OptiNews - Friday 10 to Thursday 16 February 2017

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Martin Tyler’s stats and facts: Why this is the best ever season for goals

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Martin Tyler’s stats and facts: Why this is the best ever season for goals

From the number of goals scored to Manchester United’s unbeaten run, Martin Tyler has the best stats from the latest round of games…

Hit the video to see his latest tricky teaser and send your questions to Martin in one of the following ways…

Use the comments box at the bottom of this page

I was at Turf Moor to see Chelsea remain unbeaten under Antonio Conte outside London. Their only four defeats were at home to Liverpool, away to Arsenal and Spurs, and at West Ham in the EFL Cup.

Burnley reached 30 points, 29 of those coming at home, and Chelsea moved up to 60. Burnley’s run of five home league wins in a row ended. If they’d won it would have been their first six-in-a-row since 1961. Burnley’s last league win against Chelsea was back in 1983.

This is Burnley’s third Premier League season. In each of the other two (2009/10 and 2014/15), Chelsea finished the campaign as champions. They are hoping for a hat-trick!

Robbie Brady had played five and lost five against Chelsea with other clubs, so he ended his personal losing streak with his equaliser.

Gary Cahill played his 150th Premier League game for Chelsea - his first senior football was played for Burnley on loan from Aston Villa in 2004/05.

Michy Batshuayi made his 16th Premier League appearance, all as a substitute. Matt Lowton made his 50th Burnley appearance and his 200th career league game. Michael Keane made his 150th career appearance.

What is the longest Man Utd have ever gone unbeaten in the Premier League? How does their current run of 16 games compare? Jack W (Essex)

MARTIN SAYS: Jose Mourinho’s side haven’t lost in the top flight since their 4-0 humbling at Chelsea in October, but they still have some way to go to beat their longest unbeaten run.

United have on two occasions gone on an unbeaten run of 29 games, first in 1999 then again in 2010/11. Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Co would now need to avoid defeat in every game between now and the end of the season to match that again.

They won the title on both of those occasions - if they can stay unbeaten, could they become champions again? They would feel they may need to win most of their remaining 13 games to achieve that.

It is, however their longest run since Sir Alex Ferguson left the club in 2013!

Sunderland beat Crystal Palace 4-0 before losing 4-0 at home to Southampton. Has a team ever won by four goals and then lost by four goals in consecutive Premier League matches? Al

MARTIN SAYS: Sunderland’s defeat at Southampton meant they became just the fourth team in Premier League history to achieve this feat, in this order.

The first was Coventry in February 1994, when they thumped Man City 4-0 (h) before losing by the same scoreline to Newcastle (a).

Arsenal did the same in May 1998, beating Everton h) then losing to Liverpool (a).

More recently, Blackpool began their sole Premier League campaign in August 2010 with a 4-0 win over Wigan (a), before being thrashed 6-0 at Arsenal a week later.

This means that Sunderland are the first to win 4-0 AWAY from home and then lose 4-0 at HOME.

How many goals have West Ham conceded after the 90th minute this season compared to other teams? Jimmy Hunt

MARTIN SAYS: Six teams, including West Ham, have conceded four times after the 90th minute in the Premier League this season.

Burnley, Crystal Palace, Hull, Sunderland and Swansea have all also done the same, but are all below the Hammers in the Premier League table.

The kings of conceding late on, however, are Bournemouth. Eddie Howe’s Cherries have conceded in second-half stoppage time on no fewer than six occasions this season.

Every team in the Premier League has conceded at least once after the 90th minute, with Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Southampton, Tottenham and West Brom (all one each) at the bottom of the pile.

What is the average goals-per-game in the Premier League this season? And how does it compare to other seasons?

MARTIN SAYS: 2016/17 is on track to becoming the highest-ever goal-scoring season in Premier League history!

We have seen 704 goals in the 250 matches played so far, which is an average of 2.82 goals per game.

