Taking Southampton North!

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And here is the new contract offer I was promised. They’ve agreed to find an affiliate and improve the youth recruitment, as well as increase the wage budget slightly. I’m delighted to sign.



Transfer News...


This is a player I have had shortlisted for a couple of years. When I noticed in the summer that his contract would run down at the end of the season, I spent the next few months scouting and talking to the press about him repeatedly in the hope that he wouldn’t sign a new contract with them. I still expected to get the email one day, but it never came, and by the time I could discuss terms with him, there were 20 or 30 clubs interested, including the likes of Dortmund and Real Madrid. There was no way I was letting him slip after all that effort, so I made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Amazingly, he hasn’t seen a minute of action this season, as Bologna play in a 4-1-2-1-2, and perhaps that helped us to sign him in the end. He will join on a Bosman at the end of the season.

 

English Premier League - Game 18 - Aston Villa (Away)


Aston Villa have been disappointing once again this season, and really haven’t kicked on as I expected after they had a tycoon takeover about 3 years ago. They have some dangerous players though and have beaten us a few times, and their manager got the axe after they lost 3 days ago to Swansea.

In the 2nd minute one of the smoothest counterattacks I’ve ever seen saw us string together half a dozen first touch passes on our way from one box to the other, and it ended in Ward-Prowse slamming the ball emphatically into the net!

In the 6th minute we had our second as Cedric’s low cross was finished with a close range volley by Milik!

In the 14th minute Amavi’s cross found Diouf at point blank range, but Dragowski made the save!

Süle half-volleyed a corner into the roof of the net in the 16th minute to extend our lead. There was no saving that thunderbolt!

In the 30th minute Cedric’s cross for Pjaca was glanced on by a Villa player, and finished at the back post by Milik! We’re running riot!

In the 35th minute Cedric almost got on the scoresheet himself after Ward-Prowse picked out his run, but he was denied at the near post.

In the 40th minute Süle should have had a second as Ward-Prowse found him with a free kick, but his half-volley was turned aside.

Tadic and Balic replaced De Paul and Ward-Prowse in the 63rd minute. Tadic switched flanks with Pjaca.

A minute later Cedric’s cross for Pjaca fell loose, and Tadic was denied at the near post by Guzan.

Vietto replaced Pjaca in the 72nd minute.

All too easy today as we sealed back to back 4-0 victories. This result, coupled with Chelsea’s draw with Tottenham, thanks in part to Barkley’s red card, sees us draw level with the Blues on top of the table, though they have a goal difference edge of 7. Who would have thought we’d be saying that after they thrashed us on the opening day of the season?


POM: Niklas Süle (8.9, 1G, 0A)
 

My 200th Southampton match will be against my favourite club, Liverpool FC.

A very successful awards haul for Southampton in December. I picked up my second consecutive Manager of the Month Award, which I believe is only the 3rd or 4th of my entire tenure. This proves how good we’ve been recently, as we have never been this consistent before.

As for the World Awards, Messi won both major gongs again, whilst Bentancur picked up the Golden Boy award. James-Ward Prowse was named on the bench for World Team of the Year.

 
Transfer News...

Fresh from their 4-0 thrashing to us at home, Villa come straight in for Wanyama. Yeah, good luck with that.

A youngster who I’d wrapped a deal up for a while back arrives. There will be another one coming, I think on deadline day, and he’s a much more exciting prospect, though I’m surprised Gomes is only 3 stars, He will hopefully go out on loan.

 
Some good signings, especially as you will likely need the depth with all of the injuries
 
ninjaskill said:
Some good signings, especially as you will likely need the depth with all of the injuries
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Thanks mate. I'm actually okay with the depth right now, and might not even sign any senior players this window. Gomes will go out on loan as he's not ready and he also needs a work permit, and the Italian Fontaine won't arrive until the end of the season.
 

English Premier League - Game 19 - Liverpool FC (Home)


Liverpool visit St Mary’s today in a crunch clash. They are just 3 points behind ourselves and Chelsea at the summit of the Premier League. We haven’t beaten the Reds for over two years, and have lost 5 in a row, and 7 of 8 in total, albeit the most recent was actually a draw and a penalty shootout loss. If there was ever a time to end our hoodoo, this is it. We’ve named a very strong lineup and I’m confident that we can get the job done.

And in the 3rd minute it was that man Milik who opened the scoring, with a powerful back post header from a Tadic corner!

