Taking Southampton North!

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UEFA Europa League Second Knockout Round - Second Leg - Dynamo Kyyiv (Away)


The second leg against Dynamo Kyyiv, if we don’t get complacent, should just be a formality. No sense in taking a risk with the team selection though, as there isn’t a league game immediately afterwards. A couple of youngsters are on the bench anyway.

Milik was brought down outside the box in the opening minute, but Asensio curled the free kick just wide.

Cedric sent Tadic through in the 7th minute but he hit the post from a tight angle.

In the 25th minute Milik turned Cedric’s cross past Koval to open the scoring! Dynamo now need to score 5 without conceding in order to progress.

Koval made a top save to deny a Milik thunderbolt in the 28th minute, pushing it wide with his fingertips.

Asensio chased it down to the corner flag and passed to Cedric, who sent in a cross, and Milik’s close range volley was brilliantly tipped over the bar by the keeper.

In the 37th minute a free kick fell loose in our box and Khacheridi had a tap in.

Pjaca’s close range effort in the 50th minute was desperately blocked, and Palombo blazed the loose ball high and wide.

Lovell, Rodriguez and Seager replaced Chambers, Pjaca and Milik in the 53rd.

A minute later Carlos escaped unmarked and was left with a tap in at the back post. A lovely cross, to be fair, but poor defending.

Carlos then raced through in the 66th and hit the inside of the post!

In the 75th minute Tadic sent in a cross, which was partially cleared back in his direction, and Dario Rodriguez sent a spectacular bicycle kick into the roof of the net! Holy smokes, what a finish! Incredible stuff from the youngster!

Tadic hit the post in stoppage time when played through by Seager.

We utterly dominated the match, but only came away with a 2 all draw. It was easily enough to see us through to the next round though, and I have no complaints, except that Rodriguez’s world class overhead kick wasn’t saved for the final or something :P


POM: Marco Asensio (8.5, 0G, 0A)
 

English Premier League - Game 29 - Burnley FC (Home)


Burnley are playing well and pushing for a top half finish, so we can’t take them lightly today. It’s a fairly strong lineup, dictated in part by the condition of returning International’s.

Tadic put us in front in the 25th minute with a simple tap in from a Kurzawa cross.

Spalvis squared the ledger in the 37th with a calm finish from a superb Arfield chip.

Sindelar and Pjaca replaced Kießling and De Paul in the 60th minute.

Clasie replaced Alonso in the 66th as we went to 4-2-3-1.

Not good enough. How we can have 59% possession and 18 shots to 4 and only draw at home is beyond me! Results like this continue to hurt us as they’ve done all season.


POM: Layvin Kurzawa (8.5, 0G, 1A)
 

English Premier League - Game 30 - Wolverhampton Wanderers (Away)


Wolves beat us earlier in the season, so hopefully today we can make up for that. Other than Dragowski, it’s an entirely different lineup to the Burnley match.

In the 4th minute a corner was blocked, and Milik headed it back for Palombo. His first shot from just outside the box was blocked, but his second soared into the top right corner! What a hit son! Going to miss him when he retires :(

In the 19th minute Asensio played a sensational ball for Milik, but his shot was narrowly wide. Should have done better.

Asensio’s excellent low cross was turned goalwards by Balic in the 29th minute, but he was denied.

Asensio was lively, and in the 47th minute he drew a foul in the box. He dispatched the resulting penalty.

In the 58th minute Cedric’s attempted cross was headed out to Asensio outside the box. He cushioned a header back to Palombo, who let fly from 30 yards…and found the top corner again! Incredible! Why is he retiring??

Milik blasted wide again when Pjaca sent him through in the 65th.

Rodriguez and Sindelar replaced Pjaca and Milik two minutes later.

In the 70th minute a long ball saw a Wolves counter opportunity, which was halted when Jurcik broke down the play with a foul. His second yellow, so he was sent packing. Palombo dropped into central defence.

Being a man down hardly mattered though, and only a spectacular Zoet save prevented Asensio adding his second in the 83rd minute.

Great performance today, with a pair of world class Palombo screamers the obvious highlight. I only realised after the match that I still had a remaining substitution. A solid win that keeps us in the hunt for a top 6 finish.


POM: Angelo Palombo (9.2, 2G, 0A)
 
Nice job in the Europa League and league form is looking better hopefully you can grab a Champions League spot through Europa though
 
Might be a bridge too far to get a Champions League spot, but a European place is definitely on the cards. Always good for the coefficient to get in a couple good Europa runs!
 
ninjaskill said:
Nice job in the Europa League and league form is looking better hopefully you can grab a Champions League spot through Europa though
Click to expand...

That's the plan, I've more or less given up on CL qualification through the league, so we will go all out for the Europa League. Might as well have a crack at the FA Cup too.

Cahoon said:
Might be a bridge too far to get a Champions League spot, but a European place is definitely on the cards. Always good for the coefficient to get in a couple good Europa runs!
Click to expand...

