OptiNews - Friday 06 to Thursday 12 January 2017

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Sourced from Daily Echo article

Fonte distraction making Saints’ Liverpool challenge harder, admits Puel

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CLAUDE Puel admitted the distraction of Jose Fonte’s transfer saga has made it harder for Saints to prepare for tonight’s EFL Cup game against Liverpool.

But the Saints boss insisted his team have their eyes fixed firmly on the prize.

Fonte’s request to quit the club this month has led Puel to take the decision to leave his skipper out of the team for the time being - including tonight’s semi-final first leg at St Mary’s.

Puel confessed it has been hard to deal with, but insisted his side were focussed on doing well in both the domestic cups.

He said: “I think yes, perhaps it is a little difficult of course because the situation for Jose and perhaps other players.

“The window market is always very difficult for the squad and very difficult for the player also.

“Around the player it is always speculation, possibilities … this is the market.

“We are professionals, the staff, the players, and we have the ability, the capacity, to keep concentration about our work.

“We have an exciting game on Wednesday and the most important is this, concentration about this game, exciting game, strong game, strong challenge. This is the most important.”

It is 30 years since Saints last reached this stage of the League Cup and Puel added: “Around this competition is important of course, but this competition and the FA Cup also is an opportunity for us to win something.

“We can have more possibilities on this competition than to win the Premier League. This is normal I think.

“It is important to play this game with pleasure, good work, and give all our possibilities and after we will see.

“It is two important games with the second one away is difficult.

“It is like the Champions League with the second round away. It’s always difficult.

“These two games are very interesting for the development of the team … I say it is until now a good answer for the squad because all the players participate in this competition.

“We want to make a strong result for our fans and for all the squad, but we will see.

“Just now concentration about this first at home and to keep an opportunity to qualify in the second round.

“It is the first before the second.”

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Sourced from Daily Echo article

Klopp: If you think Liverpool are favourites you have no idea

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JURGEN Klopp has dismissed suggestions Liverpool enter their League Cup semi final with Saints as red-hot favourites.

The Reds are 20 points ahead of Saints in the Premier League and have belted 48 league goals this season - the highest total in the top flight.

Klopp’s men have scored more away league goals - 22 - than Claude Puel’s side have in total (19).

“It would be nice if we could go to the final. Are we favourites against Southampton? Whoever says this has not a real idea about cup competition,” Klopp stated.

“If this was the case, then in the last few years the finals all over the world always would have been the same teams involved.

“I don’t think Sevilla-Liverpool last year was the expected (Europa League) final. Everybody expected Sevilla in the final but not us, but we were there and we deserved it.

“There is not more pressure on us [than Saints], it’s an opportunity for both teams. I don’t think about missed chances or whatever; it’s always a new day, always a new chance, always a new final.

“I said to the lads last year that it will not be the last final we will be involved in after Basel. This will be the first chance for us to prove this, so let’s try it.”

Asked whether having home advantage in the second leg is a big advantage, Klopp replied: “It depends on the result of the first game!

“It should, but we don’t have a lot of advantages in two-leg cup competitions.

“If you asked before [the draw], I would say that nearly everybody would say ‘let us play first away and then try to make the decision in the home game’.

“It’s not a decisive advantage if we don’t perform, that’s how it is.

“We can’t think about the second game because now we have to go to Southampton. I am pretty sure they’re pretty ambitious in this tournament.

“[The final] is a big thing, it’s a real and proper final at Wembley. We’ve had this experience once before and for us it felt always like we missed a little bit there.

“Probably a few people think it would be a nice final [if it was] Manchester United against Liverpool, but there are another two legs to go and hopefully at the end it’s not Hull against Southampton.”

Liverpool will journey to St Mary’s on the back of a goalless draw with League 2 club Plymouth Argyle at Anfield on Sunday in the FA Cup.

Klopp made 10 changes for the clash with the Devonians, but Klopp has no regrets regarding his team selection.

“The question I asked in the dressing room when we had a little analysis meeting was ‘could we have done better?’ 100 per cent, yes, and that’s with that line-up,” he said.

“The biggest challenge in football life is playing against a good, organised and very deep defending side.”

Klopp is expected to play a far stronger side tonight, one that could feature ex-Saints Adam Lallana, Nathaniel Clyne and Dejan Lovren.

