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Summary of non-mainstream articles: 11/09/2017 21:42:40
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...twitchingly devised by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!| Reports hint at problems for Southampton amid stuttering start to campaign | | Where football transfer rumours fly …THETRANSFERTAVERN |
|| Villa vs Southampton U23 LIVE: Kodjia makes comebackBIRMINGHAMMAIL |
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Summary of non-mainstream articles: 11/09/2017 22:42:54
| | Report: Van Dijk’s move to Liverpool back on for Jan.CNNSI |
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Virgil van Dijk appears rusty as he makes playing return for Southampton’s U23s
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Virgil van Dijk looked off the pace as he made his playing return for Southampton’s Under-23s on Monday night.
Dutchman Van Dijk had looked destined for the St Mary’s exit over the summer after handing in a transfer request following interest from Liverpool.
He was axed from first-team duties and made to train with the youth team, despite the club’s stance that they would not sell him - although he has since been reintegrated into the senior squad.
He played his first game since January on Monday night as he was given a run out alongside the Under-23s in their Premier League 2 fixture at Aston Villa.
Van Dijk, 26, had missed football the back end of last season through injury.
And he looked to be lacking match fitness during the game, as Southampton were picked apart by a rampant Villa display.
Van Dijk missed his challenge in the middle of the park ahead of the first goal, allowing the space for Jordan Cox to finish.
He also failed to get tight to the striker for the second and fourth goals.
It remains to be seen if he will be available for a first-team contention this weekend’s trip to Crystal Palace.
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Sourced from Daily Echo article
Saints defeated 4-0 on Van Dijk’s return
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FINALLY the talking stopped for a moment and Virgil van Dijk returned to playing some actual football for Southampton Football Club – a sight few would have predicted in the summer months.
It was not exactly the ideal return to action with Saints under-23s losing 4-0 against Aston Villa under-23s with him and several other first teamers in the side – although this was mainly a fitness exercise for the centre-back.
The wantaway Dutchman, who played the full match here, may have been wondering why – after pushing so hard for the St Mary’s exit door all summer long – he was turning out for Saints’ under-23s rather than preparing for the start of the Champions League group stages this week.
To play in Europe’s elite tournament was of course one of the reasons why Van Dijk handed in a transfer request last month in the first place, with favoured destination Liverpool and Chelsea both able to offer this to the former Celtic man.
Instead, the 26-year-old, with little option but to return to work for Saints after the club carried out their promise not to sell the central defender, turned out at Walsall’s home ground, the Bescot Stadium –a place more au fait with the nitty-gritty of the Football League than the gloss of the Champions League.
But there was no sulking now – only frustration in defeat – from a player whose transfer saga was national news all summer.
At the start there were encouraging words and a few handshakes shared with his young team-mates before kick-off against their Villa counterparts.
First team coach Eric Black was sent by Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino to run the rule over Van Dijk from the stands and what he’ll likely report back is that the Dutchman may need more time get back to match sharpness.
Almost eight months on the sidelines, first with a foot ligament injury and then due to his transfer saga, has inevitably taken its toll.
He still commanded and organised the team around him, his voice regularly echoing around the virtually empty Bescot Stadium.
But he was still powerless to stop Saints’ academy side slumping to their third straight Premier League 2 defeat here – and should take part of the blame for the result too.
Jordan Cox with two well-taken finishes in the first half, another by substitute Harvey Knibbs sent Villa on their way, before Callum O’Hare put the gloss on a resounding win for the hosts early in the second period.
That heavy defeat came even with Saints having first teamers Jan Bednarek and Alex McCarthy also in the starting side alongside Van Dijk.
There were certainly signs of rust from Van Dijk, but that is expected after not playing a competitive game since January 22, when he suffered a long-term foot ligament injury against Leicester at St Mary’s in the Premier League.
Ultimately, this was a practice game for the Netherlands international and he’ll likely need a few more of these matches to start to get up to scratch, depending on how quickly Pellegrino will want to get him back to first team action.
He’s a player with class, undoubtedly, and there was good passing and reading of the game at times in this game, but in other parts he looked slightly off the pace.
