OptiNews - Friday 31 March to Thursday 06 April 2017

Sourced from The Telegraph article

Can any other club match Man City’s desperate wait for an away win after trailing at half time?

Show/hide article…

For all the millions of pounds spent and multitude of trophies won, Man City have so far failed to fix one ongoing problem: they never turnaround a half time deficit to win away from home.

Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat to Chelsea means Pep Guardiola’s side have now gone 96 games without battling back to win an away match in which they were losing at half time.

How does their dire run compare to the rest of the Premier League?

Go to the original article…

...fervently contrived by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from Southampton FC - Official Site article

Puel: We must keep this intensity

Show/hide article…

Puel’s men delivered a superb display, creating a number of opportunities before Maya Yoshida and James Ward-Prowse struck late to secure the points.

And with three wins in the last five Premier League games, the Saints boss is hoping for more of the same against a difficult outfit.

“Is it the best moment of the season? I don’t know because we have played some different good games against strong teams.

“With a match every two weeks, it was difficult to keep a good intensity and rhythm.

“We saw this against AFC Bournemouth but against Crystal Palace, we showed good quality and a good spirit but the intensity of our play was good.

“It’s important to keep this but it’s difficult to see the future. Every game is very difficult, with great opponents and physical play.

“We will see this against West Brom because it’s a strong team with good organisation, discipline and structure.

“It’s always difficult to play against this side and we know this from the first game we played against them.”

Go to the original article…

...ostensibly given birth to by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from Premier League - Official Site article

Budget Saints options on FPL radar

Show/hide article…

Three players claimed the maximum Fantasy Premier League bonus points in Southampton’s 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace.

Saints scorers Nathan Redmond (£5.9m) and Maya Yoshida (£4.3m), along with Eagles winger Andros Townsend (£5.8m), all shared a Bonus Points System (BPS) score of 34.

Redmond benefitted primarily from his goal and by completing 94% of his 34 attempted passes, creating five scoring opportunities.

Meanwhile, centre-back Yoshida contributed eight clearances, blocks and interceptions (CBI), along with six recoveries.

Townsend provided the cross for Christian Benteke (£7.1m) to open the scoring at St Mary’s Stadium. That was one of four key passes he supplied, while he also tracked back to make six recoveries and win four tackles.

With Southampton facing nine fixtures over the remaining seven Gameweeks, Yoshida and Ward-Prowse delivered a timely reminder of the value they can offer.

Despite his international exertions with Japan, Yoshida has featured in the last two matches and appears to be an assured starter.

However, Claude Puel’s defence have only managed two clean sheets in their last seven matches in the absence of the injured Virgil van Dijk (£5.6m), suggesting that Yoshida may struggle for defensive returns.

Ward-Prowse, meanwhile, has three goals and one assist from his last seven starts.

Owned by 0.9% of managers, he offers differential cover of Southampton’s two yet to be announced “double Gameweeks”, with his budget price-tag a key factor.

For Crystal Palace, back-to-back goals have put Benteke into contention ahead of two fixtures in Gameweek 34, with a trip to Liverpool and a home match-up with Tottenham Hotspur on the agenda.

Benteke and Palace will host Arsenal in Gameweek 32, with the Gunners arriving at Selhurst Park on Monday with a single clean sheet from their previous 10 away trips.

Go to the original article…

...cautiously dreamed up by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from talkSPORT article

Transfer news: Italian giants Inter Milan enter race for Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk

Show/hide article…

Inter Milan are planning an audacious summer swoop for Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk.

The Dutchman has been linked with a move away from the Saints at the end of the season after being the subject of strong interest in January.

Back then Manchester City were chasing the 25-year-old and Pep Guardiola remains a fan of the centre-back.

Inter Milan, though, according to Corriere dello Sport, are now in the mix to sign Van Dijk too this summer and they are putting together a formal offer.

The Italian club have money to spend thanks to the financial backing of the Suning Commerce Group and they have their eye on the Southampton defender.

Interest in Van Dijk is likely to be high, however, with Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United also interested in him.

Go to the original article…

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

Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 06/04/2017 17:11:10

| | Crystal Palace Player Ratings: Southampton (A)READCRYSTALPALACE |
| | Sempreinter CdS: Inter are keen on van DijkSEMPREINTER |

...unfazedly hewn by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

:innocent: Importance of #CPFC win

:facepunch: Respect for #WBA

:thinking: Return of @Mgabbia23?

The key points from the #SaintsFC boss: https://grabyo.com/g/v/57t61Vdiq3M

Retweets: 2

Favourites: 11

...inexpressively cast by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from A tweet by OficialCedric tweet

@OficialCedric - Cédric Soares

Great comeback after their goal! Good job team! #SaintsFC #WeMarchOn

Retweets: 37

Favourites: 294

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

Sourced from Southampton FC - Official Site article

Matchday Playlist: Saints vs Crystal Palace

Show/hide article…

Southampton Football Club is on Spotify – and you can now check out our St Mary’s Stadium matchday playlist from our 3-1 win over Crystal Palace.

Go to the original article…

...reverberantly sired by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from Sky Sports article

Premier League Saves of the Week

Show/hide article…

Watch a selection of the best saves from this week’s Premier League games, including saves from Eldin Jakupovic, Jordan Pickford and Joel Robles.