Philippe Coutinho, a regular scorer at St Mary’s down the years, is available again after injury but is expected to start on the bench.

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Sourced from A tweet by DuncanCastles tweet

@DuncanCastles - Duncan Castles

Understand that Southampton have made an approach for out-of-favour FC Porto midfielder Sergio Oliviera. #SAINTSFC #FCP

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Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 11/01/2017 14:28:55

| | Time For Saints Supporters To Put Grievances To One Side And Unite Behind The Team - Southampton NewsTHEUGLYINSIDE |
| | Best manager… Jay Rodriguez shares strong opinion on Mauricio PochettinoHEREISTHECITY |
| | Puel unhappy with Southampton ‘boring’ tagFOURFOURTWO |
| | 20th Minute Tribute At Liverpool Game Planned For Tragic Saints Fan - Southampton NewsTHEUGLYINSIDE |

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Read Southampton

New content from (- Read Southampton)

| West Ham interested in Jose Fonte | West Ham are interested in Southampton central defender Jose Fonte. According to a report from the Daily Mail this … 11-01-2017 |
| Opposition View - Liverpool (EFL Cup) | Southampton welcome Liverpool to St Mary’s Stadium this evening as they look to take the advantage in the EFL Cup … 11-01-2017 |

Older content…

| Hull and West Ham eyeing Martina14 hours ago |
| Davis approaching Liverpool clash as a one-off14 hours ago |
| Last time out - Southampton vs Liverpool14 hours ago |
| Rodriguez seeking England return14 hours ago |
| Cedric dreaming of more cup victories14 hours ago |
| Rodriguez determined to help Saints to cup win14 hours ago |
| Rodriguez confident Saints will cope without Fonte14 hours ago |
| Puel bemused at claims of boring football2 days ago |

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The Ugly Inside News for Southampton

New content from (- The Ugly Inside News for Southampton)

| Saints V Liverpool The Preview | It is time for Claude Puel to show Saints fans that he knows his best side and that this game is a priority to him, … 11-01-2017 |

Older content…

| Time For Saints Supporters To Put Grievances To One Side And Unite Behind The Team14 hours ago |
| 20th Minute Tribute At Liverpool Game Planned For Tragic Saints Fan14 hours ago |
| The Ugly Inside Video Channel ! Liverpool Preview2 days ago |
| The Ugly Inside Video Channel ! Liverpool Preview With Redmen TV2 days ago |
| Saints Favourite To Land Sakho2 days ago |
| Fonte Not In Squad For Liverpool Game2 days ago |
| Saints At Norwich City The Verdict3 days ago |
| Saints At Norwich City ! Dan’s Review3 days ago |
| Norwich City 2-2 Southampton - Player Ratings and Reports4 days ago |
| Saints V Norwich City The Preview4 days ago |

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

“It’s an exciting moment for us.”

#SaintsFC boss Claude Puel looks ahead to a big night at St Mary’s: http://sfcne.ws/CPLFCPre

Retweets: 1

Favourites: 7

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Sourced from Daily Echo article

‘Anfield factor could sway Saints tie’ says Liverpool defender

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Alberto Moreno believes the Anfield factor could tip the balance of Liverpool’s League Cup semi-final against Saints in their favour.

But the Spanish defender has stressed the importance of starting the tie strongly at St Mary’s tonight.

In last season’s semi final, Jürgen Klopp’s side won the away leg of their last-four tie with Stoke City 1-0, before finishing the job on penalties having lost the return fixture by the same scoreline.

That reverse to the Potters represents the Reds’ last home defeat in any competition - an unbeaten run that stretches back almost a year and some 25 games.

However, while acknowledging that Liverpool benefited from a slice of fortune when the semi-final draw was made, Moreno is eager to lay a solid foundation ahead of the second leg.

“The most important thing is to go down there and make sure we come back with something positive because we’ve been lucky enough that we play the second leg in front of our own fans,” the left-back said.

“I’m not saying it hinges on it, but it would be very good to make things easier in the second leg.”

Klopp’s team have already visited St Mary’s in the Premier League this season and were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw in November.

“We’re expecting a difficult couple of games. They’re a great side and they’ve got some top players. They certainly made life hard for us in the league down there, it was very tight,” he said. “But in football there can be a world of difference between every game.”

Moreno recognises the pattern of the clubs’ last meeting at St Mary’s - which saw the visitors enjoy 65 per cent of the ball and register 15 shots on goal compared to Saints’ three - as a familiar story.