That’s just higher than the complete 2011/12 season, the dramatic campaign which ended with Sergio Aguero’s late winner to clinch the title for Manchester City, and saw a total of 1066 goals at a rate of 2.81 per game.

2010/11 and 2012/13 were close behind with each seeing 1063 goals, or 2.80 per game.

At the other end, 2006/07 was the most boring Premier League season in terms of goals scored, with just 931 going in at a rate of 2.45 per game.

That’s one of nine Premier League seasons to have seen less than 1,000 goals. Interestingly, the 2002/03 season saw EXACTLY 1,000 goals. At the current rate we are on course for 1070 goals this season.

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Sourced from Mirror.co.uk article

Arsene Wenger’s odds to be next Premier League boss to leave slashed

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Arsene Wenger’s odds to be the next Premier League manager to leave his post have been slashed after Arsenal’s humiliation in Munich.

Bayern hit the sorry Gunners for five in a blistering display to all but knock the Londoners out of the Champions League at the last-16 stage AGAIN.

The Frenchman could only watch on as his side were tore to shreds and social media was awash with people calling for Wenger to call time on his stay at the Emirates.

His odds to leave his post have tumbled - but who else is in the running to be the next Prem boss to get the chop?

Here are the prices…

Chelsea are 10 points clear at the top of the Premier League table and the chance to complete a domestic double is still on.

Pochettino’s side could have won the league last season and will be desperate to improve upon that third-placed finish. The Argentine is looking to become the first Tottenham manager to finish above Arsenal in two decades.

He may not be to everyone’s taste but West Brom have improved significantly since Pulis took charge. Currently eighth in the league, they look good for a top 10 finish.

His debut season may not be going exactly as fans hoped but Jose Mourinho is slowly changing this team for the better. A contract extension has already been mooted for the end of the season.

Everton still lack consistency and are seven points off the top four — their ultimate target — but Ronald Koeman is in little danger of losing his job. Koeman was forced to sell his ‘best’ defender during the summer but the Toffees have conceded eight goals fewer than at this stage last season.

Like Mourinho, Guardiola’s start to life in Manchester has not gone as expected. City, favourites for the title in the summer, are fifth but they have waited years to get Guardiola in their dugout, if the Spaniard is set for an exit it will be on his terms.

Burnely have clearly learned lessons from their previous season in the Premier League and are in with a chance of finishing in the top half of the table.

Stoke’s aim is to bring European football to the club. They might be some distance off the top five at the moment but Hughes has the potential to deliver.

Bournemouth’s defence has been woeful this season and the loss of Nathan Ake has hardly helped Eddie Howe’s cause. Howe is a good manager with a bright future but this season has been a disappointment.

Clement has enjoyed a strong start to life Swansea and Sunday’s 2-0 win over Leicester has moved them up to 15th in the table, four points off the relegation places.

Liverpool have gone from title contenders to top four hopefuls in less than two months - 2017 has shown there is still plenty of work to be dome at Anfield. Liverpool would struggle to attract a better manager than Klopp, though.

Silva’s Hull were well-beaten by Arsenal on Saturday and look likely to go down, but that would not be the fault of their new manager. The Tigers are in their best form of the season and good results against Liverpool and Manchester United show Hull would be mad to get rid of their coach.

Southampton had lost three straight games before their 4-0 win over Sunderland on Saturday. Saints are comfortably mid-table and have an EFL Cup final to look forward to.

Rock bottom of the Premier League, Sunderland have improved but still look doomed. It will take a monumental effort to avoid relegation this season.

Watford started the season well but have tailed off slightly and have a slim chance of being drawn into the relegation battle.

Allardyce loves to remind people he has never been relegated but this season might be the end of that record. Crystal Palace are in the middle of a terrible patch of form and have won just one of their last 11 games in all competitions.

This was supposed to be the season West Ham finally took their seat at English football’s top table, instead they find themselves closer to the relegation places than the top four.

