Taking Southampton North!

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The league is quite tight isn't it? A string of victories though and you will be in Top 4 easily!
 
savan21 said:
The league is quite tight isn't it? A string of victories though and you will be in Top 4 easily!
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It is, not quite as tight as last year though! Top 3 look pretty safe but we could conceivably get to 4th with a really good run and a bit of luck
 

English Premier League - Game 26 - Sheffield Wednesday (Away)


We definitely need to bounce back against Sheffield Wednesday. They beat us earlier in the season, so now is our chance for revenge. The attacking quartet of Kießling, Tadic, Ward-Prowse and De Paul that’s been so devastating recently is reunited, and hopefully this sparks our attack into life. Upamecano and Balic are also given rare league starts.

Mutch missed the target from close range in just the 5th minute.

In the 15th minute Clasie played a sensational pass for Kießling, who beat the keeper but hit the post!

Sheffield carved us open in the 20th minute but Dragowski saved our skin with a great stop on Kerim 1v1.

Dragowski then made a flying save from the resultant corner.

In the 57th minute Tadic squared for Kießling in the box, but Davidson threw himself in front of the shot to produce a critical block.

Mane replaced Tadic and switched positions with Ward-Prowse in the 63rd.

Milik replaced Kießling in the 70th.

In the 75th minute Milik cleverly flicked a ball on for De Paul, who seemed destined to score, but an extraordinary flying save from Westwood kept the scores level!

Seconds later, Balic was replaced by Juanmi, who went to the left wing. De Paul moved to AMC and Ward-Prowse dropped into midfield.

Another very poor result, as wayward finishing let us down once again. 4 shots on target isn’t good enough. especially from 2 CCC’s and 5 half chances. Another slump we need to arrest now.


POM: Tommy Spurr (Sheffield Wednesday - 7.8, 0G, 0A)

Best Southampton Players: Cedric and Ludwig Augustinsson (7.2, 0G, 0A)
 
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PatrickLFC said:
Slattery has been getting minutes here and there over the two seasons, he definitely has a future here. Reed and Hesketh are out on loan currently, but I'm hoping that they can break through over the next couple of seasons.
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I just started a Southampton game. Playing a 4-2-3-1. During the first transfer window I sold Shane Long to Spurs for 10.5M, Yoshida to Genoa for 2.5M. Wanyama to PSG for 20.5 and Ramirez to Watford for 5.5.

I replaced those players with Gabriel Barbosa 9.5M Charlie Austin 9.5M Emmanuel Mammana 4.5 and Youri Tielemans 21.5M

When the January transfer window came around Steve Davis wanted to leave so I let him go for 3M to Everton. Arsenal came in for Ryan Bertrand and sold him for 19.5M and Romeu wasn't getting minutes either and was sold for 2M to Celta Vigo. Pelle also was sold to Watford for 6M because he wasn't getting first team football and it was a good price for a 30 year old.

I need some depth in Midfield and at right back so I signed Alex Texiera for 27.5M Kenny Tete from Ajax for 6M, Jorge from Flemish for 12M and my biggest coup was getting Mario Gotze on loan for the remainder of the season.

Net spend in 21M.

Capital One Cup - 3rd round loss to Crystal Palace on pens
Europa League - 1st knockout round. Lost of away goals to St Ettiene
FA Cup - Quarter Final against Newcastle to play
Prem - sitting 3rd with 9 games remaining.

Notable wins:

Liverpool 3-5 Southampton
Arsenal 1-3 Southampton
Southampton 5-0 Man UTD (FA CUP)
 
LeTiss said:
I just started a Southampton game. Playing a 4-2-3-1. During the first transfer window I sold Shane Long to Spurs for 10.5M, Yoshida to Genoa for 2.5M. Wanyama to PSG for 20.5 and Ramirez to Watford for 5.5.

I replaced those players with Gabriel Barbosa 9.5M Charlie Austin 9.5M Emmanuel Mammana 4.5 and Youri Tielemans 21.5M

When the January transfer window came around Steve Davis wanted to leave so I let him go for 3M to Everton. Arsenal came in for Ryan Bertrand and sold him for 19.5M and Romeu wasn't getting minutes either and was sold for 2M to Celta Vigo. Pelle also was sold to Watford for 6M because he wasn't getting first team football and it was a good price for a 30 year old.

I need some depth in Midfield and at right back so I signed Alex Texiera for 27.5M Kenny Tete from Ajax for 6M, Jorge from Flemish for 12M and my biggest coup was getting Mario Gotze on loan for the remainder of the season.

Net spend in 21M.

Capital One Cup - 3rd round loss to Crystal Palace on pens
Europa League - 1st knockout round. Lost of away goals to St Ettiene
FA Cup - Quarter Final against Newcastle to play
Prem - sitting 3rd with 9 games remaining.

