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Sourced from Daily Echo article

Davis: We should have built on “perfect start”

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STEVEN Davis admits Saints should have built on their “perfect start” after his second goal of the season gave them an early lead against Brighton.

Davis, who scored in Saints’ 1-0 win at Crystal Palace in September, looked to have put his side on course for another away victory when he headed the opening goal in the seventh minute.

The Saints captain pounced after James Ward-Prowse’s free kick came back off the upright.

But Brighton were a much improved side after their disappointing first half.

Davis said: “We got the goal, the perfect start bit never really got going from there and we’re disappointed with that.

“It was an ideal start in many ways. We know the quality James has got, he was obviously very unlucky not to score himself and his deliveries as a whole today were excellent, as we always know they will be.

“But from there on we’ve got to be a little disappointed with ourselves. We felt comfortable enough but we didn’t have as much possession as we’d have liked and we haven’t really forced their keeper into any saves and that’s disappointing from our point of view.

“You expect that confidence and belief to grow and to test them more than we did.

“If you don’t get that second goal you’re always leaving it open for them to get back in the game.”

This was Saints’ second point away to one of the promoted teams.

“We tried to force the ball too much at times but I think you’ve got to give them credit as well,” continued Davis.

“It was difficult to find the space at times. We always knew, having played Huddersfield earlier this season, that it was going to be difficult and that we’d have to fight for everything, and that was the case again.

“They look solid, they‘ve had a decent start to the season and will take confidence from that. We’ll analyse the game and see what we can do better and improve on going forward.”

With another away point to their name, Saints can at least look forward to trying to extend their unbeaten run to four matches against Burnley on Saturday. “We wanted maximum points from the last two games before the international break,” continued Northern Ireland star Davis, who has a two-legged World Cup play-off qualifier against Switzerland to look forward to next month.

“As much as we’re disappointed we’ll take the positives, go again and try to make sure we get three points on Saturday,” he added.

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Sourced from Daily Echo article

Romeu praises Ward-Prowse impact

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SAINTS midfielder Oriol Romeu was pleased to see James Ward-Prowse make an immediate impact on his return to the side.

Ward-Prowse, recalled for his first game in more than a month, got Saints off to the perfect start with the free kick that led to the opening goal.

Romeu said: “It was an amazing free kick, it’s great to have players with that touch. Every time he’s good from free kicks and corner kicks.

“We know there’s going to be a nice ball and a chance to score whenever he’s on the pitch.

"We know we can always attack the cross because it’s going to be a good delivery.

“It’s good for other players having him in the team, he works very hard and has that ability.”

But Saints’ failure to take all three points has made a win against Burnley on Saturday even more important.

“It’s something we need to learn from,” continued Romeu. “After scoring that quick, we needed to take more initiative to run with the ball and keep going forward.

“It was probably a fair result. At half time we said to push higher but we dropped too much. We have to get three points next week ideally. We need to be higher in the table and to do that we have to win games.”

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Sourced from Daily Star article

Manchester United star Luke Shaw didn’t work hard at Saints - Mauricio Pochettino

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Although ultimately enjoying a good relationship as Shaw’s work-rate improved, the Argentine’s comments help shed some light on Jose Mourinho’s treatment of the young left-back.

“I felt his head was not in the right place to make the sacrifices and decisions that are necessary at that age,” Pochettino says in Guillem Balague’s new book, Brave New World: Inside Pochettino’s Spurs.

Shaw has been frozen out by Mourinho at Manchester United since returning to fitness from a horror double-leg break.

The England international has played just 47 minutes in the Carabao Cup this season and has not played in the Premier League whatsoever.

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Sourced from Daily Echo article

THE VERDICT: Saints under pressure ahead of Burnley

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Three games unbeaten, scoring in the last four, and comfortably midtable ten games into the season – and yet Saints are under pressure.

Their next game, at home to Burnley feels pretty important right now.

You never quite know whether that will prove the case with hindsight at the end of the season, but at this stage it feels quite vital.

With a nightmare run of games to come after the next international break, and having had such a kind fixture list thus far, Saints need points on the board.

They have just one match left – that game against the Clarets at St Mary’s – from the four match burst that has looked as if it will make or break their ambitions for the season.

Games against Newcastle, West Brom, Brighton and Burnley, with three at home, seemed an ideal chance to get some momentum and ensure that if results don’t come too freely against the top six sides that there is a bit of insurance already in the bank.