Wenger is now the third most likely Premier League boss to lose his job next. The Gunners face a battle to reach the top four and are all but out of the Champions League. In from 16/1.

Middlesbrough’s defence has been exceptional this season — it’s the fourth best in the league — but they have struggled at the other end and are in real danger of relegation. They have not won a league game this year.

Leicester are not in the relegation places but have lost each of their last five league games. It’s getting desperate at the King Power.

To bet on the next manager to leave their post, visit SkyBet.com .

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Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 16/02/2017 18:01:56

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

#SaintsFC’s players returned to training at Staplewood Campus today, as they began their #MarchToWembley: https://grabyo.com/g/v/XNMYBgGpevV

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Sourced from Daily Echo article

Saints to face the Premier League’s highest scorer at Wembley?

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SAINTS could be facing the Premier League’s top marksman in the League Cup final at Wembley later this month.

Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic is currently the highest scorer among top flight players with 2o goals in all competitions.

Fifteen of those have come in 24 league games, while two have come in the Europa League and two in the League Cup.

The Swedish legend’s other goal came on his United debut - the Community Shield victory over Leicester City at Wembley last August.

Ibrahimovic has one more goal than Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez, who has struck 17 of his 19 goals in the league.

The Chilean’s double against Hull City last weekend took him above Everton’s 16-goal Romelu Lukaku into first place in the race for the Premier League’s Golden Boot.

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero grabbed his 18th of the season at Bournemouth on Monday night.

Eleven of those have come in the league, with six in the Champions League and one in the FA Cup.

Ex-Saint Theo Walcott has 14 goals for Arsenal - including six in Europe and the cups. That haul included an FA Cup treble against his former club at St Mary’s at the end of last month.

Saints loanee Sam Gallagher remains one of the leading scorers in the Championship.

The 21-year-old has struck 11 times in his season long loan spell at struggling Blackburn Rovers so far.

Bristol City’s Tammy Abraham - on loan from Chelsea - has 21 goals in all competitions - the same as Leeds’ Chris Wood.

Both of those strikers have 18 second tier goals to their name.

Newcastle’s Dwight Gayle is the leading marksman in terms of just league goals, though - he has 20.

Former Saints striker Billy Sharp has become the first player to reach 20 League 1 goals this season.

The Sheffield United man is eyeing a return to the Championship with the Blades top of the third tier.

Scunthorpe’s Alex Morris has 18 league goals, the same as Bury’s James Vaughan.

Dover’s Ricky Miller is the leading league scorer in the top five divisions.

He has 27 National League goals to his name - nine more than anyone else in the section.

Barrow’s Byron Harrison is next with 18 league goals, including a hat-trick against Eastleigh last October.

Braintree’s Michael Cheek, who scored both his side’s goals in their 2-0 win at Eastleigh on Tuesday, has 16 goals in all competitions now - 11 of them in the league.

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Sourced from Southampton FC - Official Site article

Davis: Break can help us

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Claude Puel revealed in the immediate aftermath of that fixture that his squad would have a few days off, before preparations ramp up for their Wembley showpiece.

And having recorded a fine victory away from home in the Premier League, Davis highlighted the importance of getting back to winning ways.

Davis said: “It was a very important result for us given the way results have been of late. I don’t think we have been playing particularly badly but it was an accomplished performance and we deserved the three points.

“It has definitely been beneficial to have a full week’s preparation going into the games. We had a good week, ironed out a few things and it was evident against Sunderland.

“Now we’ve got another couple of weeks in terms of getting preparation in ahead of the final.

“The final is a one off game and it will be whoever turns up on the day but it will do us no harm winning against Sunderland and getting belief and confidence back.

“The new system worked well but you need to ask the manager the question moving forward. We feel comfortable in that formation but you have to be adaptable.”