And in the 24th minute Milik had his second! Antunes made a sliding interception to prevent Pjaca picking up Ward-Prowse’s through ball, but unfortunately for him it skidded across to the other side of the penalty area, and right to the last man they would have wanted it to fall for. He rifled inside the near post to double our lead!

And Laporte got in on the act in first half stoppage time, as Süle headed a corner back across goal, and he leapt up to volley it home! 3-0 at half time!

I accidentally skipped the team talk, but surely that won’t matter…?

Maybe it would - Aboubaker slipped Firmino through in the 53rd minute, but he hit the post!

Balic replaced Pjaca in the 61st minute, and swapped with Ward-Prowse.

Gitschier replaced De Paul in the 73rd minute, switching positions with Tadic.

Sindelar replaced Tadic in the 82nd minute.

Laporte capped off a wonderful display in the 87th minute with his second goal, a glancing header from a Ward-Prowse free kick.

Well we certainly came to play today! Our third straight 4-0 victory not only ends our losing streak against Liverpool, it also sends us top of the ladder, 6 points clear of the third placed Reds, though Chelsea will reclaim top spot if they win their game in hand.

POM: Aymeric Laporte (9.2, 2G, 0A)
 

FA Cup - Third Round - Crawley Town (Home)


A very rotated side for today’s FA Cup clash with Crawley Town. I would be genuinely shocked if we don’t win today, even with Perrettot making his debut in goals. He’s probably not quite as good a prospect as Burtic, on loan at Aberdeen, but he’s still talented. Larsson and Prins also start, while I’m hoping Vietto can boost his confidence by grabbing a goal or two here.

Vietto’s brilliant solo run in the 2nd minute almost ended in a goal, but for an excellent diving save from Lumley.

De Paul also went solo in the 9th minute and I was shocked that he didn’t score as he made it to the 6 yard box, but Lumley once again came up with the goods.

A minute later Gitschier proved he was beatable though, as Prins picked him out and he cut inside for an easy finish.

In the 21st minute Cedric’s cross found Vietto right in front, but his first time shot was brilliantly saved by Lumley! Incredible stuff from the keeper.

10 seconds later Kurzawa put the ball back into the box, and Vietto volleyed home! But he was offside!

In the 24th minute Jurcik nodded a corner across to the back post, but Gitschier’s shot was cleared off the line by Breeze.

Gitschier sent a great ball over the top for Vietto in the 44th minute, but after excellent work to get there, he was once again thwarted by Lumley!

In the 52nd minute it was Larsson whose raking ball sent Vietto through, but - you guessed it - Lumley made a brilliant diving save to deny him once again!

There followed 4 consecutive corners, and Vietto met the fourth one with a vicious half-volley…but a flying Lumley kept it out! Unbelievable! Jurcik’s followup was cleared off the line by Breeze, before Balic’s piledriver from the edge of the area was tipped over by a diving Lumley!

Vietto headed over from that 5th corner.

In the 59th minute Prins slipped a ball through to Vietto for a close range shot - Lumley stuck out a leg and blocked it, and Prins sent the rebound ballooning over the bar!

Lovell and Muller replaced Jurcik and Balic in the 64th.

Two minutes later De Paul’s half volley from Kurzawa’s cross should have found the top corner, but for Lumley once more! Who is this guy??

In the 67th minute finally, finally, Vietto had his goal! Brilliant one-touch passing from Cedric to Muller, to Gitschier, to Prins, and a first time through ball from the youngster sent Vietto into the box, and he converted arguably his most difficult chance of the lot! The ball was almost over the backline but he pierced the gap between Lumley and the near post, and the ball nestled in the opposite corner!

Sindelar replaced De Paul and shifted Vietto to the left wing in the 72nd minute.

In the 75th minute Cedric’s low cross found Sindelar straight in front, but he was clattered by Eastham, and a penalty was awarded. Vietto from the spot…and he’s done it! Thank goodness for that! A second goal for the Argentine striker! Lumley almost got to it but he picked out the top corner perfectly.

In the 87th minute Muller slipped the ball to Sindelar, who turned nicely but Lumley was across to make a diving save.

He couldn’t win the match for them though, thankfully, as we ran out 3-0 victors. Vietto at one point had a rating of 6.1, but I kept faith and was rewarded with a late brace from the striker. Marcel Prins was outstanding as the number 10, and deservedly took home the match ball after laying on two goals. Poor Lumley though. He did everything he could as we peppered his goal all game. 40 shots, 20 on target, and he saved 17 of them. Great effort from him.