So far it is five points from three of those games, which is not really enough. If they bump it up to eight from the four games with a win over Burnley then it is about the bare minimum you would have hoped for. Any less and there is a cause for concern.

Saints might do really well against the top six sides, but the top six are the top six for a reason – they win most of their matches.

Mauricio Pellegrino’s team do not want to feel as if they have to get points from those games. Those should be the bonus ones you pick up in a campaign.

But the pressure rises if you haven’t converted in the games you should have done.

A point at Brighton is not a bad result, but given Saints held the lead at half time having barely conceded a chance, it felt like another opportunity to win that failed to be converted.

Pellegrino made some interesting changes to his side, and his switch to more of a 4-1-4-1 formation, against a side that pretty much played 4-4-2, had the desired impact in the first half.

But it unravelled a little in the second as Saints allowed the impetus to shift and paid the price as a gettable two points slipped away.

At the same time the search for Pellegrino’s best team goes on, you feel.

After the wonder goal against West Brom, Sofiane Boufal was given a chance, but it didn’t really work out, and so it may well be back to the drawing board.

Although the first half at the Amex Stadium was nothing much to write home about in terms of entertainment, it was exactly what the doctor ordered for Saints.

It was they who were in control, and even out of possession seemingly bossing the game in terms of the tempo and rhythm, enjoying their chance to play the deeper role away from home.

That was helped massively by grabbing an early goal.

Saints had looked threatening from the kick-off, with James Ward-Prowse unfortunate not to find a teammate alert to the possibility of his cut back from the right by-line after just three minutes.

However, it wasn’t long before the recalled midfielder played a decisive role in Saints’ opener on eight minutes.

He whipped a superb free kick from 20 yards up and over the wall and saw it clatter the near post. Steven Davis was in the right place at the right time to convert into an unguarded net with a stooping header from just outside the six yard box.

Saints were largely comfortable for the rest of the half.

The most damage they caused was Dusan Tadic’s shot which was deflected wide, but it was their discipline and ability to blunt any Brighton rhythm that was most impressive.

Indeed, the Seagulls only truly went close once as Anthony Knockaert got in a right wing cross from inside the area that Glenn Murray headed over the bar under good pressure from Virgil van Dijk.

In the same way that Saints’ early goal was a decisive moment in the first period, so it was in the second as Brighton levelled up seven minutes after the restart.

It was a poor one from Saints who couldn’t clear when they had the chance and didn’t get the luck of a decision as referee Neil Swarbrick didn’t give a handball against Knockaert in the build-up.

It all ended with Pascal Gross standing up a cross from the right which found Glenn Murray at the far post having intelligently peeled off to be marked only by the diminutive Cedric Soares.

It was a total mismatch in the air and though Murray’s header wasn’t the most powerful, and potentially got a slight touch off of Cedric, Forster couldn’t get back across at his near post quickly enough to keep it out.

Buoyed by extra confidence and belief, Brighton were a much greater danger.

Murray fired wide at the near post, Jose Izquierdo’s shot was blocked by Virgil van Dijk and Shane Duffy sliced hopelessly wide from a decent shooting position in the area as they looked for another.

Other than a few moments when the game got stretched late on, Saints posed far less attacking threat in the second half.

Manolo Gabbiadini had a shot blocked by a strong near post challenge while Wesley Hoedt headed wide after Brighton failed to clear a free kick.

In the end it was honours even, and not a bad point for Saints, but, nonetheless, one that really leaves them needing a win against Burnley to have calm before the storm.

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Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 30/10/2017 11:03:14

| | ‘Cost us again’, ‘Out his depth’ - Southampton fans rage at man deemed responsible for drawFOOTBALLFANCAST |

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The Ugly Inside News for Southampton

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

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Summary of non-mainstream articles: 30/10/2017 12:03:29

| | Vital View - Premier League - 28th-29th October 2017VITALFOOTBALL |
| | Saints V Brighton The Verdict - Southampton NewsTHEUGLYINSIDE |
| | Southampton fans react on Twitter to Fraser Forster’s performance against BrightonHEREISTHECITY |
| | ‘Stop faking, start playing’ - Southampton fans slaughter 28-year-old after Brighton drawFOOTBALLFANCAST |

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@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

#SaintsFCU23s are back in #PL2 action tonight, as they host #BHAFC at Staplewood!

