Meeting The First Team
With new signing, Shinji Kagawa, being the only player in the team unable to speak or understand basic english, I considered giving him the day off, but this being his very first training session with the club, I asked him to be present - keeping in mind the morale of the team.
After the warm-ups and stretching was taken care of, the boys were ready to start practice. "Direct Set Pieces", shouted Mike Phelan, and within the next five minutes, the defenders were in the wall, and the attackers stand a good few meters away from the box. One of the coaches placed a number of balls in a variety of positions to the left and the right, just about close enough to take a direct freekick. The likes of Wayne Rooney, Nani, Ryan Giggs, Ashley Young and the others took turns, trying to direct the ball towards the goal. Lindegaard and De Gea kept interchanging positions every five shots. These guys didn't need a coach or a manager, they were true footballing professionals and maintained a standard I have never seen before.
Analysis:
1. Ryan Giggs - 34/50 - I wasn't surprised to see the Welsh icon do so well. After all, he has been in the business for the past two decades, and if it weren't for the talents of Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo, he would probably have been the #1 freekick taker for the club. Time after time, he used to get both the keepers to go the other way.
2. Ashley Young - 29/50 - Another no-brainer. Young was known as a freekick specialist in the Aston Villa squad, even with the presence of Agbonlahor, and will be crucial for our squad with his indirect freekicks - feeding Vidic and Ferdinand in the box.
3. Davide Petrucci - 24/50 - The biggest surprise here. He won't feature in the first-team this season at least, but it is good to know we have a youngster who can shoulder such an important responsibility in the future.
As soon as this exercise was done, the boys lined up right on the edge of the box, with the youngsters standing behind the goal. Joining De Gea and Lindegaard in this exercise was young keeper Sam Johnstone. It was time to practice the boys' skills from the penalty spot.
Analysis:
1. Wayne Rooney - 47/50 - Rooney will be responsible for goals that come from the penalty spot and, even during practice, he showed people why. Missing only three and that to due to goalkeeping luck/brilliance, he used the right combination of power and accuracy.
2. Davide Petrucci - 44/50 - Yet again, the youngster shows us that he is lethal from a deadball situation, comfortably placing the ball in the back of the net. Even the 6'4" Johnstone couldn't reach the ball in time to stop Petrucci from scoring time and time again.
3. Ryan Giggs - 42/50 - Very easy for the grey-haired midfielder. I wasn't expecting any less from him either.
While practice continued, Mike Phelan and Paul McGuinness stood next to me, observing the work that was being put in. I am advised by my assistant manager to meet up with the captain and vice-captain of the team, when the Glazer representative arrives. "He would most likely want to meet us in his special box, Akash.", said Phelan.