POM: Marcel Prins (9.0, 0G, 2A)
 

Our proposed affiliation with Partizan Belgrade falls through, as they’re happy to stay with Toulouse. Fine, I’ll try for Red Star next time :P



The FA Cup draw gives us another home tie, against either Stoke City or Charlton Athletic. We’ll be favourites regardless of who it is, and will look to avenge our 4-0 defeat to Stoke earlier in the season if it’s them.

 

Capital One Cup Semi Final - First Leg - Sheffield Wednesday (Home)


Sheffield Wednesday have done extremely well to get this far, knocking out Man City on penalties in the previous round. They sit second in the Championship, just a point off the top, so we can’t take them lightly. They appear to be parking the bus, based on that formation! Chelsea cruised past West Ham 3-0 in their first leg yesterday. I see no sense in naming a much weakened lineup, so most of the starters are first choice players. Forster gets to continue his run in goals in the League Cup, however.

In the 4th minute Pjaca whipped a cross to Tadic, who buried his header to open the scoring!

And in the 20th minute he had his second, also a header, but this time the cross came from Chambers.

Laporte cushioned a header to Milik from a 29th minute corner, but his shot was turned aside.

Vietto replaced Milik in the 56th minute.

Gitschier replaced Iniesta in the 63rd.

A minute later they pulled a goal back as a free kick was headed back and forth in and out of the box before eventually falling for Dack, who finished into an open net.

In the 67th minute we were two goals clear again though, as Vietto got a touch on a Chambers cross at the near post to steer it past the keeper.

Vietto had his second in the 79th minute with a powerful volley from a Ward-Prowse corner. 10th goal of the season!

Wanyama was replaced by Balic before the restart.

The Southampton juggernaut rolls on, with a convincing win that sees us all but guarantee ourselves a spot in the Capital One Cup Final. That will almost certainly be contested between ourselves and Chelsea, the two clubs fighting it out at the top of the Premier League. I hadn’t realised until now, but Chelsea drew their last league game, so we’re outright first at the halfway stage! I was delighted for Vietto, who bagged a brace off the bench. Now to translate that to league goals!


POM: Dusan Tadic (9.2, 2G, 0A)
 
English Premier League - Game 20 - West Ham United (Away)


Asensio is on the bench for a match where we are once again favourites. It’s difficult to imagine that West Ham, who we beat in between the hidings Chelsea and Stoke gave us early in the season, can trouble us now that we’re crushing almost every team we come across. Still, their key players, particularly Valencia, have caused us problems before. They also have the European Golden Boy, Bentancur. Süle is suspended for this match and the next one for picking up 10 domestic yellows this season.

Valencia surged through in just 18 seconds, but Dragowski turned his shot behind.

In the 17th minute Ogbonna made a vital near post block on Vietto after a Chambers cross.

In the 40th minute Laporte tried to head the ball across to Jurcik, but Valencia raced in and intercepted, before picking out the far bottom corner with a cracking shot from outside the box.

In the 47th minute we drew level, as Pjaca’s cross behind the defensive line picked out the run of Vietto, who turned it in to restore parity.

In the 51st minute Vietto split the defence for Gitschier, who was brilliantly tackled just before he could shoot. Pjaca should have finished the loose ball but his shot was saved.

In the 53rd minute a corner was cleared back to Cresswell and he sent it back in. Romulo’s header looked tame and comfortable for Dragowski but apparently it wasn’t, because it hit him and went into the net. Back to square one.

Asensio replaced De Paul in the 55th and switched with Pjaca.

And it was Asensio who, 6 minutes into his injury return, provided a close range finish to once again draw us level. An immediate impact from my star player!

And less than a minute we hit the lead! Pjaca shaped to shoot from the edge of the area but instead slid the ball through for Gitschier, who sent the keeper the wrong way and coolly slotted across him into the far corner!

Wanyama replaced Ward-Prowse in the 70th minute.

Milik replaced Vietto in the 79th minute.

What a comeback! As Brendan would say, we showed great character to keep fighting after a couple of unlucky goals, and eventually take all three points from the Hammers, and return to the top of the league. I was delighted by Asensio’s impact upon his injury return, as he netted our second equaliser.


POM: Enner Valencia (West Ham United - 8.2, 1G, 0A)

Best Southampton Player: Marko Pjaca (8.2, 0G, 2A)
 
Fine form and finally top of the table. Good work.

PatrickLFC said:
[
Turns out he’s not the new Cristiano Ronaldo despite his name, position and nationality, because he “Looks for pass rather than attempting to score”.
Click to expand...

