PLZ 1... » United boss Ben Olsen said the pitch "was as b

Burnley manager Sean Dyche has his side flying high at the top of the Sky Bet Championship, but can he convert a bunch of amateurs into professionals in one training session? The answer was always going to be no, but he was certainly up for the challenge, bringing his coaching staff in to show us what a standard training session is like. I was tagging along with a five-a-side team, led by Clarets fan Sam, who described his greatest footballing achievement as topping the scoring charts in his schools year six tournament. The team had been handed the chance to train with Dyche as part of Football League sponsor Sky Bets Who? What? Where? campaign, which gives fans the chance to meet their heroes.Heres how our day panned out...Meeting the gaffer Sean Dyche put on a coaching session for amateur footballers We were warmly welcomed at Burnleys Gawthorpe Hall training ground and sent to get changed and await the arrival of our manager for the day.Dyche had been training the first team in the morning before fulfilling his press commitments, which included an interview with Sky Sports News HQ as he collected his Sky Bet Manager of the Month award.The league leaders are unbeaten in 2016 and flying high at the top of the Sky Bet Championship, so we were hopeful that Dyche would go easy on us.Any preconceptions of him being a leader that rules with fear were quickly set to bed as he greeted us warmly and it quickly became apparent that his philosophy was to optimise potential by getting willing workers play with the belief.The warm-up The Burnley manager shows his lighter side The most important part of the session, as one of the less athletically equipped players was to find out.After a brief jog, we were put through various loosening drills, the majority of which were with the ball at our feet.Mark Howard, head of sport science, explained how the focus was on dynamic stretches, replicating and preparing our bodies for the actions wed be putting into practice.Sprints and more sprints Sprint drills push some beyond their limits The fitness drill was fairly simple, with the key being to ensure we began our sprints from a light jog. The runs were approximately 40 metres, with a five-second light jog between each one, repeated eight times.We managed the first set quite comfortably but the second round had a victim, with Davo pulling a hamstring.I could feel mine tightening towards the end and was relieved when our fitness expert said wed give the third round, which the first team usually do, a miss. Polishing technique Ian Woan sets up a touch, pass and move drill We then moved on to some control and pass drills under the guidance of Nottingham Forest legend Ian Woan. The initial drill was in pairs, with one player supplying the ball via an underarm throw and the other attempting to control the ball and return to source.The manikins were introduced for the next exercise, which we were informed play a big role in Arsene Wengers training sessions, perhaps explaining the clubs marking of Andy Carroll at the weekend.Positioned in triangles, we had to receive the ball to the left of the marker and return to the oncoming supplier, spin round and collect it again from the right of the manikin, and take it on to the one to the right. Simple right? Wrong, especially once you throw two balls into the mix. Finishing practiceAfter watching us struggling to out-manoeuvre Burnleys best manikins, it was time to see whether we could beat their Under-21 goalkeeper Danijel Nizic.The move was a simple one; pass it into Dyche, latch onto the one-two and beat the goalkeeper. The gaffer wasnt in the business of making it any easier though, demanding pace on the supply and popping up a few passes. The Burnley boss comforts his young goalkeeper However, we had a player capable of making it look easy. Jordan Rhodes cousin was on hand to show that genetics might be the most important ingredient, producing a chip worthy of any division, leaving Burnleys Under-21 goalkeeper seated and red-faced.To the relief of the young Aussie stopper, the Sky Sports News cameraman had chosen that very moment to reposition himself, missing the rare moment of brilliance. The matchWe finished with a three-touch six-a-side game with Woan explaining that most of the time, the right option is the first one you see.After drawing the first five-minute game 4-4, we were given freedom to have as many touches as we wanted in the second and our team, carrying the hamstring-hampered Davo, were eventually exposed, going down 8-6, resulting in Dyches forfeit rule coming our way. Sean Dyche shows hes a hands-on manager The punishment? Ear flicks. Five on each ear. Not the glamour of professional football we had imagined, but another example of the grounded environment created by Dyche.Sean Dyches training session was arranged by Football League sponsor Sky Bet as part of the Who? What? Where? initiative, where fans can request their perfect day with their footballing hero. Find out more here. Also See: Championship video Championship Table Live on Sky Get Sky Sports Seattle Seahawks D.K. Metcalf Jersey . Johan Franzen had two goals and two assists, Gustav Nyquist a goal and three assists and David Legwand a goal and two assists in the Red Wings 7-4 win over the New Jersey Devils. Seattle Seahawks Jerseys Outlet .com) - The Tennessee Titans agreed to terms with running back Jackie Battle on a one-year contract Friday. http://www.cheapseahawks.com/90o-cheap-l...y-seahawks.html. - Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Jason Babin is now a free agent. Discount Seattle Seahawks Jerseys . "Ive got a lot of work to do on this team and the sooner that I can get back to my office and start that work, itll be better," he said straight-faced as the rest of the room erupted in laughter. Seattle Seahawks Phil Haynes Jersey .com) - The