Notable wins:

Liverpool 3-5 Southampton
Arsenal 1-3 Southampton
Southampton 5-0 Man UTD (FA CUP)
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Sounds like you're doing a pretty good job, congrats :)
 

UEFA Champions League - First Knockout Round First Leg - Paris Saint-Germain (Away)


Wanyama is suspended, but it’s more or less a first choice lineup that takes the field against the French giants today. De Paul is ineligible for us, whilst Van Dijk is ineligible for them, so he won’t get to play against his former club so soon. Not that they need him - just look at that lineup! Today is going to be very difficult - Van Dijk would have been pretty handy here.

In the 7th minute we produced some fine passing, and Kießling’s shot from a tight angle was acrobatically saved by Sirigu.

In the 20th minute Fonte was caught out of position, and Tevez raced through, but his shot whistled just wide.

In the 25th minute Verratti and Tevez both had efforts blocked, before Verratti bundled the loose ball home.

Dragowski made an incredible save from Cavani’s 47th minute rocket!

Cavaleiro hit the bar from a 55th minute corner.

Verratti’s amazing floated ball presented Cavani with a tap in two minutes later.

Rodriguez replaced Kießling in the 66th.

3 minutes later Verratti had a second with a brilliant glance from Marquinhos’ cross.

Tevez skimmed the bar again in the 74th.

Mane replaced Tadic in the 75th.

Slattery was on for Palombo in the 84th.

We were well and truly beaten today. Verratti was just far too good for us. Juanmi was the only player to really show anything. As you can see, Celtic beat Madrid!


POM: Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain - 9.4, 2G, 1A)

Best Southampton Player: Juanmi (7.3, 0G, 0A)
 

FA Cup - Fifth Round - Liverpool FC (Home)


Pjaca makes his return to the first team after over 4 months out injured. Luan also returns after his shorter injury, whilst Zivkovic makes the bench. Liverpool stand between us and a place in the next round of the FA Cup, and hopefully our rotated side can get the job done.

In the 17th minute Balotelli brought down a ball for Shaqiri, who slipped in Allen, but Forster made a good diving save.

From the resulting corner, Ilori headed the ball across goal, and Emre Can headed in at the back post.

Luan played a brilliant pass across the box in the 41st minute, and Pjaca hit the post!

Jay Rodriguez and Zivkovic replaced Milik and Pjaca in the 67th minute. Mane went to the left wing and Zivkovic the right.

Two minutes later Gitschier hit a long ball which Rodriguez chased down and cut inside, but his powerful effort was palmed wide by Mignolet.

In the 73rd minute Mane sent in a cross for Rodriguez, who was fouled by Antunes. Zivkovic’s penalty kick was saved by Mignolet!

Davis replaced Gitschier in the 78th minute.

Zivkovic blasted over the bar after a good run in the 90th minute.

Frustration as we crash out of the FA Cup at the hands of the Reds. If only Zivkovic had converted the penalty! Disappointing to lose a pretty even game. Mignolet receiving the POM award shows how unlucky we were.


POM: Simon Mignolet (Liverpool - 8.4, 7 Saves, Clean Sheet)

Best Southampton Player: Andrija Balic (7.6, 0G, 0A)
 

English Premier League - Game 27 - Tottenham Hotspur FC (Home)


Really difficult match today. Tottenham are top of the table, locked in a title race with Chelsea, and having played just one game more than us, are 26 points clear. It would be fantastic to end our poor run against the league leaders.

Within the first minute we worked the ball forwards and Tadic found Kießling in the box, but his low effort whistled wide.

In the 6th minute it was Tadic who received the ball outside the box with his back to goal, turned his man and fired into the bottom left corner to open the scoring!

In the 16th minute we attacked into space, and Tadic played a perfect through ball for Kießling, but the striker was denied by Lloris. Two chances now that he would have buried 3 weeks ago.

In the 39th minute we doubled our lead, De Paul hammering in a volley at the back post from a Ward-Prowse cross.

Dragowski denied Lamela in the 44th minute after he was found by Eriksen’s second attempt at a cross.

In the 51st minute Augustinsson whipped a perfect low cross into the 6 yard box, but Kießling’s redirection was somehow kept out by Lloris! I couldn’t believe it!

It clearly wasn’t Kießling’s day, so Milik replaced him in the 62nd minute.

Apparently it wasn’t Milik’s either though, as his close range volley from Ward-Prowse’s 70th minute cross was incredibly saved by Lloris!

Wanyama was replaced by Palombo in the 73rd.

Davis replaced De Paul in the 81st and dropped into central midfield. Tadic went to the left wing, and Palombo to DM.

The most amazing thing about the result today, is that we didn’t win by more. A superb Lloris performance ensured that, but it’s still a fantastic result against the league leaders! The trick now is translating that kind of play into results against the smaller sides.


POM: Dusan Tadic (8.8, 1G, 0A)
 

Injury News...


Minor injury to Upamecano

Milik came with me with a very reasonable request for first team football. I told him to be patient, and he was gracious enough to accept that. If Kießling doesn’t pick up his form soon though, he will get his opportunity.