When asked whether Liverpool can learn any lessons from that stalemate, he replied: “If you look at the stats from most games you’ll find that we’ve got more possession than a lot of the sides we play and certainly create more chances on goal.

“That’s how we approach every game, whether it’s Southampton or any of our other rivals.

“What we’ve got to try to do is make sure it’s our best version that turns up at St Mary’s, play our best football and hopefully we’ll achieve our target.”

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

#OnThisDay two years ago, Dušan Tadić sealed a famous win for #SaintsFC against #MUFC at Old Trafford: https://grabyo.com/g/v/kpBdLfMIP0E

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Sourced from Daily Echo article

Opinion: Puel and Saints MUST seize the moment tonight

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FORGET the second leg - Saints must take the bull by the horns TONIGHT.

If Saints are to travel to Anfield in two weeks’ time with any hope of getting to Wembley, the St Mary’s leg this evening holds the key.

Claude Puel’s side kept Jurgen Klopp’s men at bay with a superb defensive display in the 0-0 Premier League home draw in November.

Those tactics have to wait for the Anfield tie, however.

In an ideal scenario, Saints would have gone to Anfield in the first leg, parked the bus and held on for a goalless draw.

Doesn’t sound glamorous, but it would have kept the tie very much alive.

But now it’s up to Saints to take the lead going to Liverpool tonight - easier said than done, obviously.

The last thing Puel will want is to be heading to Merseyside knowing they must chase the game.

That would play into Liverpool’s hands completely.

They have the ability to rip teams apart with their high pressing, bordering on chaotic style of play.

They’ve scored the most goals (48) of any team in the Premier League this season so far, which is more than double Saints’ tally (19).

Liverpool would find it far easier to unlock Saints’ defence if Puel’s men needed a goal at Anfield.

Saints must therefore try and stop the rot, after failing to win in the four games after Christmas, and produce a performance similar to the second-half at Bournemouth tonight.

Puel’s side played their best stuff of the season at the Cherries.

They then took that belief into the early stages of the Tottenham game.

That confidence and belief in Puel’s system has not been seen since.

But with Liverpool often vulnerable at the back, and with Klopp’s men facing a big trip to Manchester United on Sunday, Saints should head out with the same mentality they had at the Vitality Stadium.

Ambitious Puel wants Saints to control the game because, in his words, “we have nothing to lose”.

If Puel does give his team license to play, then at least Saints are ambitious.

They want to try and seize the moment.

And if they can go to Anfield ahead, then they can dust off November’s game plan and try and eke out a passage to Wembley.

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Sourced from Daily Mail article

Jay Rodriguez hails Pochettino as ‘the best manager I’ve worked with’

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Southampton striker Jay Rodriguez has hailed Tottenham Hotspur’s Mauricio Pochettino as the best manager he has ever worked with, having spent a season under the Argentine at St Mary’s.

Pochettino, who was with the Saints in the 2013-14 season before joining Spurs, was the first to call the injury-ravaged Rodriguez after his double against Bournemouth last month.

‘Mauricio is the best coach, the best manager and best person I’ve ever worked with,’ Rodriguez said before Wedensday’s League Cup semi-final at home to Liverpool.

'He knows how much I appreciate what he has done and what he still does for me. He constantly speaks to me.

‘He is still supporting me and his staff are the same. He is an unbelievable manager and a person.’

The 27-year-old missed the whole of the 2014-15 season after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament and was out for another seven months last term after undergoing surgery on his foot.

Since he was signed by Southampton from Burnley in 2012, the south-coast club have failed to hold on to several key players.

They have lost defenders Luke Shaw, Calum Chambers and Dejan Lovren, midfielders Adam Lallana, Morgan Schneiderlin and Sadio Mane and strikers Graziano Pelle and Rickie Lambert.

Saints are close to losing another first-team player, with defender Jose Fonte handing in a transfer request last week,

Rodriguez, however, knows the team can still deliver results in the second half of the season.

‘You have to stay focused and realise what you need to do to move forward. Every situation has been different as to why players have left,’ the 27-year-old added.

‘The main thing was everyone had to stick to the philosophy of, ‘We need to improve on last year’.’

Southampton are 10th in the Premier League with 24 points from 20 games and visit Burnley on Saturday.