St.THE FORMATIONS Toronto FC lined up in a 4-4-2 formation, as it did last weekend in its 2-1 victory over the Seattle Sounders. There was one change to TFCs starting XI, as designated player, Gilberto, made his debut in a Toronto jersey, replacing Dwayne De Rosario up front. DC United named an unchanged lineup from their 3-0 loss to the Columbus Crew on the opening weekend of the season (DC had a bye last weekend). Head coach Ben Olsen again chose to line up his team in a 4-4-2 diamond formation. (Click for larger) THE GAME Toronto FCs home debut wasnt pretty. Not because the players on display were poor, but because the pitch simply wasnt ready for soccer. That is not the fault of the BMO Field grounds crew though, who did an admirable job getting the surface prepared for the game. But after the coldest winter in recent memory, it was always going to be an impossible task to turn the playing surface into the lush carpet that players come to expect. While DC United boss Ben Olsen said the pitch "was as bad as Ive ever seen in MLS", it didnt stop the players from trying to play. But the bobbly surface, which cut up as the game wore on, made it virtually impossible for the players to string long sequences of passes together. Despite the difficult conditions (it was also cold and windy down on the pitch), there were some glimpses of what lies ahead for the long-suffering fans of Toronto FC. The partnership between Jermain Defoe and Gilberto looks to be very promising. Defoes movement in the final third was exceptional, and he had a number of chances in the first half to break the deadlock. In Gilberto, Defoe has a partner who can serve as his perfect foil. The Brazilian was comfortable dropping deep to receive the ball, didnt shy away from the physical battle, and once he had the ball at his feet, was willing to drive at the back four or play the role of provider. Michael Bradley was again a dominant force in midfield, and his partnership with Jonathan Osorio is also reason for optimism. They can both get caught ahead of the ball at times (as they did in Seattle last week for the Sounders goal) but that is due more to their lack of familiarity than to any tactical negligence. The early signs are that these two players will be very influential for Toronto FC. At the back, TFC looked comfortable all game. Both Doneil Henry and Steven Caldwell had strong games, with Henry winning everything in the air. In Eddie Johnson and Fabian Espindola, DC United have two very experienced front men, but Henry and Caldwell thwarted everything that the pair could throw their way. THE TURNING POINT Only one goal separated the teams at the final whistle, and it came from great work from Torontos three designated players. Apparently, you do get what you pay for. On the hour mark, Bradley picked up a square ball from Osorio in midfield, took one touch and floated a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Gilberto, who haad made a great run in behind DC Uniteds central defender, Jeff Parke.dddddddddddd (Click for larger) Gilberto settled the ball with a perfect first touch, and as the covering defender, Bobby Boswell, was closing him down, fired a right-footed shot on target. Look at the positional awareness of Defoe when Gilberto is shooting; he put himself in the ideal position to pick up the rebound. He didnt charge in full-speed towards goal; instead, he held his run so that he could adjust his position, which gave him the best possible chance of recovering the ball. (Click for larger) DC United goalkeeper, Bill Hamid, did very well to parry the hard, low shot from Gilberto. Bobby Boswell tried to hack the ball clear, but Defoe, who had taken up the ideal position inside the penalty area, intercepted his clearance. (Click for larger) From there, Defoe did what he does best. He took one touch to set himself and one touch to fire the ball into the back of the net. THE POSITIVES In a scrappy game, it was encouraging to see the developing partnerships all over the pitch for Toronto FC. The strength of this team is its spine: Defoe-Gilberto / Bradley-Osorio / Caldwell-Henry / Julio Cesar is as good a spine as any team in MLS. If those players can stay healthy (and not miss too many games due to this summers World Cup), Toronto FC fans can look forward to playoff soccer for the first time in the clubs history. Defoe was a class apart against DC United. His movement to pull off the shoulders of the DC United defenders was something that all aspiring strikers should watch over and over again. But I thought that 20-year old Henry was immense for TFC. Ive said it before (and I promise you, Ill be saying it again) - Henry is going to be a real player. THE NEGATIVES Jackson had a game to forget, and I suspect that he could be getting a call from the Leagues Disciplinary Committee. In the 50th minute, Jackson was booked for an altercation with DC Uniteds Davy Arnaud. While the referee cautioned Jackson on the play, I think that video evidence will show that Jackson intentionally elbowed Arnaud off the ball – which could draw a suspension similar to the one received by Seattles Clint Dempsey for striking TFCs Mark Bloom last weekend. THE STAR MAN With three goals in his first two games in MLS, Defoe is off to a flying start for Toronto FC. Goals get the headlines – and rightly so – but it was Defoes overall play that was so impressive. His movement and finishing ability are superb, and if his teammates can continue to deliver him good service, it is quite possible that Defoe will sit atop the leagues scoring chart come the end of the season. Never before has Toronto FC started the season with two victories. But a major investment in better players is paying dividends early on for TFC as they sit joint top of the Eastern Conference standings with maximum points from their first two games. 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