Cracking the top 4

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TheOtherSpecialOne said:
Great job on beating Arsenal so convincingly in the Europa League, hopefully you can defeat Stuttgart and claim your first trophy as you definately deserve it after such an impressive season. Too bad that you are out of the title race but like you said it was always going to be a tough ask and finishing in the top 3 is still a massive achievement. Here's hoping you can get a good result against Tottenham to end your Premier League campaign in style.
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Thanks man :) all focus has to be on that Europa League title now!
 
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EUROPA LEAGUE FINAL 2019!

SOUTHAMPTON FC VS VFB STUTTGART

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KICK OFF!

12 Mins - Jake Hesketh sprays a ball out onto the right hand wing which Calum Chambers runs onto nicely, he lifts his head up and takes his time, finding a target in the box. He drills in a lovely cross across the back line, Lorenzo Insigne is running onto it.....

GOAL!!! INSIGNE HAS THE BALL IN THE BACK OF THE NET! SOUTHAMPTON LEAD THE EUROPA LEAGUE FINAL!

View attachment 206047Southampton 1 - 0 Stuttgart
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23 mins - Its lovely lovely football from Southampton who play out from the back. Hesketh hits a long ball for Insigne to chase which he does, running it into the corner by the flag. Oh its a cheeky back heel! back Callum Slattery, who lays off a perfect pass to the onrushing Chambers on his outside. Chambers lofts the ball up to to the back post. Grealish in loads of room! he takes a touch! controls......

GOAL!!! JACK GREALISH WHEELS AWAY IN DELIGHT WITH HIS ARM RAISED! HIS LOW SHOT IS HAMMERED PAST THE KEEPER AND INTO THE BOTTOM CORNER OF THE NET! IT IS NOW 2-0 SOUTHAMPTON!

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Southampton 2 - 0 Stuttgart​

32 mins - A long ball is sent forward up the Stuttgart left hand side, over the top of the Saints defence. Competition top scorer Timo Werner latches onto it, hes broken the offside trap!! Werner shoots low and hard!!!!!

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Its a fantastic save from Timo Horn who turns it around the post. Great goalkeeping!



HALF TIME
Southampton 2 - 0 Stuttgart​


49 mins - Timo Werner, runs into the box.. back to goal... Marc Bartra closes him down! oh no! hes clattered into the back of him! the players look to the referee! PENALTY! PENALTY TO STUTTGART! Is this a way back into the match for the Germans? Bartra is already on a yellow card remember! whats he going to do!?

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He's off! Marc Bartra has been sent off for Southampton! this could be a real game changer! Its former Arsenal man, Joel Campbell to take the penalty, he stands with his hands on his hips.. the referee blows his whistle.. he hits it!!!

AND SCORES! JOEL CAMPBELL SLAMS THE PENALTY INTO THE TOP RIGHT HAND CORNER AND STUTTGART ARE RIGHT BACK INTO THIS!

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Southampton 2 - 1 Stuttgart ​

53 mins - Southampton play the ball around in midfield. With the sending off they have sacrificed Mario Gotze for Virgil Van Dijk so they are a man short in the attacking third.. they are working hard though, passing and moving, trying to create space. Slattery has a bit of room he lifts his head and picks out a superb pass over the defence.. Lucas Moura runs onto it! he hits it first time on the volley!!!!

ITS GONE IN!! WHAT A GOAL FROM LUCAS MOURA! THE BALL IS COMING DOWN OVER HIS LEFT SHOULDER, HE ADJUSTS HIS BODY AND HITS IT FIRST TIME. IT GOES ACROSS THE FACE OF GOAL AND BURRIES RIGHT IN THE TOP CORNER! THAT COULD BE GOAL OF THE SEASON!

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Southampton 3 - 1 Stuttgart​

71 mins - Southampton substitution, Lorenzo Insigne gets a standing ovation as he leaves the pitch to be replaced by Thiago Maia. Southampton have gone into full lockdown mode now, they have nobody up the pitch and appear to be playing a 4-1-4 formation. We will have to see if this works.

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91 mins - Stuttgart are throwing everything at Southampton now, they have a corner! deep in injury time! its lifted in by Rettig! Jonathan Tah rises highest of anybody and heads the ball firmly away to massive cheers from the Saints fans.. The referee looks at his watch...


AND BLOWS THE FINAL WHISTLE! SOUTHAMPTON HAVE WON THE EUROPA LEAGUE WITH A GRITTY AND DETERMINED PERFORMANCE HERE! WHAT A MOMENT THIS IS FOR SOUTHAMPTON FOOTBALL CLUB AND ITS FANS! FINAL SCORE..

