OptiNews - Friday 24 to Thursday 30 March 2017

Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

:movie_camera::clock1:

We’ll be live from Staplewood this afternoon, as #SaintsFC’s Claude Puel holds his press conference ahead of… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/847372074750324738

Retweets: 0

Favourites: 7

...acerbically prepared by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from Optimus trousers’ RSS Feed rss feed

The Ugly Inside News for Southampton

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

| The Ugly Inside Video Channel Bournemouth Opposition View With Back Of The Net | Freddie chats with Bournemouth pod cast Back Of The Net about Saturday’s game and how the Cherries Fan’s view our … 30-03-2017 |

Older content…

| How Did Saints Attacking Trio Perform In Sure’s High Pressure Drills10 hours ago |
| The Ugly Inside Video Channel ! Bournemouth Previewa day ago |
| Win Tickets For The Bournemouth Game With Sure Deodoranta day ago |
| A Mixed Reaction On New Season Ticket Price Announcementa day ago |
| The Ugly Inside Video Channel ! New Season Ticket Price Overview !a day ago |
| Caceres Likely To Make Debut Against The Cherries2 days ago |
| Just Who Is Leading The Chase For Virgil Van Dijk ?2 days ago |
| Next Three Games Will Define Claude Puel’s Season3 days ago |
| Virgin Media Subsidise Ticket Prices For Trip To Chelsea3 days ago |
| Tadic Linked With Arsenal And Three European Giants3 days ago |

...ravishingly bred by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

#OnThisDay in 2013, @JayRodriguez9 and Rickie Lambert fired #SaintsFC to a memorable 2-1 home win over #CFC: https://grabyo.com/g/v/ahyPZZfa2Vf

Retweets: 4

Favourites: 10

...enrapturedly mustered by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 30/03/2017 10:15:04

| | 2.9 tackles, 1.5 key passes… The exciting star Man City want to pluck from PL rivals | | Where football transfer …THETRANSFERTAVERN |

...effeminately invented by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 30/03/2017 11:15:19

|

| Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk proves to fans he is back on the mendSTMARYSMUSINGS |
| | Three reasons Southampton should make serious moves for Puel favourite this summerFOOTBALLFANCAST |

...worshipfully whittled by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from Optimus trousers’ RSS Feed rss feed

The Ugly Inside News for Southampton

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

| Pokemrivalry Go Set To Launch In Southampton On Saturday ! | Last year the big craze to hit the streets was Pokemon Go, on Saturday Pokemrivalry go is launched in Southampton … 30-03-2017 |

Older content…

| The Ugly Inside Video Channel Bournemouth Opposition View With Back Of The Net11 hours ago |
| How Did Saints Attacking Trio Perform In Sure’s High Pressure Drills11 hours ago |
| The Ugly Inside Video Channel ! Bournemouth Previewa day ago |
| Win Tickets For The Bournemouth Game With Sure Deodoranta day ago |
| A Mixed Reaction On New Season Ticket Price Announcementa day ago |
| The Ugly Inside Video Channel ! New Season Ticket Price Overview !a day ago |
| Caceres Likely To Make Debut Against The Cherries2 days ago |
| Just Who Is Leading The Chase For Virgil Van Dijk ?2 days ago |
| Next Three Games Will Define Claude Puel’s Season3 days ago |
| Virgin Media Subsidise Ticket Prices For Trip To Chelsea3 days ago |

...discretely moulded by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 30/03/2017 11:21:27

| | Officials - Southampton v Bournemouth (1/4/17)VITALFOOTBALL |
|

| Manchester City target Southampton man Cedric SoaresFANSIDEDMANCITYSQUARE |
| | How Did Saints Attacking Trio Perform In Sure’s High Pressure Drills - Southampton NewsTHEUGLYINSIDE |

...customarily generated by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from The Telegraph article

Cristiano Ronaldo bust and 11 other strange and terrible statues from the world of football

Show/hide article…

Opinion is still divided on whether this best depicts Niall Quinn or Paul Konchesky. A bronze bust of Cristiano Ronaldo’s head spawned a host of weird and wonderful comparisons after Madeira airport, the birthplace of the Portuguese, was named after the Ballon d’Or winning striker.