For the first goal he broke away from his defence to win the ball, but O’Hare was able to ride his tackle and knock the ball to Cox to burst in to the space he’d left open to slot home.
After that he was unable to prevent Cox from firing in at the near post for his brace in the first half and could be accused of giving too much space to O’Hare for his strike on 53 minutes too.
There was communication from the bench to Van Dijk to check whether he wanted to continue in to the second half. Every time he returned with a nod to suggest he was able to carry on.
There were signs of frustration with the game beyond Saints by 53 minutes, he tried one of his meandering runs forward but was dispossessed.
It was a performance not up to usual standards from Van Dijk, but nonetheless a step back towards first team action.
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Sourced from The Telegraph article
Virgil van Dijk makes forgettable Southampton return in heavy defeat to Aston Villa under-23s
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Virgil van Dijk made his long-awaited comeback this evening but looked anything like the most valuable defender in world football after his lack of match fitness was fully exposed by two Aston Villa teenagers.
Having being forced to stay this season at Southampton despite acrimoniously handing in a transfer request, Van Dijk made what was his first appearance for the club since January in an Under-23 fixture at Walsall’s Bescot Stadium.
Van Dijk’s inactivity was then fully evident in a 4-0 defeat that included three goals in which he was at least partially culpable. He was caught out after just 13 minutes for the first when he stepped out for an attempted interception but was side-stepped by Jordan Cox who then fired a low shot past Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy.
The 18-year-old Cox was then again too quick as he controlled the ball to Van Dijk’s and then left smashed his finish past McCarthy.
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U23 Report: Aston Villa 4-0 Saints
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The hosts seized control in the first-half through Jordan Cox’s double, before second-half goals from Corey Blackett-Taylor and Callum O’Hare made sure of the points.
Radhi Jaïdi fielded a young side, but did include three first-team players as Virgil van Dijk continued his road to fitness with his first minutes since January, while Alex McCarthy and Jan Bednarek also featured in a side captained by Alfie Jones once more.
But it was the hosts who broke the deadlock after 13 minutes, when Cox picked up the ball on the edge of the area, before firing low into the bottom right corner past McCarthy.
Saints responded well to going behind and created their first real opening when Tyreke Johnson’s effort from close range was cleared off the line.
Villa soon doubled their advantage though through the lively Cox, who found space inside the box before rifling a thunderous, right-footed shot into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
The game continued in a similar vein after the interval, and it took the Villians just three minutes to extend their advantage further.
Richard Bakary’s back pass was short for McCarthy, and Blackett-Taylor latched on to the loose ball before tucking it home.
At the other end, as Saints continued to try and work their way back into the contest, Marcus Barnes looked to test Viktor Johanson with a drive, but it proved comfortable for the keeper.
On 53 minutes, O’Hare got in on the act when he burst forward from midfield before unleashing a low shot that found the bottom corner.
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Summary of non-mainstream articles: 11/09/2017 23:43:16
| | Van Dijk scouting report: How Liverpool target played for Saints U23sBIRMINGHAMMAIL |
| Report: Tottenham Were Keen To Sign Inter Milan Veteran In The Summer Before Turning Towards Saints Ace – To The …TOTHELANEANDBACK |
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|| Virgil Van Dijk Returns To Action For Saints - Southampton NewsTHEUGLYINSIDE |
| | Aston Villa 4 Southampton U23 0: Young guns seal emphatic winBIRMINGHAMMAIL |
|| Van Dijk steps up fitness in U23s clashSPORTSMOLE | ...presumptuously thought-up by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
Sourced from talkSPORT article
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It was a bad Saturday for Jurgen Klopp as he watched Liverpool lose 5-0 to Manchester City to fall to eighth in the Premier League table.
The result was doubly bad for Klopp as it became his joint-biggest ever defeat as a football manager, coming 11 years after his Mainz side were defeat 6-1 by Werder Bremen.
