OptiNews - Friday 03 to Thursday 09 February 2017

Southampton Football Club
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Sourced from Daily Star article

Claude Puel has no regrets over Jose Fonte sale despite losing Virgil van Dijk to injury

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Former captain Fonte, 33, ended his seven-year stay on the south coast with an £8m move to the Hammers last month after a bitter contract row with the Saints board. The Euro 2016 winner’s departure has left Puel short of defensive options after seeing star man Virgil van Dijk ruled out for three months with an ankle injury. But ahead of Fonte’s return to St Mary’s today, Puel said: “We cannot have regrets because when Jose left the club it was a good moment for him.

“This position was difficult since the beginning of the season and it was important to find a solution for Jose and the club” “I hope he can come back to a good reaction from the fans at the beginning of the game. He did fantastic work and for many years was an important player. “This position was difficult since the beginning of the season and it was important to find a solution for Jose and the club. “It was the best opportunity for a last contract for Jose. “I understand the player because he wanted a big contract but I also understood the position of the club. It was not possible to come to an agreement.”

Saints were forced to deny rumours of a dressing room bust-up between Puel and Fonte prior to his exit. Puel admits Fonte’s spat with director of football Les Reed did cause unrest, saying: “Keeping an unhappy player is difficult. It causes problems for the team and the squad. “Jose was a professional player. It was difficult for him and for the squad. If you are not happy you cannot give the maximum. “I respect Jose for his work at Southampton and his quality. I do not have a problem with this. All the fans respect Jose and will give him a fantastic welcome.”

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Sourced from Daily Mail article

Bilic gets lowdown on Southampton from new signing Fonte

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Slaven Bilic has been getting the inside track on Southampton from new signing Jose Fonte.

The West Ham boss splashed £8million to bring Portugal defender Fonte to east London just two weeks ago.

Fonte endured a torrid debut in the 4-0 midweek mauling by Manchester City, but he can help make amends upon his return to St Mary’s on Saturday.

‘Jose didn’t have a great game a couple of days ago but he is a great asset for us and a great player, and we are going to benefit from him,’ said Bilic.

'We have spoken about Southampton and he has only got good memories about the club. He was captain there and he’s looking forward to going there and playing.

'We have spoken about their team. He knows them the best and it’s always good to have that information.

'There are no secrets in football. But if you watch Southampton’s three or four latest games then he can tell you a bit of insider stories, like about individuals, what they are good at, or not.

‘You have to find out something like ‘I didn’t know that’, because now football is more or less an open book - but it’s good to know, definitely.’

West Ham’s mini-revival of back-to-back wins was bookended by last month’s 5-0 FA Cup defeat by Manchester City, and Wednesday night’s walloping at the hands of the same opposition.

In fact, while it took the Hammers just under four months to score nine goals against Premier League opposition at the London Stadium, City racked up the same tally in a little over three hours.

And Bilic admits those heavy defeats have taken their toll, although he insists his team will not dwell on them.

‘That harms your feeling about your season,’ he said. 'Our season, if you look at the table now, is okay. But there’s a bitter taste when you lose 5-0 in the cup and now 4-0.

'No matter that it’s Man City, or whether we made mistakes, nobody likes losing by that much. It doesn’t matter if it’s against great teams.

‘Of course it’s easier if you lose against Man City. I don’t like it of course, nobody likes it, but is it going to hurt our confidence? Of course not.’

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Sourced from Daily Mail article

Claude Puel has no regrets on selling former captain Jose Fonte

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Claude Puel has taken a swipe at Jose Fonte ahead of his return to Southampton by telling his former captain: I don’t regret selling you.

Fonte’s seven-year Saints career came to a bitter end when he was sold to West Ham for £8m last month after demanding a move.

The departure of the Euro 2016 winner, 33, has left Puel with a defensive crisis after star man Virgil van Dijk was sidelined for three months with an ankle injury – ruling him out of the EFL Cup final.

England left back Ryan Bertrand could play at centre back against Fonte’s Hammers on Saturday but Puel said: 'We cannot have regrets because when Jose left the club it was a good moment for him.

'I hope he can come back to a good reaction from the fans at the beginning of the game. He did fantastic work and for many years was an important player.

'This position was difficult since the beginning of the season and it was important to find a solution for Jose and the club.

'It was the best opportunity for a last contract for Jose.

‘I understand the player because he wanted a big contract but I also understood the position of the club. It was not possible to come to an agreement.’

Saints were forced to deny rumours of a dressing room bust-up between Puel and Fonte prior to his acrimonious exit.

But Puel admits Fonte’s contract spat with the board did cause unrest, saying: 'Keeping an unhappy player is difficult. It causes problems for the team and the squad.

