MCFC training report 18/11/2011

Hell that was a long 2 weeks with no training! According to Brian Kidd they all returned fit and well and today there were 19 in full training (+ keepers) and that included Nasri and Owen H. When I arrived Kidd and Fausto were setting stuff up very close to the fence so I would be fully entertained. After Yaya came out early as he often does he was followed by 4 keepers and Joe decided it was a long walk so borrowed the groundsman's buggy. Typical Joe.

Sharon was clicking away for the OS and a bunch of the regular cameras were near me behind the fencing. Plenty of signs that more fencing is shortly to be put up and the word is it will be very high, like the catch nets behind goals and all the way around all the pitches. Could be a sad day. Not sure if I will get any opportunities but every single day there are people on the inside just watching so I live in hope.

After initial jogging and warm ups it was into keep ball circles and one in particular was bursting with fun and noise. No surprise then it included Micah, Nigel, Joleon, Vinnie, Milner. The target always seems to be 20 passes and the bvest moment was when it got close to that with Vinnie in the middle with Micah. Milner shouted look out Vinnie's going to smash. Sure enough seconds later Vinnie launched into one near Zaba and took a massive divot. Plenty of disagreemenets in these keep ball circles but always sorted with a vote which usually seemed to be led by Lescott. Pure playground stuff and good fun.

Quite a few pairs of new yellow and red boots which I hadnt seen before and Mario with a new haircut. Not that new but a new pattern on the strip.Then it was onto more exercises and stretching before some football switching between small and large nets. 1 touch stuff and the only goal in the small nets was Edin. Good signs for me from the start watching Nigel closely as he looked in great spirits .In the game where they could only score with headers Savic managed 3 saves with his head early on before Zaba scored one after Nigel hit the post and then Gazza scored "another". It all finished with another brief game with the small nets and a sublime piece of play from Silva where he sadly hit the post rather than score.

The keepers came over now for the finishing game.Panti with a white snood again! A clever bit of work left Aguero with an easy goal right at the start but I think that might have been cancelled as Aguero was playing for the wrong team so he put a bib on! Micah broke well and missed a chance, Panti saved well from Kolarov, Savic defended brilliantly on Mario,a brilliant goal line clearance from Clichy and then a moment when Vinnie really showed the effort being put in just trying to stop a corner. No doubt at all they were all fully at it considering the football played and especially the travelling in the last 2 weeks. They had a training session yesterday but by all acounts it was low key and with quite a few still missing.

The from nowhere 2 goals in a minute. A Yaya goal from an AJ set up and then another from that ace goalscorer NDJ. That was about it from the match but I had noticed the boss talking with each of the 3 strikers at different times of the session. Not a long one today as might be expected and only a few staying out for a bit extra. Nigel, AJ and Milner practicing finishing from the edge of the box,Owen H just doing more work and with Clichy for a while.

Doug