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Sourced from Daily Echo article

Opinion: Jose Fonte should be in Saints XI tonight

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JOSE Fonte has earned the right to play against Liverpool in the League Cup semi-final first leg tonight at St Mary’s.

And Claude Puel should play him.

The Saints captain has been through it all at St Mary’s.

He dropped a league from Crystal Palace to join Saints. He swapped the Championship for League One.

He helped the club to promotions all the way to the Premier League, and then into Europe.

Fonte has been a colossus, a proud captain. He has been the one constant amid departures of players and managers.

He’s loved by the fans, and remains so for the most part, despite his potential departure in this month’s transfer window.

In that respect he deserves – for his services alone – to be given the chance in what is the biggest game of the season so far.

That’s just one romanticised case for his selection.

This wrangle over his future may be disruptive, and it may be troubling performances more than we know.

Fonte is undoubtedly a huge character in the dressing room. His stature has risen with the club, and he commands massive respect from his team-mates.

But, while we can only speculate on the affects all this has away from the pitch, we can note several other things that argue Fonte’s case to be selected tonight.

Despite being unsettled for most of the season – with his contract debacle rumbling on since the summer – Fonte has kept typically professional.

His performance levels have not wavered either. His formidable partnership with Virgil van Dijk has blossomed even further this campaign.

He’s now 33 years old but, as Fonte revealed just before the end of last season – in an interview with the Daily Echo - “I feel like I have my best years in front of me.”

At his age there are inevitable natural restrictions on how much you can exert yourself, but he remained adamant that he’s ready for any challenge.

“I want to play every game,” he said last month.

“I’m fit to play every game. I’m always on the dance floor. I’m always fit.”

He’s never shown the mindset of a troubled player on the pitch, so unless there has been a dramatic change in his mentality Fonte will be up for playing against Liverpool.

On top of that, he’s still proving he deserves to be first choice alongside Van Dijk.

And on that basis alone he remains – discounting all the discontent – part of Saints’ best starting 11.

When facing Liverpool in the semi-final of the League Cup, surely you want your best team out?

No matter the context, Fonte offers the best option.

His leadership is a powerful asset. He’ll know more than anyone the scale of this game for the club.

In that regard it seems logical to play him.

The result from tonight’s game will be the thing that is remembered.

It will be whether or not Saints took another step toward their first piece of major silverware in 41 years, not the team selection.

The decision could easily backfire on Puel.

He is not exactly Mr Popular with fans, but getting to a Wembley final in his first season would help change that.

A heavy defeat to Liverpool tonight would basically put them out of the League Cup – even before the second leg is played – and bring an end to much of the purpose to this season, little past the half-way stage.

That would look terrible on Puel.

There would be questions asked over why Fonte was not selected for this biggest game of the season.

If Puel believes that Fonte can’t play because of the doubts over his future, so be it.

The St Mary’s chief rarely deviates from what he believes, even when it seems circumstances should dictate otherwise.

He stood firm over his selections in the Europa League, which backfired.

And Puel may end up shooting himself in the foot again because of this decision.

He’s taken sentimental reasons out of his decision. However, he may well also have discounted footballing reasons for not playing Fonte.

If a Wembley final comes after “stability” and managing “a difficult situation during the market” in Puel’s list of priorities, then he’ll be have to face the consequences if it goes pear-shaped.

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Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 11/01/2017 15:29:28

|

| Southampton stalwart “desperate” to get past LiverpoolSHOOTCOUK |
| | Liverpool team news: Klopp to name strong XI at SouthamptonFOOTBALLINSIDER |
| | Midfielder to miss out but playmaker backCLUBCALL |
| | Claude Puel insists Southampton are not ‘boring’ despite goalscoring strugglesGOALDOTCOM |

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Sourced from Mirror.co.uk article

Liverpool’s Emre Can reveals special motivation ahead of Southampton semi-final

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Emre Can is desperate to get to Wembley again with Liverpool - to erase the painful memories of losing two cup finals.

The German suffered defeat against Manchester City in the League Cup final last season, only to lose the Europa League final three months later to Sevilla.

And the midfielder says two runners-up medals are the motivation to beat Southampton in their two-legged EFL Cup semi-final.

He said: "It makes us more motivated because we know the feeling of losing in cup finals so now we want the nice feeling of winning them.