'Jose was a professional player. It was difficult for him and for the squad. If you are not happy you cannot give the maximum.

‘I respect Jose for his work at Southampton and his quality. I do not have a problem with this.’

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Sourced from ESPN FC article

Jose Fonte sharing Southampton tips with West Ham - Slaven Bilic

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Slaven Bilic has been getting the inside track on Southampton from new signing Jose Fonte.

The West Ham boss splashed £8 million to bring Portugal defender Fonte to East London just two weeks ago.

Fonte endured a torrid debut in the 4-0 midweek mauling by Manchester City, but he can help make amends upon his return to St Mary’s on Saturday.

"Jose didn’t have a great game a couple of days ago but he is a great asset for us and a great player, and we are going to benefit from him,’’ said Bilic.

"We have spoken about Southampton and he has only got good memories about the club. He was captain there and he’s looking forward to going there and playing.

"We have spoken about their team. He knows them the best and it’s always good to have that information.

"There are no secrets in football. But if you watch Southampton’s three or four latest games then he can tell you a bit of insider stories, like about individuals, what they are good at, or not.

"You have to find out something like ‘I didn’t know that,’ because now football is more or less an open book – but it’s good to know, definitely.’’

West Ham’s mini-revival of back-to-back wins was bookended by last month’s 5-0 FA Cup defeat by Manchester City, and Wednesday night’s walloping at the hands of the same opposition.

In fact, while it took the Hammers just under four months to score nine goals against Premier League opposition at the London Stadium, City racked up the same tally in a little over three hours.

And Bilic admits those heavy defeats have taken their toll, although he insists his team will not dwell on them.

"That harms your feeling about your season,’’ he said. "Our season, if you look at the table now, is okay. But there’s a bitter taste when you lose 5-0 in the cup and now 4-0.

"No matter that it’s Man City, or whether we made mistakes, nobody likes losing by that much. It doesn’t matter if it’s against great teams.

"Of course it’s easier if you lose against Man City. I don’t like it of course, nobody likes it, but is it going to hurt our confidence? Of course not.’’

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125

Sourced from Daily Star article

Slaven Bilic says Southampton don’t need to worry about Jose Fonte spilling secrets

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According to Hammers boss Slaven Bilic, there is no such thing in the Premier League any more. “We have spoken about their team,” Bilic said. “He knows them the best and it is always good to have that information. “But there are no secrets in football, you know.”

“He can tell you a bit of insider stories, like about individuals - what they are good at or not” “He can tell you a bit of insider stories, like about individuals - what they are good at or not,” said Bilic. “It does help, okay, but it’s more that it helps you to prove your point than that you find out something like: 'Wow, I didn’t know that. “Now football is more or less an open book but it’s good to know, definitely.” Bilic is sure that Fonte will relish his first return to St Mary’s today.

“He is an experienced player and strong,” he said. “He has only got good memories about the club. “He was captain there and he’s looking forward to going there and playing. “We are only a point above them and we want to make that gap bigger.”

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

:earth_africa:

We’re all set for a big game at St Mary’s! Where will you be following from, as #SaintsFC take on #WHUFC?

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Retweets: 1

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Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 04/02/2017 09:44:02

| | West Ham get inside track on Saturday’s opponents Southampton from Jose FonteBELFASTTELE |
| | A fresh start for Gabbiadini | Football ItaliaFOOTBALLITALIA |
| | Gianluca Vialli has a warning for Southampton fans over new signing Manolo GabbiadiniHEREISTHECITY |

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RedSLO Southampton FC blog

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| Predictions 2016-2017 (Round 24) | In the last round, I picked 3 out of 10 correctly with 2 correct scores for 90 points. Mark Lawrenson predicted 4 … 04-02-2017 |

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Sourced from Daily Star article

Premier League new signings: How good are your club’s recruits in Football Manager 2017?

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THE Premier League January transfer window has closed - but how good are your club’s new signings on Football Manager 2017?

There have been lots of negotiations going on between clubs over the past month or so as managers scrambled to boost their squads.

And now there are plenty of new faces in the Premier League.

Football Manager’s incredibly detailed database can give some interesting insights into what to expect from a signing.

Click through the gallery above to see your side’s signings’ attributes on Football Manager 2017.

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Sourced from Daily Star article

The fastest player at each Premier League club: Who is your side’s speed demon?

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WHICH player at each Premier League club has recorded the fastest sprint speed so far this season?

Pace is an invaluable attribute to have, particularly for sides which like to play on the counter attack.

Every manager loves to have a player who can frighten the life out of tired defences with their speed.

So which star is the quickest at your favourite club?

Click through the gallery above to find out.

