,Drury,Nimely on loan.
They started a game which started with a great cross from Maicon met on the volley by Rusnak only to smack into the post and away.A neat through ball at the other end found Cole free and he slipped it through the keeper for the first goal.The wind was playing havoc with any ball not played along the ground.Some of the spare balls were being blown away on the ground.Cole shot wide when maybe a pass to Guidetti would have been better. Maicon found a short pass to Evans who scored with a low shot.
Pozo cutting in from the left as he likes to do hit the bar with a a curler before he scored with a tap in after a great save by Lawlor.Lopes found a neat pass to Rusnak who scored well with his left foot,Pozo nicked a cross in although the keeper denied it had crossed the line.(looked like a touch of the Roy Carrolls to me)
Guidetti shot just over before Facey hit a low 25 yarder which somehow crept in.Guidetti scored a simple goal from a Suarez cross then straight down the other end for Lopes to score before Guidetti scored a hotly disputed winner after Huws broke through looking suspiciously offside.
An interesting session for me but spoiled a bit as it was so windy.The expected names get the most mentions as they were the most influential in the key areas of creating or scoring goals.Overall impression for me is obviously the difference in quality compared to what I usually see which of course is to be expected but maybe also a little less intensity in the play as well. I don't think I saw anything I could call physical either which is certainly not the case watching the first team.
In terms of Guidetti watch as I was asked to do I would just say he isn't ready yet.I think Mancini said 6 weeks a week or so back and that's probably about right.His touch and awareness is fine of course but his legs are not yet and he needs more training and some game time to get that back.I expect he will play at least 45 minutes in tomorrow's game