"I hope, and I think, that we will win the next final we are in…

“Every year I have been here we have made the League Cup semi-final. In 2015 it was Chelsea and we lost. In 2016 it was against Stoke City and we made the final but lost on penalties.

“Now it is another semi-final against Southampton so it makes sense to go and win it! This is our aim, of course.”

Liverpool go to Southampton for the second time this season, having already been held to a 0-0 draw in the Premier League.

And the 22-year-old is happy Liverpool play the second leg at home.

In an interview with the official Liverpool FC magazine , he went on: “I know that from our game against them this season in the Premier League, Southampton will be a very tough opponent to play.

“They are a really good team, a very strong side, and I think it wasn’t our best game when we drew 0-0 there. But we know we can do better and our target is to win both games and go to the final.

“I prefer to play at home second because if you go to extra-time or penalties, it is always better to be at home with your fans behind you to help you win the game.”

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Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 11/01/2017 16:29:37

|

| Klopp Goes for Full-strength Line-up: Predicted Liverpool Line-up v Southampton | KickOff.co.ukKICKOFFCOUK |
| | Southampton eyeing versatile 24-year-old in bid to boost ranks | | Where football transfer rumours fly or die!THETRANSFERTAVERN |
| | Liverpool news: Lallana was the Saint I least wanted to lose - Le TissierFOOTBALLINSIDER |
| | Klopp: How Lallana got so goodEMPIREOFTHEKOP |
|

| Liverpool outcast eyeing move to Premier League rivalsSHOOTCOUK |
| | Everton transfer news: Fonte should not be signed by Koeman - OsmanFOOTBALLINSIDER |

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Sourced from A tweet by FrannyBenali tweet

@FrannyBenali - Francis Benali

#SaintsFC and #LFC supporters. If you are attending the game tonight please show your support by joining the #20mClapForJack

Retweets: 39

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

Join us for live audio commentary and match updates from #SaintsFC’s #EFLCup semi-final clash with #LFC: http://sfcne.ws/LiveLFCEFL

Retweets: 1

Favourites: 2

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Sourced from ESPN FC article

Southampton’s Cuco Martina a target for West Ham and Hull - sources

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West Ham United and Hull City are interested in Southampton defender Cuco Martina, sources close to the player have told ESPN FC.

West Ham and Hull are both in the market for a new right-back during this month’s transfer window and Martina, whose contract is due to expire in the summer, has emerged on their radar.

West Ham have struggled at right-back this season, with Michail Antonio and Havard Nordtveit being forced to play there on several occasions, while Sam Byram and Alvaro Arbeloa have struggled to make an impact.

Hull are also short of options at right-back with Ahmed Elmohamady away on international duty with Egypt at the African Nations Cup and Moses Odubajo a long-term injury casualty.

Martina is a natural right-back but is able to fill in on the left or in central midfield and his versatility makes him an attractive proposition to both West Ham and Hull.

The Curacao international’s future at Southampton has been the subject of speculation for some time with the defender almost joining Everton in the summer, only for an injury to Jeremy Pied to halt the deal.

The 27-year-old has made 16 appearances in all competitions for Southampton so far this season, but just six of them have been starts in the Premier League, with Portugal international Cedric Soares their first-choice right-back.

Peter O’Rourke is ESPN FC’s transfer news correspondent. Follow him on Twitter @SportsPeteO.

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Sourced from Daily Mail article

West Ham in for Southampton defender Jose Fonte

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West Ham have posted an interest in Southampton’s Jose Fonte, with Crystal Palace also keen.

Everton bid £9million for the 33-year-old in the summer and remain admirers but have concerns with Ashley Williams and Phil Jagielka also over 30.

Fonte will not feature against Liverpool in Southampton’s EFL Cup semi-final tie with Liverpool amid the uncertainty over their captain’s future.

The defender has 18 months left on his current contract with the Saints but handed in a transfer request last week.

Southampton’s director of football Les Reed says Fonte had the chance to sign improved terms but has now asked to leave the club.

Everton are expected to formalise their interest in Standard Liege striker Ishak Belfodil with an £8.5m offer.

The Algerian is training with Liege at their winter camp in Spain.

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Sourced from A tweet by premierleague tweet

@premierleague - Premier League

“We’re a different team at Turf Moor.”

Matt Lowton out to make it 6 wins from 7 at home when #SaintsFC visit:… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/819226392382554117

Retweets: 17

Favourites: 99

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