Check out our preview of the gam… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/924971383716831232

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Read Southampton

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| Our man of the match: Brighton (A) | Southampton were left frustrated as they were held to a 1-1 draw by newly-promoted Brighton on Sunday. The Saints … 30-10-2017 |

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| Southampton Player Ratings: Brighton (A)2 days ago |
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| Boufal could start against Brighton3 days ago |
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| Brighton vs Southampton: Match Preview3 days ago |

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Summary of non-mainstream articles: 30/10/2017 13:03:41

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| All tickets issued for Southampton matchBOURN |

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

#SaintsFC’s @olomola made it goals for the season for loan club #YTFC on Saturday:

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Summary of non-mainstream articles: 30/10/2017 14:03:54

| | Morning Editorial: Claude Puel Is Capable Of Steadying The Leicester City ShipUMAXIT |
| | Pattern emerging with Southampton transfer missions after the weekendSPORTWITNESS |
| | Southampton Reaction Pleases HughtonVITALFOOTBALL |
| | Why I played Sam Gallagher on the wing - Steve CotterillBIRMINGHAMMAIL |

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Sourced from Southampton FC - Official Site article

Loan Watch: Olomola strikes again

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The Saints youngster fired into the net at the end of a counter-attack for his seventh goal of the season, in between strikes from fellow loanee Sam Surridge.

Two dismissals late on for Olomola and Francois Zoko did not derail Town who eased through the closing stages to a comfortable home victory.

The only other winner over the weekend was goalkeeper Harry Lewis, whose clean sheet helped Dundee United to a 2-0 victory over Dumbarton in the Scottish Championship.

Elsewhere, Sam Gallagher featured in Birmingham City’s goalless draw with rivals Aston Villa at St Andrew’s.

Gallagher, introduced on the stroke of half-time for Isaac Vassell, fired over the bar in one of few scoring chances for the hosts. Steve Cotterill’s Blues now sit two points clear of the relegation zone.

Harrison Reed’s Norwich City meanwhile were defeated for the first time in eight league outings, succumbing 2-1 to Derby County.

Sam Winnall’s last-gasp goal saw the Rams draw level on points with the Canaries on the cusp of the play-off places.

Ryan Seager’s MK Dons slipped to a 2-0 loss away at Bristol Rovers. The Saints striker featured for ten minutes as a late second-half substitute.

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@RadfordMSOC - Radford Men’s Soccer

Need more reasons to Vote Colmer for the @SnrCLASSAward

VOTE http://bit.ly/VoteColmer

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Sourced from Sky Sports article

Stuart Pearce’s Premier League grades: Man Utd not convincing, comprehensive Liverpool

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Did your Premier League team live up to expectations this weekend?

We’ve asked Sky Sports Now pundit Stuart Pearce to give each side a grade, based purely on their weekend performance.

So, how did your team fare? Did they get a stunning A+, an awful F, or something in between? Read on to find out…

A good performance and a good result. It was a game they might be expected to win but they went out there and did the job convincingly in the first half then looked comfortable for the rest of the game. From their point of view, they look like they’re on the up again.

It was a great result for them, I didn’t see that coming. I thought the best they might get is a point with the way they have been playing. The results have been very average lately, but against Watford, it was a good one and I never saw it coming.

It was a fantastic result against one of their rivals. I wouldn’t say it was massively convincing but you have to come out on top in these games, especially with Man City’s result - it kept the pressure on them.

I felt at the start of the season that Man Utd wouldn’t be able to handle the absence of one of their key players, as opposed to Man City. Romelu Lukaku, Paul Pogba, probably Eric Bailly and David De Gea as well, are probably the four I’d pick out so if any of them are missing at any given time, they are going to feel it.

They were expected to win away at West Brom in a game that, in years gone by, might have been a tricky game but their performance was good and they scored three goals on the road. The score makes it look closer than it actually was but they matched the expectation to win.

It was a comprehensive 3-0 victory, although it wasn’t as comfortable as they would have liked with the early goal, but they won and kept a clean sheet which is vitality important.

It’s not really a surprise that they won away but to keep a clean sheet and get the three points in a day where Man Utd and Tottenham played each other - so someone had to drop points - it was a very important weekend for them.

They were expected to win at home but they made hard work of it. They didn’t play as well or as fluently as they would like to have done but the most important thing is the three points and they closed the gap on the top four.

They played well enough. The critical scenario for them was Harry Kane missing. I think he turns it in their favour if he’s playing in the game, but he wasn’t there on Saturday and I think it cost them the result. It is as straightforward as that with Tottenham. They are another team who can’t handle their key players missing and Kane is so key for them, it’s frightening.

