Cracking the top 4

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Going through a bad spell, maybe changing up the formation could do the trick. Nevertheless great story.

Cheers man! thanks for following, the Chelsea match was the first game where I switched to a 4-2-3-1 instead of a 4-5-1, The performances have been much better, we just need that little slice of luck to lift morale and we will be good :)
 
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Starting XI - Horn, Bertrand, Van Dijk, Chambers, Tete, Wanyama, Strootman, Insigne, Hesketh, Ward-Prowse, Benteke.

A great result as we bossed the game with the ball at our feet. It was just starting to look like we were going to miss out again when Christian Benteke latched on to an Insigne through ball to hammer home past Watford keeper Tom Heaton. James Ward-Prowse then put the icing on the cake with a nice finish under the keeper to wrap up the 2-0 win.

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Good result against Watford mate! Left it late :P

Keep climbing that table! Brilliant stuff :)
 
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Starting XI - Horn, Bertrand, Van Dijk, Fonte, Tete, Wayama, Slattery, Insigne, Hesketh, Davis, Pelle.

Heartbreak as we go out of the Capital One Cup at the quarter finals after an extra time defeat to Swansea. This time we attacked beautifully but couldnt defend, we always seem to be able to do one or the other. Insigne grabbed two goals and Jay Rodriguez got the other but unfortunately we were just outscored.

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Starting XI - Horn, Targett, Van Dijk, Chambers, Tete, Wanyama, Strootman, Insigne, Hesketh, Lucas, Benteke.

Another frustrating afternoon as we played well but failed to convert our chances. Lucas Moura got on the end of a good ball in to tap us into the lead but we couldnt hold out for the rest of the game. I think it might be about time we abandoned our possession based football game and tried to increase our attacking threat.
 
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November Review

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I over-ran into December slightly, but oh well. A poor month with some crippling losses and the light at the end of the tunnel is still a long way away. Perhaps this is something along the lines of Mourinho's 3rd season syndrome but we are not doing well at all.
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Marooned in mid table just behind Arsenal and really starting to fall back from the European places. Everton now managed by Eddie Howe are rock bottom and looking a shadow of their former selves, Tottenham have sacked Pochettino in the last week and sit 17th while Chelsea are charging away at the top.

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Incredibly, despite our really poor displays, we are in a position to qualify with a home win against Charleroi.

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The FA Cup will see us host Huddersfield in the 3rd round.



Player of the Month
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Kenny Tete has been superb this month, putting in some high class performances both defensively and offensively.

December Preview
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Tough times a bit man, but sure you can pick up some points in December. You have such bad luck with injuries!!
 
Tough times a bit man, but sure you can pick up some points in December. You have such bad luck with injuries!!

Thanks man, the injuries do seem to pile up :P but I guess its about having the squad to rotate and replace them.
 
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Starting XI - Horn, Targett, Van Dijk, Chambers, Tete, Wanyama, Strootman, Insigne, Hesketh, Lucas, Pelle.

Somehow we have qualified for the knockout rounds of the Europa League for the 3rd successive season. We tried a more direct and urgent style against Charleroi and it seemed to work with a goal coming from either wing thanks to Insigne and Lucas Moura.

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Starting XI - Horn, Targett, Van Dijk, Chambers, Tete, Wanyama, Strootman, Insigne, Hesketh, Lucas, Pelle.

There are some worried faces around St Mary's these days as we can only draw the new South coast derby against Bournemouth. I'm fairly sure that Matt Targett getting sent off cost us the match, he has let his teammates down badly. A promising sign is a returning to scoring ways for Graziano Pelle.
 
Some very tough results there but atleast you managed to get into the knockout rounds of the Europa League once more. Add to that the fact that you are only 5 points behind the 7th place and things aren't looking that bad anymore. Just keep your head up and have faith I'm sure that you'll manage to turn your fortunes around.
 
Some very tough results there but atleast you managed to get into the knockout rounds of the Europa League once more. Add to that the fact that you are only 5 points behind the 7th place and things aren't looking that bad anymore. Just keep your head up and have faith I'm sure that you'll manage to turn your fortunes around.

Cheers bud! heres hoping. Hauled the lads in for a team meeting and they seemed to react well so lets see what happens!
 
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So the takeover has finally happened! No huge financial bonus from the takeover but at least we have some solidity moving forward now. A whole new board has been put in place with Ralph Krueger and Gareth Rogers leaving the club along with the Liebherr ownership.

I must say that the added pressure on my job is not going to help matters. I just hope that the new board let me keep my position and wait to see what we can do this season.

I would like to take a moment to say a massive thankyou to the entire Liebherr family for saving our magnificent club and taking us from the very bottom of league 1 to European football.
[video=youtube;9xom2HNvRd0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xom2HNvRd0[/video]​
 
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Starting XI - Horn, Bertrand, McCarthy, Chambers, Tete, Wanyama, Bender, Tadic, Hesketh, Lucas, Benteke.

At last a win! and a really good win as well away to high flying Swansea! A change in tactic to a 4-2-3-1 narrow paid off as we stayed solid at the back and showed some signs of some really good passing and movement in and around the front four. Benteke opened our account by latching on to a sweet Tete cross to volley home before we scored one of my favourite team moves of the season, Benteke dropping deep, dragging his defenders with him and sliding a pass through to the onrushing Lucas who was free and slotted home. More promising signs from McCarthy as he gets a shot in the first team today.
 
have you tried jay rod as a randeumeter? he is lethal at it from LW..

great story
 
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Starting XI - Horn, Bertrand, Van Dijk, Fonte, Chambers, Ward-Prowse, Strootman, Insigne, Hesketh, Lucas, Pelle.

Two away wins in a row and unbeaten in five games see the club situation improve dramatically. Calum Chambers smashed a header into the net early on in a match where we dominated possession wise while also being able to carve out opportunities.
 
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have you tried jay rod as a randeumeter? he is lethal at it from LW..

great story

I hadnt, He is out injured at the moment, as he seems to be most of the time unfortunately. Ever since his brilliant first season his form has taken a dive, I'm really considering selling him while I can, especially now we are playing a narrow 3 in attacking midfield.

Thanks for following! :)
 
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Starting XI - Horn, Bertrand, Van Dijk, Chambers, Cedric, Wanyama, Strootman, Insigne, Hesketh, Lucas, Benteke.

A brutal result against City in a game where we actually played quite well. It was a tight match where the only difference between the two sides was clinical finishing. Andriy Yarmolenko put us to the sword with two goals and two assists as we could do nothing to stop Citys mobile front four from tearing us apart. As the match description suggests though the whole thing was overshadowed by a very seriously injury to Insigne who will miss the next four months. We just cant seem to catch a break.

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That's a tough injury :( You have quality in that area though so I'm sure you'll find a way :)
 
Fantastic story! I love how your giving youth a massive chance and continuing the Saints tradition with Hesketh in particular who appears to be a regular starter for you!
 
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