Taking Southampton North!


FA Cup - Sixth Round - Tottenham Hotspur FC (Home)


Brazilian striker Arraial is on the bench today, as Persson is still injured. I meant to loan Arraial out in January, but accidentally rejected all 37 offers for him, and then couldn’t get anyone to make an offer after that. I appealed for a work permit for him just after the last game, and it was given, so he can now play for us. As for the game, it’s a rotated lineup as the first team is rested ahead of the P$G fixture. Cahill starts instead of Jurcik as the latter will likely be required against the French outfit. Tottenham have named a more or less full strength lineup.

In the 14th minute Rodriguez flicked a superb Sindelar pass into the path of Tadic, but he fired straight into the arms of Lloris. Bad miss.

Clasie flicked a ball through for Rodriguez in the 17th minute, and the winger was denied from a sharp angle by Lloris.

Sindelar finally put us on the board in the 27th minute with his 8th goal of our FA Cup campaign.

It took him just four minutes to add his 9th, a close range finish after Larsson had split the defence for Nishimura to whip the ball into the 6 yard box.

Eriksen pulled a goal back on the stroke of halftime with a near post finish after Keita sent him through.

A 64th minute corner was poorly dealt with, but Cahill blocked Kalas’ first shot and Dragowski palmed his second wide.

Wellington and Prins replaced Larsson and Tadic in the 67th minute.

Two minutes later Prins picked out Rodriguez, who nutmegged Kalas with his first touch before smashing his shot off the underside of the bar! Incredibly unlucky for the Spaniard!

Arraial replaced Rodriguez in the 76th minute, shifting Sindelar to the left wing.

Sindelar was once again our FA Cup difference maker, netting another brace to help us advance to the Semi Finals. Clasie and Nishimura were the best of the rest, each picking up an assist.


POM: Lukas Sindelar (8.8, 2G, 0A)
 

Sindelar has broken the FA Cup goalscoring record, and still has at least one, possibly two, games left in which to extend it!


Injury News...


One of our young players, on loan in Portugal, broke his foot and is out for the rest of the season. I recalled him because we have better physios than Coimbra.
Poor Arraial is out for nearly two months just days after his first team debut.

No complaints from me about the draw this time, as we should be able to get past Derby. Chelsea shouldn’t have much difficulty against Swansea, which would see a rematch of last season’s Capital One Cup Final take place in the FA Cup Final.

 

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


Time for our crucial match against P$G. The equation is simple. We have to win by two goals. A 1-0 win would see us go into extra time, but any other result and we’re packing our bags. As expected, Laporte is not quite fit enough to start, and I have enough faith in Jurcik that I don’t feel I need to force things. Let’s see what we’re made of. P$G have lined up in a very unusual formation, but have elite players all over the pitch.

At half time the stat line read Southampton 12 shots, 3 half chances, 59% possession. P$G 2 shots, 0 chances, 41% possession. But the scoreboard remained 0-0.

In the 62nd minute it finally happened, and who else but Vietto? He brought down Ward-Prowse’s long pass and beat Rulli high at his near post from a tight angle. Only his second goal outside the league this season, and what a crucial one!

Clasie and Doebel replaced Wanyama and Jacobsen in the 73rd minute.

Little else happened though, and extra time beckoned. 18 shots to 3.

In the 99th minute Doebel ran at Darmian and then sent the ball through to the overlapping Dimarco, who crossed from the corner flag. Riedewald headed it clear, but only to Doebel, who volleyed it across the box, and Asensio met it with an acrobatic sideways scissor kick to sent it back across Rulli and into the bottom corner via the post! St Mary’s erupted!

Sindelar replaced Vietto in the 103rd minute.

In the 107th minute Rulli made a brilliant save to keep P$G alive, denying Sindelar from Jurcik’s cushioned header off a corner.

But that was enough!

Poor Paris must hate coming here. Twice they’ve visited on the back of first leg wins, and twice they’ve gone home empty handed. This wasn’t the 5-1 thrashing that saw us overthrow a 3-0 deficit, like last time, but make no mistake, they were thoroughly outplayed. Our key players stood up as they’ve done all season, and whilst it took us until extra time to get in front, we were all over them from start to finish. They were held to just 4 shots in 120 minutes, as our defence shut them out completely. Any other result would have been a miscarriage of justice. On we go to the Quarter Final!


POM: Calum Chambers (9.0, 0G, 0A)
 
Kobe631 said:
Unusual line-up to say the least but fantastic win!
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I thought so too, they shoe-horned so many attacking players into the lineup but they barely threatened us, obviously couldn't break through to create chances. We completely outclassed them :)
 
Lucky draw in the FA Cup, out of the remaining teams in the cup the rams are by far the weakest one (with no means of disrespecting them whatsoever).

That was an oddly conservative tactic for a team like PSG, a 5-3-2 is one the least unlikely tactics I'd ever imagine seeing in a squad like PSG.
I thought the play off was pretty much done for with the 1-0 in Paris, but good job at managing to overturn it. This victory will surely mean a huge morale boost for your lads, hopefully you'll get a kinder draw this time around to keep the ball rolling... but after beating a team like PSG your boys pretty much can duke it off with any big time in Europe.
 
dani3w said:
Superb work against PSG! This is your season!
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Thanks mate, let's hope so!

