Cracking the top 4

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August Review​

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A mixed month, but the defeat to Stoke has got to tip it over into disappointing. Encouraging signs against PSG and good wins against West Brom and Villa give us something to work with.
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No real conclusions to be drawn from the table this early but no real damage done either. Just the one win away from the Champions League spots.

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Our first Champions League draw has been really cruel. PSG, Leverkusen and Palaermo are all good teams in their own right and we are going to have to do really well to qualify from this!

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Norwich away in the Capital One Cup. At least its not Huddersfield.


Player of the Month
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With nobody really banging in the goals and clean sheets not being kept, Dele Alli has caught the eye and made a really positive start to his Saints career. Some solid performances in the middle of the park have won him a starting spot in the side over Callum Slattery, can he keep it up?
September Preview​
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Wow, those are some massive signings! You've assembled a very strong side, a bit of rocky start but I suppose that's just because the players have to get used to each other. Once they get some familiarty with the rest of the team and the way that you want to play you should be getting some excellent performances, no doubt. Getting into the next stage of the Champions League is going to be a very tough ask but the game against PSG shows what you're team are capable of so I wouldn't count you out just yet.
 
Sanchez and Ozil at Southampton?!? Great signings and you've got a really decent squad now - capable of challenging for the title as you did last season!
 
SeanKeaney said:
Sanchez and Ozil at Southampton?!? Great signings and you've got a really decent squad now - capable of challenging for the title as you did last season!
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It's ridiculous isn't it! time for Southampton to start poaching players off the big clubs!

TheOtherSpecialOne said:
Wow, those are some massive signings! You've assembled a very strong side, a bit of rocky start but I suppose that's just because the players have to get used to each other. Once they get some familiarty with the rest of the team and the way that you want to play you should be getting some excellent performances, no doubt. Getting into the next stage of the Champions League is going to be a very tough ask but the game against PSG shows what you're team are capable of so I wouldn't count you out just yet.
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Thanks man :) I remain hopeful for some Champions League magic!
 
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Starting XI - Horn, Digne, Van Dijk, Dier, Chambers, Maia, Alli, Sanchez, Ozil, Lucas, Martial.

A very pleasing victory away from home against Newcastle as the lads performed their individual tasks admirably. It took us less than a minute to make our mark on the game with Mesut Ozil scoring a sublime finish to put us into the lead. Alexis Sanchez doubled our lead just after half time before Martial scored off the woodwork to make it three. Despite letting in a late consolation goal, I am an extremely happy manager.
 
Amazing signings matey, got quite the squad now!!
 
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Starting XI - Horn, Digne, Van Dijk, Dier, Chambers, Maia, Alli, Insigne, Ozil, Lucas, Martial.

The most complete and impressive performance I have seen in my time at the club. We absolutely demolished PSG at St Marys with Ozil once again pulling all the strings in the centre of my attacking midfield with two goals and two assist. Martial chipped in with two as well and Lucas and Digne grabbed the other two. A fantastic start to our Champions League adventure and a very healthy goal difference boost.
 
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Starting XI - Horn, Dinge, Van Dijk, Dier, Chambers, Slattery, Alli, Sanchez, Ozil, Lucas, Martial.

We are really starting to hit high gear now. A stunning display from Anthony Martial saw him score four goals (Including two penalties) in a game which we dominated from start to finish. It is an absolute privelage to work with a striker of Martials quality, especially when he is surrounded by players such as Sanchez, Ozil, Lucas, Insigne and Grealish.
 
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Starting XI - Lewis, Whiteman, Tah, Dier, Turza, Slattery, Alli, Insigne, Hesketh, Grealish, Martial.

Behave Anthony! Another 5 goals for the French hit man and a perfect 10 match rating as he lead a rotated side against Norwich in the Capital One Cup. Norwich gave us one **** of a game but in the end our quality was just too great and we blew them away in extra time thanks to a couple of choice substitutions. Man Utd must be sick as parrots that they let Martial go, Ballon d'Or anyone?
 
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Starting XI - Horn, Digne, Tah, Dier, Chambers, Maia, Hesketh, Sanchez, Ozil, Lucas, Martial.

Only the two goals for Martial today as we ease past Middlesbrough in the Premier League. They played quite well if not extremely defensively (Understandably) but we never really looked in any danger, even with just the one goal lead right up until the end. Should I be worried about our over-reliance on Martial? perhaps. But for now I am going to enjoy it while it lasts.
 