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Sourced from Daily Echo article

Ramirez is forgiven by Boro

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Former Saints star Gaston Ramirez will be handed a key role in Middlesbrough’s dual bid for Premier League survival and FA Cup glory after being welcomed back into the fold.

The 26-year-old Uruguay international, who joined Boro after leaving Saints on a free following an unsuccessful few years after a £12m move from Bologna, stunned the Teessiders last month when he handed in a transfer request with champions Leicester hot on his trail.

However, chairman Steve Gibson and head coach Aitor Karanka stood firm and Ramirez, who played 33 minutes as a substitute in last weekend’s 0-0 draw with Everton on his return, remained at the Riverside Stadium as the transfer window closed.

The pair sat down to discuss the situation in the wake of a torrid few weeks, but Karanka, who sends his side into FA Cup fifth-round battle with League One Oxford on Saturday, insists he will show his full appreciation of the South American in his actions rather than his words.

He said: "Yes, we had a meeting, but the best way to show a player how important he is for the team is not on a sofa in a meeting. It is that he is playing and I am giving him all my confidence, as I have tried to do since he arrived here.

"It’s not difficult for him because I have always said in press conferences here and in my meetings with him how important he is for the team, and he knows.

"It’s not a reason or an excuse that you can tell him. He knows because I have shown him how important he is for this club, for this team, as he was when he came here.

“The team, the club have helped him to reach that level and now with him, we know we have three or four really important months in front of us and he knows he is really important in this team.”

Karanka spent much of January hoping to add goals and creativity to his squad, sacrificing Jordan Rhodes and David Nugent to bring in Patrick Bamford and Rudy Gestede, but being thwarted in his efforts to land Robert Snodgrass, Bojan Krkic and Jese Rodriguez.

His need is pressing - Boro are yet to win a league game in 2017 and have scored only three goals in their last eight - and he believes Ramirez can make a significant impact once again in that respect.

Karanka said: “For sure, for sure. He gives us a lot of things with the ball, set-pieces, a quality and pace, so with him on the pitch, we are a better team.”

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Sourced from Daily Echo article

SOLD OUT: Saints to be backed by 32,000 at Wembley

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Saints will be backed by 32,000 fans at Wembley next weekend after selling out their allocation of tickets for the League Cup final.

Fans snapped up an extra allocation in just a matter of hours this lunchtime to ensure that Claude Puel’s side will be backed by an entire St Mary’s worth of supporters.

The game against Manchester United, which takes place a week on Sunday, is a first major final for Saints since 2003.

Saints confirmed the news with a message from Steven Davis, who is expected to skipper the team at Wembley.

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

Enjoy all of the best snaps from #SaintsFCU23s’ #PLCup victory over #BristolCity: http://sfcne.ws/BristolCityU23Gallery

Retweets: 1

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Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 16/02/2017 19:02:08

| | Rumour Mill: Spurs plot £20m swoop, Chelsea eye Benfica man - TEAMtalk | Latest Football News & Transfer RumoursTEAMTALK |
| | Rumour Mill: Spurs plot £20m swoop, Chelsea eye Benfica man - TEAMtalk | Latest Football News & Transfer RumoursTEAMTALK |
| | Southampton confident of completing deal for new signing imminentlyFOOTBALLFANCAST |

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Sourced from Southampton FC - Official Site article

U23 Report: Bristol City 0-2 Saints

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An early opening goal from Ryan Seager and second-half strike from Marcus Barnes were enough to ensure Saints ran out comfortable victors at Twerton Park.

Radhi Jaïdi made three to changes to the side that suffered a 1-0 defeat against Swansea City in the same competition at the beginning of the week.

Harry Lewis and Seager were gifted starting berths, as Mouez Hassen and Josh Sims missed out.

Whilst Under-18s captain Aaron O’Driscoll started in the heart of defence, as Alfie Jones moved into midfield in the absence of Tyreke Johnson.

