Taking Southampton North!


UEFA Europa League Group Stage - Game 1 - IFK Göteborg (Away)


First game of the Europa League Group Stage, and we’ll be looking to get off to a good start in Sweden. Very pleased to have Ryan Bertrand on the bench since his injury return.

Unfortunately things started poorly - within 30 seconds we were behind as Van Dijk failed to move up with the rest of the defensive line, playing their striker onside for a simple finish from a cross.

In the 19th minute we squared things up as Cedric released Mane down the right, who swung a cross to the far post for Tadic to finish.

And 30 seconds later we were ahead! Pelle looked up and tried an ambitious 30 yard effort, which beat the keeper, rebounded off the woodwork, and trickled in off the unfortunate goalkeeper for an own goal.

Engvall, the young Swedish striker I’m scouting, was forced off by injury in the 31st minute.

In the second minute of stoppage time IFK should have equalised on a breakaway, but their striker missed the target when played through.

In the 60th minute, Bertrand and Davis replaced Targett and Wanyama.

Juanmi replaced Pelle in the 67th minute.

In the 77th minute a hopeful looking cross from IFK found their striker at the back post, and Stekelenburg made the first save, but couldn’t stop him slotting home the rebound. Very frustrating to be throwing away a winning position like this!

Two minutes later the most incredible cross from Cedric saved the day, as it found Tadic for a simple header right in front. It was incredible as the ball was chest high and bouncing towards the corner flag when he chased it down and first timed it perfectly into the box.

10 seconds after the kickoff Fonte somehow turned the ball over to their striker inside our own box, but Stekelenburg saved his blushes.

A lovely lofted through ball from Ward-Prowse in the 81st send Juanmi through, but he was brilliantly denied by the keeper.

In the 2nd minute of injury time Juanmi was once again found by a lofted ball, this time from Tadic, but this time he fired wide from a great position.

We got the job done today and were certainly the better side, but we almost threw it away. We got the result we needed though, which is the important part.


POM: Riku Riski (IFK Göteborg - 8.8, 2G, 0A)

Best Southampton Player: Dusan Tadic (8.8, 2G, 0A)
 

English Premier League - Game 6 - Everton (Home)


A tough test today as Everton visit St Mary’s. Ryan Bertrand starts, but is unlikely to play 90 minutes.

The game was pretty quiet for the first half an hour or so, but then in the 35th minute we scored from the most sublime counter attack.

A corner was cleared, and Wanyama sent it forward for Pelle, who held it up and released Juanmi down the left. The Spaniard raced forward and then sent a lofted ball across the box for Mane, who chased it down and whipped a perfect cross literally across the face of goal, where the flying Tadic met it with an inch perfect header to convert from the sharpest of angles. Simply delightful!

In the 68th minute Targett, Ward-Prowse and Rodriguez replaced Bertrand, Clasie and Pelle.

Tadic picked up a late knock but I couldn’t substitute him.

A match characterised by good defence from both teams was decided by a wonderful team goal. A bit annoyed about not having the option to play a man short when all subs are used, as I would rather have done that than risk further injury to Tadic.


POM: Dusan Tadic (7.8, 1G, 0A)
 
I thought that the game against Goteborg would be easier ! Even this I win is always welcome !!!
 

Capital One Cup - Third Round - Rotherham (Away)


Plenty of rotation for today’s cup tie, including a start for 17 year old keeper Harry Lewis, and three youngsters on the bench. I’m not too fussed about the league cup at this stage, although with a couple of big clashes this round - Liverpool/Spurs and Man U/Everton - the field may open up a little later on for a good run at the trophy.

Some appalling defence and ball retention in the 6th minute allowed an admittedly brilliant long ball to find their striker in behind, and he made no mistake, putting Rotherham in front.

In the 17th minute things got worse, as an innocuous cross was brilliantly turned past the keeper - by Maya Yoshida. A truly awful own goal under no pressure whatsoever. A stupid slide towards our own goal when he could have left it to be picked up by the keeper.