Well, Ronaldo is third top assist maker in Liga BBVA and Real Madrid's top one. Miss a shot when there was a better placed companion and you get the tag no matter what else you do. Like Ettore Messina being called a defensive coach of very low scoring when his team was the highest scoring team in both season he was in Real Madrid.
 
Death Ball said:
Fine form and finally top of the table. Good work.



Well, Ronaldo is third top assist maker in Liga BBVA and Real Madrid's top one. Miss a shot when there was a better placed companion and you get the tag no matter what else you do. Like Ettore Messina being called a defensive coach of very low scoring when his team was the highest scoring team in both season he was in Real Madrid.
Click to expand...

Haha I'm just having a dig, I know Ronaldo's assist numbers are amongst the highest in the world. I respect Ronaldo despite his Man United past :P But I think Messi is better
 
Man... It's been quite a while since I've had such a long read.

Impressive what you've done with Soton so far, specially last year with that double (specially remarkable the Europa League campaign you had).
This year the team seems that it has finally turned up a notch: Euro Super Cup champions, alive in both domestic cups, alive in Europe (bad luck with the draw though) and serious Premier League contender.

Keep it up, you're doing terrific.

.P.S.: I'll check on Upamecano, from what I've seen here the lad seems to have quite potential.
 
Zlatan Lumic said:
Man... It's been quite a while since I've had such a long read.

Impressive what you've done with Soton so far, specially last year with that double (specially remarkable the Europa League campaign you had).
This year the team seems that it has finally turned up a notch: Euro Super Cup champions, alive in both domestic cups, alive in Europe (bad luck with the draw though) and serious Premier League contender.

Keep it up, you're doing terrific.

.P.S.: I'll check on Upamecano, from what I've seen here the lad seems to have quite potential.
Click to expand...

Haha yeah nearly at 100 pages, that's pretty daunting! I'm impressed that you read the whole thing!

Last season that Europa League saved our season, it would have been nice to win the FA Cup too but ultimately it doesn't matter too much. We're on fire this season, and in with a shout of all three domestic trophies, although the Champions League might be a bridge too far at this stage. The tactical change has worked wonders.

I'd never heard of him before but he does have serious talent. His one issue is jumping, which I've managed to get up to 11, but he's got all of the other attributes to be a top centre back.

Thanks for reading and I hope you continue to enjoy! :)
 

English Premier League - Game 21 - Stoke City (Home)


After his impact off the bench last game, Asensio is back in the starting lineup. He still lacks match sharpness but he will get there. We’re keen to show Stoke what we’re capable of after they pummelled us early in the season. We will also face them in the FA Cup in a couple of weeks. Vardy tore us to shreds last time so we will have to be wary of him. Krul has also been a thorn in our side on multiple occasions.

In the 10th minute Vietto dispatched Gitschier’s pass, but unfortunately the flag was up.

A minute later Chambers sent in a near post cross which Shawcross headed to Augustinsson at the top of the box. He brought it down and struck a powerful shot, but Krul tipped it around the post.

In the 24th minute Vietto leapt to head the ball home emphatically to cap a wonderful team move where Pjaca headed Ward-Prowse’s ball down to Augustinsson for a first time cross, and Vietto did the rest.

In the 34th minute Jurcik missed a header from Trippier’s cross, leaving Vardy with the goal at his mercy - saved by Dragowski!

Pjaca netted our second in the 45th minute when Gitschier split the defence for him, and he finished smoothly.

In the 56th minute Asensio helped himself to our third after more champagne football from Ward-Prowse, Gitschier and Vietto, zig-zagging one touch passes from all three of them saw Vietto find Asensio, who gave it the finish it deserved, striking across Krul into the top left corner!

In the 67th minute a long ball saw Vardy split the centre backs before stopping and racing around Laporte, but he missed the target. He scored a goal like that in our earlier meeting.

In the 70th minute Asensio, Ward-Prowse and Vietto departed after outstanding performances, to be replaced by Tadic, Balic and Sindelar.

Inaki Williams pulled a goal back in the 82nd minute with a tap in from a nice Gregoritsch ball through the 6 yard box.

Well it wasn’t 4-0, but we banished the demons of our loss to Stoke early on with a fantastic display. Asensio has slotted straight back in, though the performances of Gitschier continue to be outstanding, and there’s a real battle going on for starting positions in our attacking midfield strata.


POM: Moritz Gitschier (9.0, 0G, 1A)
 
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