Seager didn’t take long to make the most of his starting position. Latching on to a loose pass across the backline, he bore down on goal and rifled a thunderous strike in off the underside of the crossbar to give Saints the lead after just four minutes.

The hosts fought back and soon fashioned two half-chances of their own. Joe McNulty tried his luck from range and then Freddie Hinds showed quick feet to work space and strike, but both were easily stopped by Lewis in goal.

Saints had a chance to double their lead just before the half-time whistle. Ollie Cook met Callum Slattery’s in-swinging corner at the back post, but was unable to direct his header goalwards.

Having missed the chance to extend the lead just before the break, Saints quickly set about looking to do so in the second half.

Olufela Olomola broke from within his own half and teed up Slattery on the corner of the City penalty area immediately after the restart, but he was unable to keep his strike down.

Just before the hour mark Olomola then had a chance of his own. Picking up a second ball he drove from 30 yards and cut inside into space, but struck just wide of the near post.

Five minutes later Saints did double their tally. Seager controlled the ball inside the hosts’ half and swivelled to play in Barnes, who calmly slotted under Jojo Wollacott in goal.

There was almost a third in slightly fortuitous circumstances just moments later, as Yan Valery saw his cross from deep ricochet off the roof of the Bristol City crossbar.

With ten minutes remaining Jaïdi made his only change of the afternoon, as goalscorer Barnes made way for Siph Mdlalose.

Freddie Hinds could have then sparked a late comeback for the hosts as he found space in the penalty area and struck at goal, but dragged his shot wide of Lewis’ far post.

Slattery also had a penalty claim waved away in the closing exchanges, as Saints cruised towards completing a confident 2-0 victory.

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Summary of non-mainstream articles: 16/02/2017 20:02:20

| | Saints skipper relishing breakCLUBCALL |

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

@AmericxnSaint What’s up, Christian? #saintsfc

Retweets: 6

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

Wonder who this could be? #saintsfc

Retweets: 60

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

#SaintsFC is delighted to confirm the signing of defender Martín Cáceres on a deal until the end of the season! https://grabyo.com/g/v/xhpMbMyPwz5

Retweets: 0

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

Welcome to #SaintsFC, Martín Cáceres!

#SaintCáceres

Retweets: 50

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Sourced from A tweet by SimonPeach tweet

@SimonPeach - Simon Peach

Ex-Juventus & Barcelona defender Martin Caceres has completed his move to #SaintsFC until the end of the season. Mu… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/832323061718323200

Retweets: 11

Favourites: 15

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

#SaintCáceres

Read the full story, as defender Martín Cáceres joins #SaintsFC… http://sfcne.ws/CáceresSFC

Retweets: 18

Favourites: 32

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Sourced from A tweet by OficialCedric tweet

@OficialCedric - Cédric Soares

Back to work after some days off. Energy level: 100%
#SaintsFC #WeMarchOn

Retweets: 9

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Sourced from Southampton FC - Official Site article

You could tell we wanted something from the game, says Jaïdi

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Goals from Ryan Seager and Marcus Barnes did the damage at Twerton Park, as Saints moved back to the top of their qualification group.

“I am happy with the desire the boys showed,” started Jaïdi.

“From the spirit around the team and the changing room at the start, you could feel that they wanted to get something from this game.

“We dealt with their strengths well as a direct team and the pitch maybe didn’t allow us to keep the ball better, but I think in patches we had some good play and combinations.”

Saints fielded an attacking side for the trip to Bristol, with Seager, Barnes and Olufela Olomola all starting in the front line.

And Jaïdi was delighted to have the trio back fit and firing.

“From the start I told them they should be a big threat,” he continued.

“Especially against the full backs in the wide areas. We said there was a lot of space in between them and behind them so just to explore it.

“Seags is always between the two centre backs waiting for an opportunity which eventually came, as did Barnesy’s. Fela could have had a third goal as well.”

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