After a few days off it was back to work today in the miserable drizzly rain at Carrington. Everybody there excpet Robinho who is still 2 weeks away. Great to see Vinnie back with the group too. A load of the usual warm up routines all done with a smile and plenty of good effort. I watched the keepers for a while and Shay really stood out. Not too bad for all the other 4 keeprs on show but Shay really is special. 4 guys smashing volleys and half volleys at him from 5 yards or so and his handling was immaculate and when needed the firm had was there to turn the ball away.
The rest moved into playing a passing game of 9 a side. I think it was 2 touch and the pace , movement and skill was impressive. So was the challenge by NDJ on Bellers which ended with Nigel picking him up with smiles on both sides. 2 gladiators in action!
They then changed to play 6 a side with a third team scattered around the touchline and used to join in with one touch only. Again very impressive. The quality was superb and it was all done with fast pass and move. I think I can safely say everyone looked good today.
Nigel really does enjoy his training and like Bellers expects maximum effeort from all around. In one tackle he took 2 of the oppostion out plus one of his own team! Sounds worse than it was as he slid in and the others took avoiding action but he clearly wasn't going to miss that tackle. SWP at one moment was sliding in to clear at his back post and then within a few seconds was smashing a goal at the other end.
Johnno was really putting it in as was Micah. His response to being left out looks just about right. Just like SWP at one time clearing brilliantly with a last ditch lunge to block a shot and then meeting a cross superbly to score at the other end. He wasn't too impressed though when Nigel used him for an in off goal! NDJ was one of the off pitch players and decided to smash the ball into the centre of the 6 yard box. Micah was looking to cover a run and the ball smashed into his back and in for a goal. NDJ tried to convince him he meant it!
Petrov was very lively and playing with a smile, Toure was all over the place, Stevie looked great and in setting one goal up showed amazing coolness in the 6 yard box to create the time and space.Vinnie looked very good for his first time back and I would expect will be in contention for the match after Villa. As I said they were all quality and very lively. Even Hughes said he perhaps ought to give them 3 days off more often!
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