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September Review
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A perfect month! and a really really good one at that with the massive win against PSG.
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A really solid start to our Premiership campaign as we are up at the sharp end of proceedings. No real surprises so far with everybody where you would expect them to be.

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Nothing much to report in terms of the Champions League as it is far too early to tell anything however we are off to the dream start.

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A real test in the Capital One Cup up next as we face an away trip to Old Trafford.
Player of the Month​
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Yep you guessed it. I have never seen anybody in the type of form that Martial is in at the moment. 14 goals in his last 5 games in all competitions shows you just how lethal this lad is. Long may it continue.
October Review​
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A brutal month coming up and one that could be crucial to us on several fronts. City and Spurs in the Premier League, United in the Capital One Cup and then Leverkusen and Palermo in the Champions League.
 
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Starting XI - Horn, Digne, Van Dijk, Dier, Chambers, Maia, Alli, Sanchez, Ozil, Lucas, Martial.

Well it had to come at some point, the important thing is how we bounce back. The unthinkable happened as Martial had a bad day in front of goal and he even missed a penalty! We didnt play too badly in all honesty it was just one of those games where Leverkusen scored with each of their first few shots on goal. Unfortunate but we move on.
 
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Starting XI - Horn, Digne, Tah, Dier, Chambers, Slattery, Alli, Insigne, Ozil, Lucas, Martial.

Perfect. A really good response from our mid-week loss see's us thump City at home. Lorenzo Insigne put us into the lead early on to justify his selection ahead of Sanchez. After half time De Bruyne equalised well but Martial was the man on the spot once again as he put us back into the lead. The match was rounded off by a first goal for Dele Alli, rewarding him for a tireless performance. The bad news of the day is an injury to Martial. This has come at a bad time with the fixtures we have to play but I am confident we have the squad depth to cope.

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Starting XI - Horn, Digne, Tah, Dier, Chambers, Slattery, Alli, Insigne, Ozil, Lucas, Williamson.

Another really good showing from the boys as we make it five straight wins in the Premier League. Mike Williamson got his shot in the first team thanks to Martials injury and he took it, opening the scoring for us just before half time. Once again we looked fairly comfortable throughout until Lucas Moura doubled our lead with pretty much the last kick of the game.

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Starting XI - Horn, Digne, Tah, Dier, Chambers, Slattery, Alli, Sanchez, Ozil, Lucas, Williamson.

Disappointing again in the Champions League as we learn the hard way that our pressing style isnt going to work away from home. Mike Williamson started again and grabbed himself two more goals, but it wasnt enough to compensate for our shoddy defensive display.
 
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Starting XI - Horn, Digne, Van Dijk, Dier, Chambers, Maia, Alli, Sanchez, Ozil, Grealish, Williamson.

If we ever needed a reminder not to get ahead of ourselves, this was it. Even the established big teams in the league cant expect to win every game and sometimes bad luck just catches up with you. Williamson led the line and continued his fine form by putting us ahead. We pretty much controlled the game, if not in possession then in chances created, we just couldnt finish anything. I am starting to worry about the form of Alexis Sanchez now as he has not lived up to his reputation. With Grealish complaining about his lack of football and playing poorly when I offer the chance, we are perhaps looking a little light in midfield.
 
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Starting XI - Lewis, Digne, Van Dijk, Dier, Chambers, Maia, Alli, Sanchez, Ozil, Lucas, Martial.

A great win in the Capital One Cup at Old Trafford as we saw off United in extra time. An eventful match saw both sides finish with 10 men and some seriously last gasp heroics from Jack Grealish, who came on for the injured Sanchez, saw us take the win. Some seriously devastating news with the injury to Alexis Sanchez who will be out for the foreseeable future. This is a major blow to our chances this season.

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October Review​

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A mixed bag this month that shows we are nowhere near the finished article yet. The Spurs game I am not so worried about as we didn't deserve to lose but the Champions League performances were naive and not good enough.
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Still going well in the Premiership at the top end of the table.

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Bottom of the group in the Champions League but it is still incredible tight and all to play for, especially with two home games still to go.

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An away quarter final against Everton in the Capital One Cup is also to look forward to.

Player of the Month​
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I am going to give our player of the month award to Dele Alli this month for some industrious performances in the middle of the park including a couple of goals. Mike Williamson can feel hard done by and is unlucky not to get this one.


November Preview​
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