The performance wasn’t bad though and Old Trafford is a tough place to go and try and get a result, but they will be disappointed in getting nothing.

They got a point out of a game when it looked like they were not going to get anything out of and they did extremely well to turn that around the way they did, but the other side of that is that they will be expecting to beat West Ham at home if they are looking to get out of the bottom three at any given stage this season. A bittersweet one for them.

When you’re winning a game 2-0, you expect to see it out. They’ll be disappointed that they haven’t taken three points and sealed Crystal Palace’s fate in the bottom three, at least until Christmas, and pushed themselves to just under halfway in the league, that would have been ideal.

But to give a goal away in the 96th minute is a real sickener but a point on the road would be important for them as well. Another bittersweet result.

They battled back into the game and made it difficult, but Man City absolutely walked the game. There’s no doubt about that. They did manage to stay in the game, but as for the performance and the run of play, they were well beaten by the best side in the country at the moment.

They stayed in the game for long periods of time and they had an opportunity to get something out of the game. Maybe they weren’t expected to beat Chelsea at home but a point would have been fair. They will be disappointed that they’ve been beaten at home.

Both teams, to me, looked like they were content with getting a point out of a game where they didn’t want to be beaten and it almost turned into a semi dead rubber if I’m honest.

I think they went to Anfield and gave a good account of themselves in a very difficult game. They were not really expected to win or get anything on the road at Liverpool and that’s exactly what happened.

The King Power is not an easy place to go but was it Leicester being so good or Everton putting in a poor display? They’re having a tough time at the moment. They were beaten again and it was another occasion where they didn’t score in the game.

I really fancied Watford to win this game with the run of form they’ve been on. My expectations were that they would beat a Stoke side who have been struggling badly but they didn’t. They will be disappointed with that but they have had a great start to the season. It is a bad result at home, though.

They weren’t expected to win at the Emirates and they made it very difficult for Arsenal. When you come away with nothing, you’re frustrated. I think they are going to have a tough season but their bigger battles will end up being at home rather than on the road.

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Summary of non-mainstream articles: 30/10/2017 15:04:08

| | TV ! Saints At Brighton ! Fans Reaction - Southampton NewsTHEUGLYINSIDE |
| | Glovers to appeal Olomola red card after mass brawlSOMERSETLIVE |
|

| Ciderspace News Page : Yeovil Town Launch Appeal Against Olomola Red CardCIDERSPACE |
| | Should Southampton keeper Forster have saved Murray’s equaliser? Sky Sports pundits think soWESTSUSSEXTODAY |
| | Brighton & Hove Albion OPPOSITION VIEW: SOUTHAMPTONBRIGHTONHOVEALBIONFC |
| | Saints lack clinical edge: PellegrinoBELFASTTELE |
|

| NEWS | Town to appeal Olomola red cardYEOVILTOWNFCOFFICIAL |
| | Southampton star makes admission about Virgil van Dijk | FutnSoccerFUTNSOCCER |

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Read Southampton

New content from (- Read Southampton)

| Our player of the month: October | Southampton enjoyed an unbeaten October as they picked up two draws and one win during the month. Despite managing … 30-10-2017 |

Older content…

| Our man of the match: Brighton (A)15 hours ago |
| Analysing what Pellegrino got right, and what he got wrong, at Brighton2 days ago |
| Pellegrino reveals why Austin was not on the bench for Brighton draw2 days ago |
| Southampton Player Ratings: Brighton (A)2 days ago |
| Opposition Dangerman: Brighton (A)2 days ago |
| Brighton vs Southampton: Last time out2 days ago |
| Lemina ruled out of Brighton clash3 days ago |
| Boufal could start against Brighton3 days ago |
| Chris Hughton lauds “wonderfully-gifted” Southampton3 days ago |

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@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

Versatility
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Read what the boss has had to say about #SaintsFC skipper, @StevenDavis8: http://sfcne.ws/MPonDavis

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Join us LIVE from Staplewood Campus tonight, as we bring you #SaintsFCU23s’ latest #PL2 clash, against #BHAFC!

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Summary of non-mainstream articles: 30/10/2017 16:04:21

| | Tight Brighton Game For PellegrinoVITALFOOTBALL |
| | ‘Need to progress the rest of your game’ - Southampton fans have some thoughts for duoFOOTBALLFANCAST |

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