SOUTHAMPTON 3 - 1 STUTTGART

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Congratulations on getting your first piece of silverware! I must admit that I was worried when you got the red card but am really glad that you managed to secure the win in the end. Once more, congratulations you deserved it :)
 
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What a match and what a performance, the perfect end to a fairytale of a season! I really thought we had blown it when Bartra got himself sent off and we conceded the penalty but the boys showed they were made of sterner stuff! Huge credit has to be given to Insigne, Lucas, Hesketh and Tah who were all mighty in the final and a special mention to Calum Chambers who was mighty at right back and set up the first two goals perfectly!


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TheOtherSpecialOne said:
Congratulations on getting your first piece of silverware! I must admit that I was worried when you got the red card but am really glad that you managed to secure the win in the end. Once more, congratulations you deserved it :)
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Thanks so much! I'm chuffed to bits! You weren't the only one that worried about that red card! I was so angry with him, but it turned out all right in the end!
 
Cracking Job m8 3rd is still awesome and a trophy! very impressive so close with the league!
 
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Season Review​

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A magnificent season ends with a 3rd place finish in the Premier League. Man City are well deserved champions with Liverpool in 2nd. Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea all miss out on the Champions League and sadly it is goodbye to Brighton, Huddersfield and Crystal Palace.

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Despite Martial's phenomenal goal return, I completely agree with Lucas Moura winning the player of the year award. He has very almost been an ever-present in the team and his goals and assists have been phenomenal.
 
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So the big question now is.. How on earth do we top that? For me, that was the easy part. The hard part is cementing your presence in the top 4 year after year after year and thats what we have to do now! How do we do that?

So the board have backed me again with some of the Champions League prize money to give me a transfer budget of £34 million and almost a million in spare wages!

The first thing that I wanted to wrap up was a permanent deal for Mario Gotze. The kid was wonderful for us last season and I think he could be key figure for our side. Unfortunately, Bayern dont feel the same and very much want to keep him, demanding £80 million for the attacking midfielder and no less. Not a chance am I paying that. So the task begins in finding a replacement for him, and I think I got the perfect man.

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Mesut Ozil was transfer listed by Arsenal following their poor season, along with Alexis Sanchez (Cant afford him) and I picked up the now 30 year old AMC for a mere £11 million. He is commanding £140k a week at the club but could be an extraordinary player.
 
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Summer Transfer Activity

It has been another season of massive change at the club as the squad is overhauled for the Champions League. We have really gone big this year in an attempt to cement our position right at the top of the table and unfortunately for some players this has meant being moved on, either to cash in on their value or because they are not going to make the grade.


Transfers Out


Kenny Tete - Manchester City - £30 mil​
Kenny is a wonderful right back who has done wonders for us over his four seasons at the club. With 110 appearances to his name and a hat load of assists, we have turned a very tidy profit on this lad as he arrived at the beginning of the game for a mere £2.5 mil from Ajax. The profit is pocketed and put back into the transfer fund.

Marc Bartra - Tottenham - £20 mil​
A very good player but with a disciplinary problem that I dont really like very much. Yes he did a job for us for a season and a half but with both Tottenham and Arsenal interested it was time for him to move. We sell him at a £5 million loss from the price we purchased him for, but £20 mil is still a fair chunk of money to add to the pot.

Adam Lallana - Udinese - £3 mil ​
Complaining about a lack of first team football, ageing and probably not good enough for the Champions League, it was time we got his 50k wages off the books. We actually only signed him back from Liverpool for £2.7 mil so a profit on this sale.

Danilo Cataldi - Juventus - £5 mil​
An experimental signing that really didnt work at all. Whined from the very first week he was here about lack of football, not getting on with team mates and being homesick. We loaned him out last year just so he would go away but this time he has gone for good.

Josh Sims - Norwich - £4.9 mil​
An academy player that just didn't break through to the first team. Yes he is a very good player. No there was no room for him in the first team squad. Money for nothing.

Maarten Stekelenburg - Retired​
Some fantastic service from Steks as our backup goalkeeper. Sad to see him retire, but young Harry Lewis will step up and serve as #2 to Timo Horn.

Jose Fonte - Retired​
What a beast this man is. One of my favourite players of all time has retired after 10 years with the club and over 250 appearances to his name. He wasn't really used last season but it is still sad to see him go. Some more wages off the books though.