Tadic is runner up in the BPL Player of the Month Award, whilst Ryan Seager wins the Scottish Premier League Young Player of the Month Award.
 

English Premier League - Game 28 - Aston Villa (Away)


Aston Villa, despite their tycoon takeover, are dead last this season. The new owner might be wishing he invested in a different club as it’s looking likely they’ll have to build from the Championship next season - I have no doubt they’ll be in the upper echelons of the Premier League in a few years time though. We just beat the league leaders, so hopefully the same lineup can take care of the cellar dwellers. They do have much better players than their table position would suggest, so it won’t be easy.

Sure enough, Villa took the lead in the 30th minute, as Guilavogui’s cross took an enormous deflection and fell perfectly to Diouf, who fired home.

In the 36th minute we managed to equalise as Tadic met Ward-Prowse’s clever first time pass to finish from close range.

4 minutes later though Destro skinned Radu on the turn and fired past Dragowski to restore their lead.

Milik was on for Kießling in the 54th minute.

Juanmi replaced De Paul in the 61st.

In the 67th minute Destro’s shot was blocked by Radu, but typically, the rebound fell to Diouf, who lofted the ball into the far top corner.

Mane replaced Clasie in the 70th and switched with Ward-Prowse.

Dragowski made a solid one v one save on Destro in the 77th minute.

Juanmi almost scored a minute later after a great run but his effort was tame and straight at Guzan.

Canales fired over the bar for Villa in the 80th from a great position.

The last two games really sum up our season. Brilliant against the league leaders, and hopeless against the relegation favourites. The worst part was that really, we were never even in this match.


POM: Joshua Guilavogui (Aston Villa - 9.0, 0G, 1A)

Best Southampton Player: Dusan Tadic (7.5, 1G, 0A)
 
I can relate with you about playing very badly against relegation contenders! Although to be honest my team is supposed to be one of them :D
 

Youth Intake...


Youth Intake arrives, and unlike last years, this is a good one! Two prospects who could certainly make it into the first team one day.

Duncan Greenwood is a target man style striker, so may have to adapt a little to become a first team player in the future, but the potential is there.

Jack Lovell I am delighted with! He has the potential to be a top class centre back one day, and I very much hope that it’s with Southampton.
 

UEFA Champions League - First Knockout Round Second Leg - Paris Saint-Germain (Home)


It’s unlikely we’ll take anything from today’s match, but you never know. If PSG score even once, we will need 5 goals to progress. We’ll give it a crack though. Milik starts up top, and Pjaca on the left. Fonte is back in central defence, and Luan is pushed to right back.

In the 5th minute Pjaca launched a ball over the top for Milik, but Marquinhos got there first. His pass back to Sirigu was too weak though, and Milik pounced, slamming past the surprised keeper!

A minute later we came forward again, and Luan swung in a cross to Pjaca, whose header beat Sirigu, hit the inside of the post, and then trickled in off the back of Sirigu! Own goal! Game on!!

Tevez struck venomously at goal in the 11th minute but Dragowski was up to the task and palmed it wide.

Pjaca wasted a golden chance to counter from the resulting corner, dawdling on the ball and taking it too wide after Milik released him beyond the last defender. He didn’t even get a shot off in the end.

But Pjaca made amends in the 28th minute, firing home after Ward-Prowse’s low whipped cross left him with virtually an open net! Unbelievably, we’d squared the tie within half an hour! Brilliant pass by Wanyama to release Ward-Prowse.

Sadly, 6 minutes later, Cavani played an excellent ball over the top for Tevez, who held off the defence to race through and bury in the bottom corner. PSG ahead by 1.5 goals now effectively.

3 minutes later Milik had his second, racing onto Ward-Prowse’s cross and redirecting past a helpless Sirigu! 4.5 - 4 now!

The game tightened up for a while, but I kept patience with the lineup, and it paid dividends in the 69th minute. A Ward-Prowse corner was cleared to Pjaca, who passed it back into Tadic, whose first time shot took a wicked deflection off Aurier and found the back of the net! Another own goal on the scoresheet, and we were ahead!!

Two minutes later Tadic had a crack from outside the box, and I was almost celebrating until it crashed off the underside of the crossbar and bounced clear! So close!

Palombo replaced Tadic in the 74th, dropping into DM.

Slattery and Juanmi replaced Clasie and Pjaca in the 90th minute. And we held on!

WHAT A PERFORMANCE!! I am truly stunned, having more or less written us off going into the match. An extraordinary turnaround if ever there was one! I’m particularly pleased for Milik, seizing his opportunity with a crucial brace. The cynical side of my brain tells me it’s another example of us showing up in a big match, and we’re bound to keep losing to the weaker sides, but right now I don’t care! What an unbelievable performance from start to finish! And we’re through to the Quarter Finals of the Champions League after being as good as buried after the first leg. Magical!


POM: Marko Pjaca (9.1, 1G, 1A)
 
Great comeback vs PSG so close to being able to draw Celtic in the QF's although as they are a smaller size maybe it is for the best
 
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