Go to the original article…

...somberly erected by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from Sky Sports article

Vote NOW for your PFA Fans’ Player of the Month in the Premier League

Show/hide article…

Vote NOW for your PFA Fans’ Player of the Month in the Premier League

Vote now for your Premier League PFA Fans’ Player of the Month for March.

Our expert panel has produced a stellar shortlist of contenders, including Everton striker Romelu Lukaku, Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli and Leicester City forward Jamie Vardy.

They face fierce competition for the award from the likes of Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante, Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha and Bournemouth striker Josh King.

The shortlist was chosen by our expert panel, which included Sky Sports pundits Paul Merson, Peter Beagrie, Mike Riley - general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials, and Malcolm Clarke - chairman of the Football Supporters’ Federation.

Remember, one voting fan in each division will win the chance to meet and present the award to each PFA Fans’ Player of the Month.

Voting will close at 7pm tonight with the winner announced at 10am on Friday.

Have YOUR say now…

Go to the original article…

...insipidly given life to by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from Daily Echo article

READER LETTER: Lack of concessions for some Saints season tickets is unfair

Show/hide article…

HAVING contacted Southampton FC regarding the lack of concessions in the Itchen Stand premium seating, I continue to await a plausible reason for this unfair practice.

It is ironic that Wembley Stadium can offer a 50 per cent reduction for seniors in their best seating area at our recent final, yet a paying supporter of nearly 60 years is offered nothing.

Does that really reflect a caring family club?

Go to the original article…

...torpidly designed by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from Daily Echo article

Puel to renew interest in Liverpool defender Sakho this summer

Show/hide article…

MAMODOU Sakho could be back on Claude Puel’s radar this summer.

The 27-year-old Frenchman is well known to the Saints boss after starting his career with Paris St Germain in 2008.

Puel enquired about signing the centre half back in the January transfer window following Jose Fonte’s departure to West Ham and Virgil van Dijk’s ankle injury.

But Saints were believed to be scared off by Liverpool slapping a £20m price tag on a player who has totally out of favour at Anfield.

Sakho subsequently joined relegation threatened Crystal Palace on loan for the rest of the season.

He has made a stunning start at Selhurst Park, helping Palace to three wins in his three Premier League outings so far.

And the Eagles have yet to concede a goal in any of those wins, against Middlesbrough, West Bromwich Albion and Watford.

Puel will be able to see Sakho again next week, as Palace rack up at St Mary’s on Wednesday April 5 for a league game.

Palace don’t have first option to buy Sakho once his loan expires at the end of the season, however.

That could alert Puel once more - depending on what happens to his talismanic central defender van Dijk.

There has to be a big doubt as to whether the Dutchman has played his last game for Saints.

He has been out injured since the 3-0 win against Leicester City on January 22.

It is stating the obvious to say Saints have missed him.

After that win against the Foxes, the club had conceded 26 goals in 22 league matches.

They have since conceded 10 more in just five top flight games - including three at home to West Ham and three at Watford.

Saints are not going to rush van Dijk back from injury, with the club appearing unlikely to be sucked into a relegation battle with 11 games remaining - seven of which are at St Mary’s.

If he does not play again this season, van Dijk could well be sold in the summer with the Premier League elite all no doubt keen to sign him.

Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City have all been repeatedly linked with the player who cost Saints what now appears a bargain £13m from Celtic in August 2015.

If he is sold this summer, van Dijk could command a world record transfer fee for a defender - beating the £50m Paris St Germain paid for Chelsea’s David Luiz three years ago.

With that in mind, Puel would certainly have money available to bid for Sakho if he was identified as the one he wanted to replace van Dijk.

Though Saints have always publicly said the right things about wanting to keep van Dijk - who is on a long term contract - privately it might be a different matter.

After all, Saints are not going to be able to offer Europa League football for a third successive season.

Seventh place could be sufficient to reach Europe, but that would involve Manchester United finishing in the top four as well as whichever club wins the FA Cup.

As of today, though, Saints are 17 points adrift of seventh placed Everton, and even if they win their two games in hand will still be a long way behind Ronald Koeman’s men.

That means Saints face a tough battle to keep a player who will be offered Champions League football at Stamford Bridge, and possibly by other clubs as well.