In the wake of the match, talkSPORT decided to find out every Premier League manager’s biggest ever defeat, and you can see the results by clicking the right arrow, above…
*All data correct as of 11/09/2017
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Summary of non-mainstream articles: 12/09/2017 00:43:31
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|| Davis eager to see quick repsonseCLUBCALL |
| | Win! A pair of tickets for Crystal Palace vs Southampton this weekendFOURFOURTWO |
Sourced from Daily Star article
Liverpool will bid for Van Dijk again in January if they make next Euro stage - McGarry
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Liverpool could bid for Virgil van Dijk once again
That is according to Ian McGarry of the Transfer Window Podcast.
He thinks Jurgen Klopp is still desperate to strengthen his defence this season.
The German missed out on Southampton’s Van Dijk this summer after the defender handed in a transfer request.
But should they get to the knockout stage of the Champions League Van Dijk will remain an attractive proposition as he will not be cup tied in European football.
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U23 Highlights: Aston Villa 4-0 Saints
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U23 Gallery: Aston Villa 4-0 Saints
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A first-half Jordan Cox brace and single contributions from Harvey Knibbs and Callum O’Hare gave Villa all three points, and Jaïdi felt his side did not give a good enough account of themselves.
“We are disappointed after that,” he started.
“All of the boys know what has happened and are really disappointed with the way that we have lost.
“I don’t think we were good enough, especially in the final third. There were patches where we played some football but we didn’t score and it wasn’t enough.”
Cox’s brace put the visitors two ahead at the break, before two goals in eight minutes extended the lead after half time.
And Jaïdi was left particularly disappointed with the time and manner of the goals his side conceded.
“The way that we conceded the goals was disappointing,” he continued.
“They were sloppy goals and we showed a lack of awareness and understanding at times. So we need to work on that and adjust for the next game.
“The timings of the second two goals also made it very difficult for us. It’s the type of game where you try to come back at that point and to concede two then made it much harder.”
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Sourced from Sky Sports article
Virgil Van Dijk plays full game for Southampton U23s in 4-0 defeat to Aston Villa
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Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk played the full 90 minutes for the club’s U23s as they lost 4-0 to Aston Villa at Walsall’s Bescot Stadium.
It was Van Dijk’s first competitive action in a Southampton shirt this season after a summer in which he put in a transfer request at the club and trained on his own.
He has since been reintegrated into the senior squad after making it clear he wanted the club to take up the interest from Liverpool, who issued a public apology in June following suggestions of an improper approach for the centre-back.
Van Dijk has been out of first-team action since sustaining a serious ankle injury on January 22.
The club will be hoping the Netherlands international can get up to speed quickly as debutant Wesley Hoedt, a compatriot of Van Dijk’s who was handed his chance at the heart of the Saints defence against Watford, endured a tough time against Andre Gray in the 2-0 home defeat.
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Van Dijk endures difficult return to action for Southampton U23s
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After eight months out through injury and an entire summer of speculation about his future, Virgil van Dijk made an unimpressive return to action for Southampton on Monday night.
The defender was linked with a big-money move to Liverpool and went so far as to submit a transfer request in an attempt to push through the transfer, but ended up staying with Saints.
Now, having been banished to the development squad for training for a short period, he is preparing for a first-team recall.
And this week he made his first appearance for the club since January. It was a little rusty.
Van Dijk featured for Southampton’s Under 23s in a clash with Aston Villa at Walsall’s Banks’s Stadium in Premier League 2.
During the 4-0 defeat, the Dutchman - who missed the back-end of last season through injury - was unconvincing in the build-up to three of Villa’s goals.
Jordan Cox scored a first-half double to put the home side well on their way to victory, with Van Dijk missing a challenge in the lead-up to the opener.
In the second period, Corey Blackett-Taylor and Callum O’Hare found the back of the next to make sure of a romping win for Villa.
On both occasions, Van Dijk’s attempts to counter the attack appeared somewhat half-hearted.
Van Dijk completed 90 minutes but Saints fans will be hoping to see him improve before he returns to the first-team squad on matchdays.
Southampton face Crystal Palace this weekend but it is uncertain he will be included.