Zlatan Lumic said:
Lucky draw in the FA Cup, out of the remaining teams in the cup the rams are by far the weakest one (with no means of disrespecting them whatsoever).

That was an oddly conservative tactic for a team like PSG, a 5-3-2 is one the least unlikely tactics I'd ever imagine seeing in a squad like PSG.
I thought the play off was pretty much done for with the 1-0 in Paris, but good job at managing to overturn it. This victory will surely mean a huge morale boost for your lads, hopefully you'll get a kinder draw this time around to keep the ball rolling... but after beating a team like PSG your boys pretty much can duke it off with any big time in Europe.
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Yeah we've had a couple of tough draws until now but can't complain about this one, I was fully expecting to draw Chelsea :p

I was quite surprised as well, expecting a 4-3-3 or something but for one reason or another they switched it up. For what it's worth they changed a couple of times during the match but to no avail thankfully :)
I was concerned after the first leg but we were superior there so I figured we'd have to be pretty unlucky not to win the second leg, and whoever scored first would have a big edge. Fortunately that was us! There's no easy teams left in the hat so our next matchup will be titanic!
 

Vietto’s strike against Paris means he has broken the Saints record for most goals in a season under my management, eclipsing Jay Rodriguez’s haul of 26 in my first year at the club.

There were no easy draws for the Champions League last 8, as you could probably make a case for any of these teams winning it. To be the best you have to beat the best, and that’s what we’ll try to do as we take on Real Madrid in the Quarter Finals.
 

English Premier League - Game 30 - West Bromwich Albion (Away)


A couple of changes but nothing major for our trip to the Hawthorns. Another win would go down very nicely.

Vietto should have put us in front in just 15 seconds but he uncharacteristically volleyed straight at the keeper from Nishimura’s cross.

In the 12th minute Vietto picked out the run of Doebel and the German slid the ball home with ease. Lovely first time passing from Asensio, Clasie and Vietto.

Two minutes later Vietto again fired tamely at McCarthy after dribbling through the defence.

Dragowski managed to tip Coady’s 24th minute volley wide after a cross wasn’t headed out far enough.

In the 29th minute Asensio doubled our lead. If this isn’t goal of the season then the judges are corrupt. He picked up the ball wide in our own half and raced by two defenders. He continued to the box, racing around the outside of a third man before somehow managing to beat McCarthy from the sharpest of angles! Insane goal!

Süle kept things going with a 52nd minute header from an Asensio corner.

We made a triple change in the 75th minute, with Asensio, Gitschier and Vietto all departing for the purposes of rest, to be replaced by Jacobsen, Rodriguez and Sindelar. Doebel switched to the right flank and Jacobsen to the left.

Jacobsen then provided a classy finish to a fine passing sequence from Doebel and Rodriguez in the 83rd minute, the latter slipping him through to fire off the post and in.

No doubt in my mind that Asensio should have been named man of the match, particularly as Nishimura’s assist was for the Spaniard’s mind-blowing solo effort, but the young defender certainly put in another stellar display, along with the rest of his team mates in another dominant performance.


POM: Masao Nishimura (9.0, 0G, 1A)
 

English Premier League - Game 31 - Everton FC (Home)

Some changes to our lineup, enforced due to tiredness. Persson could make his comeback from injury as he’s named on the bench. Nishimura is on international duty a day early so is not in the squad. Everton managed to score a fluke last minute goal to ****** a point from us earlier in the season, so hopefully we can win this time with a bit more focus.

But it took just three minutes for Everton to score a similarly ridiculous goal. I truly couldn’t believe what I was seeing! Mirallas’ cross was headed away by Lovell, but it hit the back of Wanyama and rolled back past Lovell, straight to Mayoral for a tap in. Unbelievable!

In the 16th minute we were stunned again as Ings sent a ball through for Mirallas, who beat Dragowski at his near post to put them two in front! And this is at home!

Two minutes later Augustinsson slipped a ball in for Jacobsen, but his close range effort was tipped over the bar by KSG!

In the 20th minute we had a lifeline, as Ward-Prowse played a one-two with Asensio before rifling through traffic into the far side of the goal! Incredibly, it was his first of the season!

In the 27th minute Asensio sent a fantastic ball through for Vietto, who breezed past Funes Mori and cut inside, before sending his shot agonisingly wide of the far post! As close as they come.

Mayoral fired high and wide at the other end in the 34th minute from another Ings pass.

Doebel replaced Gitschier, who was having a shocking game, in the 50th minute, shifting Asensio to the centre.

Dragowski made a superb save to deny van Beek after a brilliant backheel from Mayoral in the 55th minute.

Persson was on for Vietto in the 57th minute.

Jacobsen made way for Rodriguez in the 68th minute.

In the 76th minute Doebel raced down the right and sent in a low cross. Asensio looked certain to score from point blank range, but KSG threw himself in front of the shot and kept it out! My exasperation was short-lived however, as the rebound bounced off Günter and presented Rodriguez with a tap in! Finally we were level!

