Thursday Gossip

by MCFC Editorial

Media Watch: Rodri and youngsters impress

Reaction to Manchester City’s first pre-season friendly remains at the top of the news agenda on Thursday morning.

Pep Guardiola’s side won 4-1 against West Ham in China and for the watching world media there was plenty to discuss, particularly the performance of new signing Rodri and the Academy graduates who featured.
So, let’s see what they had to say…
Opinion
Daily Mail: Rodri ready to make an instant impact
Writes Jack Gaughan: “Rodri reads the game effortlessly, calmly ferries possession to others and refuses to stray from his station unless required.
“He is still only 23 but looks like making an instant impact, with Fernandinho also seen as an option at centre half. Guardiola believes Rodri will act as City’s base for years to come and the nonchalance with which he goes about his business suggests he has all the tools."

Manchester Evening News: Raheem Sterling shows he is up for next big challenge
Simon Bajkowski: “The intelligent runs off the ball have always been there but improvements to his finishing have given him the confidence to carry much more of a threat.

“Against West Ham, every touch or movement was threatening and to say that his biggest struggles in front of goal used to come when he had time to think about it his finishes here were carried out with a buoyant nonchalance."
Manchester Evening New: Taylor Harwood-Bellis in-depth profile
Stuart Brennan: “The manager has come to recognise that Premier League centre backs need height and strength, as well as technical ability, to be in his team, and it has not escaped his notice that 6ft2in Harwood-Bellis has the lot.
“He has begun to excite City fans as well – his heroic performance in the FA Youth Cup final, when at times he seemed to be defying the Liverpool attack single-handedly with a series of headers, tackles and blocks, won plenty of admirers.
“He also battled on in extra time, despite suffering severe cramps, until coach Gareth Taylor hauled him off.
“The watching Guardiola was as impressed by his grit as he was by his calmness and surety in passing out from the back, even in a big game."
That's all for today, but we'll be back with more paper talk at the same time tomorrow.