Transfers In


Mesut Ozil - Arsenal - £11.25 mil​
Already brushed upon this deal in the previous post, but Mesut joins the club as a direct replacement for Mario Gotze who goes back to his parent club Bayern. Mesut is now 30 years old but can do a terrific job sitting in that attacking midfield hole. His stats show that he has 18 dribbling, 18 first touch, 19 passing, 20 technique, 20 vision and 19 flair. Whats not to like?
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Eric Dier - Tottenham - £30 mil​
£20 mil of this deal is up front with the rest being covered in add ons. Dier joins up with our already talented squad to replace Bartra in the back line. 25 years old, English, established in the national team, fast, strong and able to play central midfield as well, Eric brings experience, steel and versatility to the defensive side of our squad.
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Dele Alli - Tottenham - £30 mil​
Another deal very similar to Eric Dier's with £20 mil up front plus various add ons. Dele comes into the squad with the intention of being a replacement for Kevin Strootman. 23 years old, English and still getting better, I see Dele as the perfect option for my running central midfield role to connect the defensive and attacking halves of the side.
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Alexis Sanchez - Arsenal - £25.5 mil​
I just couldn't resist. Transfer Listed by Arsenal following their lack of Champions League qualification, I offered Alexis a lifeline which he grabbed with both hands. By far our biggest earner on 200k a week, he should easily prove himself worth that and hopefully will bang in the goals. His last three seasons have yielded 17, 17 and 19 goals in the Premiership alone. If he can replicate that kind of form with us it could be the final push we need towards a title.
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Agustin Turza - Independiente - £3.5 mil​
Argentinian regen right-back that was highly recommended by my scouting department. According to them he is going to be the next big thing and joins to serve as an understudy to Calum Chambers who will be taking over the right back position following Tete's departure.

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Squad Overview​

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Another quick note about our transfer comings and goings, Kevin Strootman is up for sale as I try and recoup some of the money paid for Dele Alli. Kevin is a good player but is now 29 years old and losing his value fast. He is also extremely injury prone as you could probably tell from last season. If we can sell him, brilliant. If not then he will have to accept a lesser part in our plans and integrate in with the rest of the squad, hardly the end of the world. We are under no financial pressure to sell so will not be accepting ridiculously low bids.
 
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The squad have completed their pre-season fixtures and are now raring to go. We managed to make it through our packed schedule without suffering any injuries (touch wood) so we are in tip top shape and ready to get started. Amongst our pre-season games we managed to fit in a tour of America which should prove lucrative on the merchandise front and hopefully will expand our fan base. It could also be useful as we continue to look for an American affiliate club.

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A complete 100% record during pre-season is extremely promising stuff, albeit against a low quality of opponent. In fact we only conceded the one goal in 7 fixtures and that was against Arsenal who were touring America at the same time we were.
 
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Starting XI - Horn, Digne, Tah, Dier, Chambers, Maia, Alli, Sanchez, Ozil, Lucas, Martial.

Well that wasn't the start tot he season that we wanted. In fairness it was a fairly close match with both sides having good chances and a fairly even share of possession. The difference was Arsenal finished almost every clear chance that fell their way and that meant they picked us apart. Once again it will take time for these guys to gel and form a cohesive team and that task was made even harder by an injury to Jonathan Tah. He will be sorely missed.

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Starting XI - Horn, Digne, Van Dijk, Dier, Chambers, Maia, Slattery, Sanchez, Ozil, Grealish, Martial.

A simply wonderful match as we lost out on the UEFA Super Cup on Penalties to PSG. A poor start defensively probably cost us as Higuain got 2 goals 4 minutes but we fought back superbly. Martial and Ozil scoring their first goals of the season will hopefully kickstart some form for them. Alexis Sanchez is having a slow start to his Southampton career but will be given plenty of time to turn it around.
 
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Starting XI - Horn, Digne, Van Dijk, Dier, Chambers, Maia, Alli, Sanchez, Ozil, Lucas, Martial.

Hugely relieved after our first win of the season against West Brom who made us work hard for it! Alexis Sanchez got his first goal for the club to put us ahead but West Brom came back and equalised. A truly ridiculous goalkeeping performance from the West Brom keeper kept them in it right up until the end but substitute Mike Williamson came on and snatched the late winner!

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Starting XI - Horn, Digne, Van Dijk, Dier, Chambers, Maia, Alli, Sanchez, Hesketh, Lucas, Martial.

A very satisfying performance against Villa as we started to show what we are capable of. Jake Hesketh made the most of his chance as he came in for the injured Mesut Ozil and put us ahead early on with a beautifully taken headed finish. We then controlled the game throughout and then got our reward right at the death as Sanchez squared for Martial who took his chances wonderfully.
 
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