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131

Sourced from Daily Echo article

Puel not making any excuses over poor Premier League form

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CLAUDE Puel insists he will not use Saints’ hectic fixture list as an excuse for their miserable Premier League form.

Saints have lost five of their last six league games in an abject run that stems back to the end of last year.

In all, they are only averaging a point from their last 10 league games.

Puel’s men have enjoyed better form outside of the top-flight, reaching the League Cup final at Wembley after defeating Liverpool across two semi-final legs.

However, after beating Norwich in the third round, Saints crashed 5-0 to Arsenal in the fourth round of the FA Cup, which only added to grumblings over their struggles this term.

Puel is leading Saints through their busiest-ever Premier League era campaign, with today’s home match against West Ham their 38th of the season in all competitions so far.

However, the Frenchman doesn’t want that to be an excuse for poor form in the league.

“It’s normal that the fans are not happy [with the league form],” Puel said. “It’s the same for the squad.

“It’s important to find a regularity for this squad to do a fantastic games. Like the two legs against Liverpool or the game against Leicester.

“But it’s important to have this stability and quality. It’s not enough for us. I agree with this. We have to work to find a stability. It isn’t sufficient for us. We have to correct this. We have to find a good quality.

“It’s not an excuse … we’ve played a lot of games. It’s difficult for a young squad, but it’s not an excuse for us.

“All the games we can be fit with the rotation. It’s important now to give a good answer and to give our fans a good emotion.

“The final is a fantastic journey for this club, but the Premier League is most important. The Premier League show the real level of the team. It’s most important. We need to find a level.”

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Sourced from Daily Echo article

“Fantastic” Boufal backed to shine by Puel

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CLAUDE Puel is backing record signing Sofiane Boufal to make a telling impact for Saints during a crucial period.

Boufal’s contribution has been limited through injury since his record breaking £16m move from Lille last August.

But boss Puel believes that the attacking midfielder will flourish as Saints eye major silverware in the League Cup final at Wembley and a push back up the Premier League.

“His comeback is important,” said Puel. “He’s an important player. He can make the difference in short spaces.

“We saw this against Swansea. In one action he can give a solution.

“We don’t have a lot players with his quality of penetration. He can give good opportunities.”

The 23-year-old had to wait until the end of October to make his Saints debut, having arrived from France with a knee injury.

The quick-footed Moroccan showed glimmers of his skill during 16 appearances, scoring two wonderful goals, before he left for African Cup of Nations (AFCON) duty at the beginning of January.

Inflammation to his old knee problem cut short his time with Morocco at the tournament and he returned to Saints for treatment.

Yet, he was still unable to play even after recovering because of restrictions due to Morocco’s involvement at the AFCON.

Last Tuesday he finally made his comeback in the 2-1 defeat at Swansea as a second-half substitute, following nearly a month out.

In that brief outing he showed signs that he could well be a key man as Saints aim for a turnaround in their Premier League fortunes before the League Cup final against Manchester United on February 26 at Wembley.

“It was a shame about his injury and after that he was not available because his national team prevent him to play with the squad,” Puel said.

“Before the injury it was good work for him with quality and structure., but he has to find again his possibility and give a lot of opportunities for us.”

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

#SaintsFC’s @jackstephens_18 is confident the team can start to climb the table, ahead of today’s clash with #WHUFC: http://sfcne.ws/JSonWHUFCh

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

#SaintsFC have netted plenty of memorable goals against #WHUFC in recent years!

Can they get a few more today? https://grabyo.com/g/v/SReBq3pwg0m

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Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 04/02/2017 10:44:06

| | Jose Fonte is “ready” to face former club Southampton despite Manchester City horror-showSQUAWKA |

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The Ugly Inside News for Southampton

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| Book Now For The Southampton Away Travel Convoy To Wembley | Southampton Away Travel the independent providers of trips to all away games have announced the details of their … 04-02-2017 |

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

Fancy winning a tour of #SaintsFC’s Staplewood Campus?

Here’s your chance, all thanks to @HSElite:… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/827837859939905536

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@FourFourTwo - FourFourTwo :soccer:

Fraser Forster hasn’t conceded a PL goal vs West Ham in 333 minutes of action, keeping 3 consecutive clean sheet (… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/827837860946513921

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Summary of non-mainstream articles: 04/02/2017 11:44:53

| | Fonte’s unhappy return? BBC pundit shares his prediction for Southampton v West HamHEREISTHECITY |
| | West Ham have scored once in six Premier League trips to SaintsFOOTBALLLONDON |
|

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| Michael Owen predicts Southampton v West Ham UnitedHEREISTHECITY |

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

Predict the score of today’s clash with #WHUFC and you could win a signed #SaintsFC shirt: https://cards.twitter.com/cards/rh0us/399rk

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