And could Saints really turn down a bid of over £50m for one of their players?

Living in the realistic world, you would have to say it’s unlikely.

Sakho was a regular in the Liverpool team until April of last year.

Then, after being found guilty of breaking an anti-doping rule, he was punished by UEFA with a 30-day ban from all competitions - ending his season early.

In the summer, he was sent home from a club tour of the USA by Jurgen Klopp.

Not only had Sakho been late for the team’s flight to America, he was also late for a subsequent medical treatment session and a team meal.

He has not played for Liverpool in 2016/17, with his first competitive appearance of the season coming when he made his Palace debut on February 25.

Chelsea’s Nathan Ake has been linked with a possible move to St Mary’s, offered by Chelsea as part of a deal to take van Dijk to the Premier League champions elect.

After impressing at left back on loan to Watford last season, Ake’s star continued to rise when he played eight games at centre half on loan to Bournemouth earlier this season.

Since being recalled by Chelsea, Ake has only played in two FA Cup ties against lower division opponents.

Ake has only made one top flight start for the Blues, and that was on the final day of the 2012/13 season. Since then, he has made another four sub appearances in the league and been loaned out three times.

At 22 years old, though, Ake fits the Saints template of a player with great promise ahead of him but not yet the finished article.

The club have made a habit of signing those sort of players - witness last year’s recruitment of Nathan Redmond, Pierre Hojbjerg and Sofiane Boufal.

Martin Caceres could obviously enter the equation as well if van Dijk leaves.

After all, the Uruguyan has the advantage of already being at St Mary’s.

He could well make his long overdue Saints debut against Cherries this weekend, almost two months after signing for the club.

If he does, it will be his first competitive appearance for anyone since the first week of February 2016.

As a result, we have to wait and see how his fitness and match sharpness levels are.

At 29, he is two years older than Sakho and seven older than Ake.

With his recent injury record, and his age, he could be perceived as being a far bigger gamble than either of the other two centre halves.

Go to the original article…

...softly moulded by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

Watch live as Claude Puel speaks with the media ahead of #SaintsFC’s clash with #AFCB: https://www.periscope.tv/w/a6ucMjMxOTB8MXpxS1ZibGdieVBLQosJCGNmns8JTSxAwMs9Yq6P7EMSVh84WBf2Qn6QKTSy

Retweets: 3

Favourites: 3

...fractionally made by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

Claude Puel confirms @Mgabbia23 will miss Saturday’s game against #AFCB through injury. #saintsfc https://www.periscope.tv/w/1zqKVblgbyPKB

Retweets: 9

Favourites: 18

...faithlessly moulded by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 30/03/2017 12:21:32

| | Chelsea offer Ake in swap for £50m Liverpool, City targetCALCIOMERCATOCOM |
| | EVESTAR |

...nonverbally costructed by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

Puel on Martín Cáceres: "He works very well and is available. I need to check the fitness of our international play… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/847423523400200195

Retweets: 7

Favourites: 8

...complimentarily shaped by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

Puel: “#AFCB are a good footballing team. I respect their qualities. It’s an important game against them.” #saintsfc https://www.periscope.tv/w/1zqKVblgbyPKB

Retweets: 4

Favourites: 1

...insinuatingly coined by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

That’s all from #SaintsFC boss Claude Puel’s pre-#AFCB press conference.

We’ll have more on… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/847425655943839748

Retweets: 0

Favourites: 1

...jollily originated by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

:face_with_head_bandage:

#SaintsFC boss Claude Puel provides a full injury report ahead of #AFCB: http://sfcne.ws/InjuriesPreAFCBH

Retweets: 2

Favourites: 7

...analytically modelled by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from A tweet by BenDinnery tweet

@BenDinnery - Ben Dinnery

Virgil van Dijk will NOT play again this season. The #SaintsFC centre-back has been sidelined since damaging ankle… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/847427805667221505

Retweets: 10

Favourites: 7

...ineloquently given rise to by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from A tweet by BenDinnery tweet

@BenDinnery - Ben Dinnery

Gabbiadini won’t make Saturdays south coast derby but the Italian does have a chance for midweek. Austin is still a month away. #SaintsFC

Retweets: 13

Favourites: 14

...wordily thrown together by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!