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Manchester City have two members of their ground staff out in Boca Raton, on the east coast of Florida, to make sure that the training pitches best replicate those back home.
Specialists have been revamping two surfaces at Lynn University over the past month, attempting to manicure them in exactly the same way as at the City Football Academy.
It’s no easy job given the searing weather and the pair are straight onto mowing the grass as soon as City’s stars have finished at the end of sessions.
They didn’t hold any sway on what happened with the Lincoln Financial Field on Wednesday though before Pep Guardiola’s side kicked off their Club World Cup with a 2-0 win over Wydad AC.
There were a few complaints that the pitch was running a little slow, even though it had been watered beforehand and at half time. Despite the best efforts of staff, that is actually not too dissimilar to the pitches back at base.
‘Obviously, it's really difficult with the heat, the conditions, the training pitches are quite dry after a while,’ Phil Foden said. ‘You have to adapt to the climate.’
There were a few complaints that the Lincoln Financial Field pitch was running a little slow
Pep Guardiola began his post-match interview by saying the humid conditions have made for a difficult situation
The climate is an issue, with Guardiola starting his post-match press conference by saying: ‘It’s so… hot. The humidity. It’s not easy.’
That felt a slight surprise given the Philadelphia heat is nowhere near as intense as Florida – until a City staff member, who had been pitchside for the midday match, came inside absolutely drenched. The airy press box was probably not a great barometer.
Aggressive Reijnders
Tijjani Reijnders is unlikely to operate so deep when the Premier League season starts but his debut in the No 6 position was one of the positives to take from the win.
Interceptions and reading of the game were both exemplarily in an area of the pitch that was a huge vulnerability for City last season – especially when quickly turned over.
‘He’s a really good player. Really good,’ was Guardiola’s assessment. ‘You feel it, you smell it. When he gets the rhythm he will be top. We also have Nico Gonzalez there. (Mateo) Kovacic can come back. I see him more in the (higher) positions.’
That will suit Reijnders more because, for all of his good work, there was an aggressive pass through the lines in the first half that was cut out and Wydad almost equalised during that passage. He’ll just need to know when to play daring and when not to, although those are easier decisions to make in the No 8 spot.
Tijjani Reijnders' debut in a deeper role for City was one of the positives of their Club World Cup opener
Team number two
Guardiola is expected to make wholesale changes for their second game against Al Ain in the early hours of Monday morning.
There could be as many as 10 new personnel starting in Atlanta as City recognise that the entire squad have a part to play in this tournament. You would imagine Guardiola settles on a steadier team if and when they make the knockout rounds.
One man who will not be featuring is Rico Lewis, who saw red in the final moments against Wydad for what City felt was a poor call by the referee. DAZN’s ref cam caught the incident and shows that the Brazilian Ramon Abatti didn’t witness the whole incident, which will have infuriated City further.
They can appeal the one-match ban but are understood to be unlikely to take that option.
Guardiola is expected to make wholesale changes for City's second group game against Al Ain
City feel Rico Lewis was unfortunate to receive a red card in the closing stages of the match
Quick, quick, quick
He’s only been in the job two weeks but Pep Lijnders effect may have taken hold already. City were noticeably quicker to trigger a press than we have seen for a long time – perhaps even sharper than during the Treble season. It brought to mind Lijnders screaming ‘quick, quick’ in training to increase their general urgency.
That was evident in the opening 15 minutes when they harassed defenders in packs in a way that hasn’t been seen for some time and felt new. It did die down – the heat, you imagine – in a system that might nod to how Guardiola may want to operate when Erling Haaland isn’t available.
Rayan Cherki – who didn’t have his finest afternoon – pushed right up top with Omar Marmoush in a way Kevin De Bruyne has in recent seasons. As for Haaland, he was storming down the goalkeeper to pressurise him in a way that indicates all of these players mean business.
‘There are still things that the new signings need to understand, how we press and things like that,’ Foden said. ‘But with time, they'll get that. The more games they'll play. We need them a lot. These are important players. And it's good for the team, you know, fighting for places. It's a healthy competition that we need.’
Guardiola's new assistant, former Liverpool coach Pep Lijnders (right), is already showing his impact on the team
It appears that the revamped tournament is still rather reminiscent of a pre-season tour to some
Tournament or pre-season?
Guardiola had a slight slip of the tongue afterwards when he called this jaunt ‘a tour’ before correcting himself to say tournament.
It’s hard to argue against the idea of a tour though and that was crystalised a little at full time when the unused substitutes went to have a warm down, waving rather regally to supporters as they filed out.
You wouldn’t get that at the end of a league game.
