Training report 14/10/2011

A routine day behind the fencing today with a lot of the work done close up to the fences where the photographers were gathered. First out were Nasri and Kolarov who both did some early routines to get warmed up,then followed by Mario who was definitely in playground mood.

As the coaches were setting balls out for the planned routines Mario decided to use them for shooting practice leaving fausto to have to get them back into place. Then a bit later during one of the warm up routines Mario did something to Fausto that winded him a little (maybe a camera got it) and from then was carefully keeping out of his range. My bet is there will be revenge taken inside:) All classic Mario.

A brief hand ball game where you could only pass after passing the ball from hand to hand through your own legs! No surprise one or two had difficulty coming to terms with this one but very funny when they tried.One touch games plus a game with the tiny nets with a few goals and the pick being Kolo practicing a Richard Dunne effort,in off his knee. Aguero had gone away to work on his own before any football started and Razak also left to leave it as 11 v 11.

An early goal came from that prolific scorer Zaba. Cracker too as he ran in on a great low cross from Clichy and smahed it in. Great cheers from his team mates and a massive smile for Zaba.The next goal from Mario made it 2 nil again from a low cross and this time from Nasri. At the other end Joe Hart made two stunning saves. First low to his right from Micah driving into the box and then from Dezko high to his right from fairly close in. Nothing too much else to note from the game but one or two thoughts on players not always in the spotlight.

Nedum as I have mentioned before is looking quite trim and for me doing everything right in training. Strong,fit and looks like a good defender albeit it in a training scenario.I wonder if he has worked his way close to if not into Mancini's thinking. Owen Hargreaves always does a little extra warm up at the start while most others are milling around waiting for Mancini to get the official work started.He has the odd extra strapping or plasters on his legs ( the bits I can see) but just gets on with it and looks good to me without being in any way stand out.Panti seems very good although one thing not tested in the training games ,as it's small pitch stuff,is going for crosses but he does seem to use his height and reach well in anticipating balls.

As they were training close to fences mostly today you could get a feel for the mood in the camp at least to a degree. Excellent I would say and the keep ball circles they did right under the noses of the cameras gave them plenty of chances to reflect that mood.I wonder if they will do that.I expect to see pictures from today on the OS as Sharon was clicking away for a while.

With regard to that other player who would be training a bit later I am told that yesterday he was worked very very hard.A bit more like a pre season running slog of a session and all without a ball. Dont know about you but that's not the impression I got from what I heard on SSN yesterday where the suggesstion seemed to be a light running session.Maybe it will be another tough one today.