But in the 85th minute Grealish sent a long free kick into the box, and a foul was given against Lovell! Penalty to Everton! Mayoral buried it in the top corner.

Rodriguez hit the side netting two minutes later with a powerful effort. Inches wide.

The dream is over! Not only have we lost our first league game, but it was a home match too - the first time we’ve failed to win at home all season! It’s worth noting that Everton needed a late penalty to win against us in a match where almost everything had gone wrong - Gitschier and Vietto were misfiring, we had a rotated defence who made a couple of errors and suffered some misfortune, but credit to the Merseysiders as they managed to recover from the disappointment of letting their two goal lead slip, and find a way to win, even if the penalty was controversial - as noted by the commentator and the post match analysis. A huge three points for Everton, but disappointment for myself as my hopes for an unbeaten league season and a perfect home record evaporate simultaneously.


POM: James Ward-Prowse (8.9, 1G, 0A)
 
I haven't posted the tactic but I can screenshot the player roles and team instructions, both of which do vary occasionally, and almost always change during matches[/QUOTE]

If you wouldn't mind
 
Unlucky with the end of that unbeaten league run man! Bounce back and go again! Set those dreams on the CL title!
 
dani3w said:
Unlucky with the end of that unbeaten league run man! Bounce back and go again! Set those dreams on the CL title!
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Yeah it was a shame, so close to that Invincible achievement! :p Oh well, Champions League has to be the priority now, so that Asensio won't want to leave
 

Somehow Shaqiri pips both Asensio and Dimarco to the Player of the Month Award, despite half the appearances. Jacobsen picks up his second consecutive and third overall Young Player of the Month Award, with Nishimura and Gitschier completing the podium. I can only manage third in Manager of the Month after losing to Everton.

Fontaine wins the senior Scottish Player of the Month Award for the third consecutive time as he continues to impress for Aberdeen. Sung-Chan is second in the senior and first in the Young Player of the Month in Bulgaria.
 

English Premier League - Game 32 - Watford FC (Away)


A mix of regulars and rotation players for our match against Watford. We play Real Madrid in just 3 days, so it’s vital that some key players are rested, but also critical that we get a result here in order to regain some momentum ahead of the clash with the Spanish giants.

In the 5th minute Gitschier netted our opener with a lovely acrobatic volley from Dimarco’s cross.

Just two minutes later Mangala hit the bar with a header from a corner. Lucky.

Gitschier picked out Rodriguez in the 15th minute and he weaved his way past Sakai but left himself too sharp an angle and hit the side netting.

Deeney equalised in the 21st minute with a tap in from Sakai’s cross. Great delivery from their fullback.

Jurcik restored our lead two minutes later with a powerful header from Clasie’s corner.

Gitschier hit the post from Rodriguez’s 26th minute cutback. So close!

Dragowski made a point blank save in the 37th minute after Deeney had clipped a ball through for Minamino.

We were hit on the counter in the 65th minute, and Minamino put the finishing touch on their brilliant play from a position which apparently wasn’t offside.

Jacobsen and Persson replaced Doebel and Vietto in the 70th minute.

Wellington replaced Larsson in the 74th.

We couldn’t find another breakthrough though, as we slumped to a draw. We threw away a pair of leads, hit the woodwork and missed some other chances. 3 shots on target is not good enough. Clasie, Gitschier and Rodriguez all played well but the rest were average. Very frustrating, and we’ll have to be so much better against Madrid. The goals also seem to be drying up for Vietto, which is a concern.


POM: Jordy Clasie (8.6, 0G, 1A)
 
I'm surprised you still have Wanyama and Clasie. On that note have you sold any players that you regret?
I'm just finishing the 20/21 season and sold Ward-Prowse to Man U for £39 Mil and 50% Sell-On, really hoping he bombs there so I can buy him back or I won't miss him.
I think next season will be my last before regens take over the squad barring Reed (Model Citizen) and Hughes (Model Professional)

It's also quite funny to see how our teams have evolved differently :)
 
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Herowolf said:
I'm surprised you still have Wanyama and Clasie. On that note have you sold any players that you regret?
I'm just finishing the 20/21 season and sold Ward-Prowse to Man U for £39 Mil and 50% Sell-On, really hoping he bombs there so I can buy him back or I won't miss him.
I think next season will be my last before regens take over the squad barring Reed (Model Citizen) and Hughes (Model Professional)

It's also quite funny to see how our teams have evolved differently :)
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Yeah I've looked into upgrading on either of them, and there's a chance that Clasie may be moved on at the end of the season, but there aren't too many out there that are significant improvements, and both keep performing well so I've been happy to keep them on :) I can't think of any off the top of my head that I regret, wouldn't mind still having Slattery but the money offered was ridiculous so I definitely think I made the right choice

Hopefully you can get Ward-Prowse back then, I like having him around for his homegrown status and versatility, I feel like he'll always have a place as a squad member at the very least. He's also my captain :)

Yeah it's good that they're different though, diversity is a great thing :D
 
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