Yeah it's definitely slipped out of reach I'd say, but we could finish top 6 if we play well enough. Definitely good to go on a run in Europe, and it's our best shot at making the Champions League next season
 

English Premier League - Game 31 - Arsenal FC (Away)


We travel to Arsenal in a match where we can’t be expected to get anything, but will nonetheless do our best. We don’t have a great record against them during my tenure, but we have enough quality to trouble them - hopefully! Kurzawa is left out due to Augustinsson’s superior speed, which is likely to be critical.

In the 12th minute Tadic turned on the edge of the box and darted forward, before striking the post! **** it!

Sindelar replaced Milik in the 63rd.

Rodriguez replaced Ward-Prowse in the 68th, going to left wing. Tadic went to the right and Asensio to midfield.

Kurzawa replaced Augustinsson in the 73rd.

89th minute, Theo Walcott tried a hopeful looking shot from a tight angle, Dragowski knocked it clear, but only as far as Wilshire, who put it in the net. **** it!

So unlucky today, as a very even game was decided very late by a scrappy rebound, after we’d hit the post earlier in the match. Not a terrible performance at any rate, even if we didn’t create much.


POM: Hector Bellerin (9.0, 0G, 0A)

Best Southampton Player: Calum Chambers (7.2, 0G, 0A)
 

UEFA Europa League Quarter Final - First Leg - FC København (Home)


Balic starts in midfield for the first leg against København, as Clasie is suspended. A good result today is critical to our ambitions of progressing to the semis. If we can get a similar result to our first leg against Kyyiv, then I will be very satisfied.

In the 4th minute Tadic received the ball just outside our area and broke on the counter. He ran from box to box before chipping a ball square to Cedric, who rifled inside the near post!

We countered again in the 25th minute, and this time Kurzawa put a cross to the far post for Tadic, whose header was saved on the line. Delaney looked set to clear the loose ball, but then Palombo slid in from nowhere and took it off his toes, forcing it over the line! Brilliant commitment from the veteran, who now has 3 goals in his last two games!

In the 59th minute it was 3, as Tadic swung a free kick to an unmarked Upamecano, who had all the time in the world to pick his spot from a volley.

In the 64th minute Tadic, Milik and Asensio were replaced by Rodriguez, Gitschier and Ward-Prowse.

From a free kick seconds later, Upamecano gave away a penalty. Oldrup scored a potentially crucial away goal from the spot.

Then in the 71st minute, disaster, as an unmarked Santander turned home a long cross from close range. København suddenly right back in the tie!

That was incredibly frustrating. Some sloppy defending could really come back to haunt us, as the tie is far from over. We were cruising at 3-0 up, but two away goals put us under a great deal of pressure for the second leg, as even a single strike could send us packing. Work to do.


POM: Dusan Tadic (9.0, 0G, 2A)
 

English Premier League - Game 32 - Manchester United (Away)


I badly want to beat Man United, as always, and it’s a fairly strong lineup that takes the field. I have to prioritise the Europa League, as much as I want to win today. Gitschier makes his first start since returning from injury.

In the 6th minute Wanyama let fly from 25 yards - you’ve got to hand it to him, he’s not easily discouraged - and De Gea could only parry straight to Tadic, who finished to give us an early lead!

In the 55th minute Augustinsson sent in a low angled cross, and Milik met it with a first time finish - but was called back for offside. Looking at replays, it was as close as they come - only his knee was offside.

Sindelar, Rodriguez and Ward-Prowse replaced Milik, Tadic and Asensio in the 70th minute, with an eye on København.

We shut up shop shortly afterwards.

A fantastic win, and I couldn’t be happier! A shame our second goal was chalked off, but it doesn’t matter much. Young Dusan Jurcik was a rock in defence, with an incredible 33 interceptions and 19 headers! Brilliant from the youngster, who deservedly picked up the Man of the Match award.


POM: Dusan Jurcik (8.3, 0G, 0A)
 

UEFA Europa League Quarter Final - Second Leg - FC København (Away)


The return leg against København is balanced on a knife edge. They have home advantage and two away goals, but we have the lead. The score is effectively 3 - 2.5 in our favour, unless we score two ourselves. It’s a strong lineup that takes the field, as I’m desperate to secure progression.

København came flying out of the blocks, and put themselves ahead on away goals in just the 3rd minute, a glancing header from Jørgensen finding the target from a tight angle.

But we edged in front again in the 5th minute, as Milik released Tadic down the right on a counter, and his low cross was drilled home first time from the edge of the box by De Paul!

In the 33rd minute Tadic should have put us ahead when Milik played him through, but he missed the target by inches!

In the 48th minute Wanyama cushioned a header down from a Tadic corner, and Clasie hammered it into the roof of the net! Away goals cancelled! Effectively 5-3 Southampton.

In the 64th minute Dusan Tadic had an enormous brain explosion. He was almost our furthest man forward, near halfway, and the København player was facing his own goal, but Tadic lunged in, and deservedly saw red. Under the pump now! Asensio went to the wing, and Wanyama dropped back alongside Clasie.