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Summary of non-mainstream articles: 12/09/2017 07:53:56
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| Virgil van Dijk makes Southampton return as Under-23’s lose 4-0FANSIDEDSAINTSMARCHING |
| | Virgil van Dijk Makes Awful Return to Action For Southampton’s U23sTALKINGBAWS | ...geographically given rise to by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
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Lionel Messi, Isco, Andres Iniesta and Arjen Robben among stars to be out of contract next summer
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Lionel Messi, Isco, Andres Iniesta and Arjen Robben among stars to be out of contract next summer
Lionel Messi, Isco, Andres Iniesta and Arjen Robben are among a host of stars that could be available on a free transfer next summer.
Arsenal face the possibility of losing Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil when their contracts expire in July - but there could be plenty of free replacements available.
We evaluate the top players with expiring contracts in each position, according to transfermarkt.co.uk data…
Gianluigi Buffon is the most high-profile stopper available on a free if his current Juventus contract expires next summer - but the Italian is “99.9 per cent” certain he will retire from football after the 2018 World Cup.
Former Liverpool stopper Pepe Reina could also be a free agent when his Napoli deal expires in July, having been linked with a move to Newcastle during the recent transfer window.
Everton’s Joel Robles could also be available, having made an impressive run of starts last season before Ronald Koeman signed Jordan Pickford.
Juventus and Italy centre-back Giorgio Chiellini is the biggest name on the out-of-contract list of centre-backs, while young prospects Jose Gimenez (Atletico Madrid) and Stefan de Vrij (Lazio) could be coveted free targets.
Per Mertesacker is set to hang up his boots and assume a coaching role at Arsenal, while familiar names of potential free agents include Steven Caulker (QPR) and Robert Huth (Leicester).
Meanwhile, Florentin Pogba could join brother Paul in the Premier League when his St Etienne contract expires.
Manchester United duo Daley Blind and Luke Shaw top the list of most desirable free agent left-backs - but United have confirmed one-year extension options on both players.
Former United full-back Patrice Evra could make a return to the Premier League, having just 10 months remaining on his current Marseille deal, while Burnley’s Stephen Ward could also be a free agent.
Reina’s Napoli team-mate Faouzi Ghoulam is a highly-rated potential free transfer, while Watford’s Jose Holebas could also be on the radar of several clubs.
Experienced Atletico Madrid defender Juanfran is out of contract in July, as are Rafinha (Bayern Munich), Glen Johnson (Stoke) and Joel Ward (Crystal Palace).
A host of world-class central midfielders could be available on a free transfer next summer, including the likes of Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Leon Goretzka (Schalke) and Isco, who is reportedly set to sign a new contract with Real Madrid.
In addition to those star-studded options, alternative big names with expiring deals include Ross Barkley (Everton), Fernandinho, Yaya Toure (both Man City), Jack Wilshere, Santi Cazorla (both Arsenal) and Emre Can (Liverpool).
Elsewhere, Yohan Cabaye (Crystal Palace), Max Meyer (Schalke) and Hatem Ben Arfa (PSG) could also be free agents.
Manchester United midfielders Ander Herrera, Juan Mata and Marouane Fellaini all have contracts set to expire in July - but United have one-year extension options on Herrera and Mata.
Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez only has 10 months left on his contract, having failed to complete a move to Manchester City after would-be replacement Monaco winger Thomas Lemar reportedly turned down a transfer to the Emirates.
Bayern Munich attacker Franck Ribery could also make a swansong switch away from the Bundesliga when his contract expires next summer.
Lionel Messi would be the undisputed all-time bargain - if the Argentinian was prised from Barcelona on a free transfer next summer.
Despite being widely regarded as the world’s best player, Messi only has 10 months left on his current deal at the Nou Camp.
Former Chelsea and Real Madrid winger Arjen Robben has also entered his final year at Bayern Munich, as has Aaron Lennon (Everton) and Chung-Yong Lee (Crystal Palace).
In terms of strikers on potential free deals, Mario Balotelli (Nice), Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Manchester United) are the headliners.
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Summary of non-mainstream articles: 12/09/2017 08:54:10
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| Liverpool transfer round-up: van Dijk move tipped for January, competition heats up for Werner and more - 12th …SPORTSKEEDA | ...riotously sired by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
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