In the 24th minute Targett slipped Long through, but he found the outside of the post.

In the 43rd minute Rodriguez played an excellent ball over the top for Long, who held it up well and switched to Ward-Prowse, who connected with a sweet drive but was denied by the outstretched fingertips of the keeper.

From the resulting corner, Targett’s header was cleared off the line by a defender.

I exploded at the team at half time, hoping for a response.

I got one in the 50th minute as Ward-Prowse headed home from a Rodriguez cross to claw one back for us.

Juanmi replaced the tiring Rodriguez in the 57th minute.

Just over a minute after taking the field, the young Spaniard levelled things up with a lovely finish from Ramirez’s pass.

Hesketh replaced Ward-Prowse in the 68th minute, and swapped positions with Ramirez.

Pelle replaced Ramirez in the 76th minute, which saw Long move to the right wing.

In the 80th minute I watched an action replay of Rotherham’s first goal - ball over the top from Ledesma, finish from Ward, but this time I was certain it was offside. Not impressed!

Seconds later we were up the other end, but Hesketh’s shot was too tame, and was held by the Rotherham keeper.

In the 82nd minute we were level again though, Pelle providing a lovely flicked finish to a bullet cross from Targett’s cross.

In the 85th Ward completed his hat trick, finishing from an onside position this time.

The drama wasn’t over yet though, and in the 90th minute Targett was found by Hesketh straight in front. He fired straight at the keeper not once, but twice.

Caulker and Yoshida both had games to forget, and performances across the park were, for the most part, disappointing. Still thoroughly convinced the third goal was offside, having watched the replay, and it’s irritating to have thrown away a chance at a simple progression into the next round of the competition. Oh well, I have bigger fish to fry.


POM: Danny Ward (Rotherham - 9.5, 3G, 0A)

Best Southampton Player: Jay Rodriguez (7.4, 0G, 1A)
 
makaveliAFC said:
Nice game in CC ;) still waiting for you duel with 'my' Arsenal :p
Click to expand...

Thanks man, pity about the result though :p That will be interesting, right now I can't see us beating them, they're top of the table and undefeated with 6 wins from 6!
 

English Premier League - Game 7 - West Bromwich Albion (Away)


We travel to West Brom in the league today, looking for another win. An almost full strength lineup, with the obvious omission of Tadic, who is still injured for another day or two. Hopefully we can still get the job done.

Didn’t start that way though - in the 17th minute Berahino finished off a brilliant team move by West Brom, picking out the top right corner with assistance from the underside of the bar.

5 minutes later Berahino had his second. A harmless looking long ball was left to run by Fonte, who thought he had it covered, but suddenly the striker was there to nip it from his toes and casually loft it beyond Stekelenburg. Another sublime finish, which I appreciated in spite of myself.

We continued to look unconvincing, and Rondon was released with another long ball, and was unfortunate to see his rocket rebound off the underside of the bar and into the grateful Stekeleburg’s arms.

In the 53rd minute Davis and Rodriguez replaced Clasie and Pelle.

Sadio Mane picked up a knock and so was replaced by Ramirez in the 63rd minute.

To compound our misery, in the 87th minute Wanyama saw red for an ugly two-footed challenge.

Berahino completed his hat trick with a close range finish in stoppage time. I couldn’t really be surprised - 10 men chasing the game are always going to be exposed.

Once again the match stats make for ugly reading - more possession and shots, but just two on target. Really not good enough. James Ward-Prowse’s 10 key passes shows that the chances were there, we just weren’t taking them. We drop to fourth in the table, and will be falling further if we can’t work out what we’re doing. Our next two games are Dortmund and Tottenham.


POM: Saido Berahino (West Bromwich Albion - 9.5, 3G, 0A)

Best Southampton Player: James Ward-Prowse (7.7, 0G, 0A)
 
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