I accidentally left the match playing without setting up our park the bus tactics as I wrote the last line though, and when I switched back, København scored! 72nd minute.

In the 74th minute Palombo, Ward-Prowse and Gitschier replaced Wanyama, De Paul and Milik, as we moved to a 4-2-2-1-0 formation.

We did it! It was nervous, but we held on to a 2 all draw with 10 men, which was a great effort, and enough to see us through to the Semi Final. Tadic’s complete brain explosion left us in the lurch, but we killed the game from there and held on. Leverkusen pumped Lyon 6-1 on aggregate, so will be our opponents in the Semi Finals.


POM: Jordy Clasie (8.4, 1G, 0A)
 

English Premier League - Game 33 - Everton FC (Home)


Everton have a really good record against us, but they sold Lukaku to Madrid on deadline day, so hopefully will not pose as much of a threat. I should be happy but I’m kind of annoyed because I wanted to go big for Lukaku this summer, but I’ll have to look elsewhere now. No big deal.

Apparently Ings is picking up where Lukaku left off though, with a close range finish in the 17th minute from a Lavezzi cross.

KSG then denied Milik’s close range volley from Augustinsson’s cross just a minute later.

Munir doubled their lead in the 25th minute after a cleared corner was worked back in.

Dragowski made a good save on Ings in the 30th minute.

De Paul and Sindelar replaced Gitschier and Milik in the 50th minute. Pjaca and De Paul switched wings.

Ward-Prowse replaced Alonso in the 57th and we moved into a 4-2-3-1.

Sindelar dribbled his way clear in the 70th minute but then fired inches wide.

Two minutes later a Ward-Prowse cross found Pjaca, who powered a header into the net!

In the 81st minute Sindelar had a go from 30 yards, but it struck Funes Mori and rebounded just past him to Palombo, who launched a rocket of a volley which flew into the net from 35 yards! He just can’t stop scoring screamers!! Please don’t retire! :(

In the 86th minute Asensio should have won it for us when Luan found him just a few yards out with a cross, but he hit it straight at KSG! ****!

Still, to come back and draw from two goals down is no mean feat, even if we really should have won in the end. Palombo rescued us with his 4th goal in recent games, and what a goal it was! I wonder if I can get him to stay on as a player/coach?


POM: Angelo Palombo (8.2, 1G, 0A)
 

English Premier League - Game 34 - Chelsea FC (Home)


League Champions and leaders Chelsea are our next guests, and I’d love to beat them, to help Liverpool’s title hopes, slim as they might be. Oh yeah, and to aid our push for 5th. We’ve fallen behind the 8 ball - West Ham and Man United - and need them to slip up in order to catch them. A loss today will put us in real jeopardy of missing a top 6 finish.

Chelsea sliced through us in about 12 seconds, only for Dragowski to deny Costa from close range.

Sadly, Sindelar twisted his ankle, and had to be replaced by Gitschier in just the 6th minute.

And it was Gitschier who opened the scoring in the 10th minute, with a lovely close range volley from Cedric’s cross!

Wanyama appeared to be fouled in the box in the 15th minute by Fernandes, but the referee waved away the appeals.

In the 19th minute Cedric swung in a corner, and Stones pulled Tadic to the floor. Penalty! But Asensio couldn’t beat Courtois from the spot! These penalties will be the death of me!

In the 25th minute Asensio lined up a free kick just outside the box, and hit the underside of the bar! Tadic’s attempted followup was deflected wide.

In the 32nd minute a corner was cleared out to Cedric, who curled the ball to the back post for Kurzawa, who sent a header back across goal and into the bottom corner! Get in!

Just a minute later Tadic sent a brilliant ball through for Gitschier, but his shot fizzed narrowly wide.

In the 45th minute Willian sent a low cross to Costa, and Chambers slid across to intercept. The ball went straight to Hazard though, who fired Chelsea back into the match.

In the 57th minute we were hit on the counter, and Costa clinically smashed the ball past Dragowski. Somehow, despite completely dominating, we were back to square one.

Palombo and De Paul replaced Clasie and Pjaca in the 58th minute.

In the 82nd minute Hazard sent in a hopeful looking cross, and it somehow found Diego Costa for a tap in. Unbelievable.

No way in the world did we deserve to lose that. Chelsea looked toothless for most of the match, but scored a couple of very lucky goals, and we were punished for missing a penalty and a couple of other great chances up the other end. Mourinho also admitted after the match that we should have been awarded another penalty. This, combined with Liverpool’s loss to Arsenal, rules the Reds out of the title race now. Sorry guys. We will need to be much more ruthless in our two Semi Finals, which are our next fixtures.


POM: Eden Hazard (Chelsea - 8.8, 1G, 1A)

Best Southampton Player: Layvin Kurzawa (8.0, 1G, 0A)
 
You can get to the top 6! I'm surprised how similar Chelsea's starting XI compared to this year
 
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