Go to the original article…

...intentionally manufactured by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 06/04/2017 18:11:23

|

| Matchday Uncovered vs Crystal Palace - Southampton FCDUGOUT |
| | CLUBCALL |
| | Claude Puel challenges Southampton to keep pace with West BromBELFASTTELE |

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

Sourced from Sky Sports article

Premier League questions: Can Arsenal build momentum in top-four push?

Show/hide article…

We look at the big questions surrounding this weekend’s Premier League matches.

A full set of midweek fixtures has set us up perfectly for the weekend, with four games live on Sky Sports 1 HD.

It all kicks off with Tottenham hosting Watford as Mauricio Pochettino’s men look to put pressure on league leaders Chelsea, who are currently seven points clear at the top.

A Super Sunday sees Manchester United travel to basement club Sunderland before Leicester look to make it six league wins in a row when travelling to Everton.

And the action doesn’t stop there, with Arsenal heading to south London to take on Crystal Palace on Monday Night Football.

Watford will be glad to see the back of White Hart Lane, having lost on their last six league visits to the stadium.

They have also never managed to score more than once in any of their previous seven top-flight meetings.

That could be a problem considering Tottenham have averaged more than three goals per game since being held scoreless at Genk and Liverpool in back-to-back matches in February.

Troy Deeney looks like the Hornets’ best bet. He has reached double figures for the second season in a row and has six goals in his last eight league appearances.

The bad news? He’s scored against 41 different teams during his Watford career but not Tottenham.

The gap to fourth place could be seven points by the time Manchester United kick off on Sunday afternoon.

Mourinho’s side hold Champions League aspirations but three consecutive draws at Old Trafford have dented their hopes.

They have been much better away from home, though, scoring three goals in wins over Leicester and Middlesbrough.

Add to the mix Sunderland’s woeful home form - they are winless in six league games, failing to score in their last four - and United will fancy their chances of getting back on track.

Craig Shakespeare will join exulted company with a win at Goodison Park on Super Sunday.

The Foxes boss could equal the Premier League record for consecutive wins from the start of his managerial career with a sixth straight victory, matching Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti.

But Everton may well offer Shakespeare his toughest test since replacing Claudio Ranieri.

They have won their last six league matches at home, keeping clean sheets in five and scoring 22 goals in the process.

And in Romelu Lukaku they boast a striker most comfortable in his Goodison Park surroundings.

The Premier League’s leading scorer has had a hand in 18 goals in his last 14 home appearances, finding the net 10 times in his last six.

Arsenal returned to winning ways during the week against West Ham, and they can ill afford to drop any points in the run-in as they look to claw their way back into the top four.

Crucial games at home to Manchester City and away to Tottenham are still to come this month, but first their attention must turn to Selhurst Park on MNF.

Palace themselves were enjoying a strong run until they were undone by Southampton, but Sam Allardyce will call on that spirit which saw the Eagles upset Chelsea last weekend.

Four league games without a win has seen Man City slip away from the title race - with the midweek loss at Chelsea seemingly the final nail in the coffin.

Now 14 points behind Chelsea, attention must turn to holding off Arsenal and Manchester United to secure a Champions League spot next season.

Pep Guardiola’s side host a Hull side buoyed by two straight wins, but the Tigers remain 10 points off the magic 40 mark with seven games to play.

Middlesbrough had been teetering above the relegation zone for the majority of the season, but they now find themselves trapped in the bottom three.

A win against Burnley is essential, while Sean Dyche’s side could all-but guarantee safety and condemn Boro deeper into the mire with one fell swoop at the Riverside.

Victory would move Burnley to 38 points, but that would require a first away win of the season for the Clarets.

It’s an open secret that Liverpool’s issue this season has been their propensity to concede goals.

They have kept one clean sheet in the league in 2017 and have particularly struggled on their travels, with just six clean sheets in Jurgen Klopp’s 30 away games so far.

But Mark Hughes’ Stoke have gone goal-shy in recent games, failing to net in three of their last four matches.

It’s a key reason behind their three-match losing slump, which should offer Liverpool cause for optimism as they look to solidify their top-four credentials.

There’s no prize for finishing eighth, but for West Brom and Southampton there’s the opportunity to finish ‘best of the rest’ come what May, with Everton seven points clear in seventh.

Southampton head to The Hawthorns on Saturday seven points behind hosts West Brom, but crucially the Saints have two games in hand.

The Hammers are in freefall having lost their last five league matches, piling the pressure on manager Slaven Bilic.

If they lose again on Saturday and results go against them, they could find themselves just two points above the relegation zone.

But Paul Clement’s honeymoon at Swansea looks over after their late collapse at home to Spurs condemned the Swans to a third defeat in four games.

It also sent them back into the bottom three, lending even greater importance to this potential six-pointer.

Five games without losing has helped Bournemouth move out of the relegation mix, but Eddie Howe won’t be resting on his laurels just yet.

Sitting seven points above the drop zone, Bournemouth’s tally of 35 points means they’re almost there, but Chelsea arrive on Saturday with their own agenda - keeping Tottenham off their heels.

The league leaders recovered well from defeat at Palace to sink Man City, and Conte knows 18 more points - which would take them to 90 - will help them lift the league trophy on May 21.

Sky customers can now upgrade to Sky Sports and get 12 months for just £18 per month. Upgrade now!

Go to the original article…

...still cast by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

:movie_camera:

Straight back to work for the trip to #WBA! Watch as #SaintsFC trained at Staplewood Campus earlier today: https://grabyo.com/g/v/RfXuF6P288u

Retweets: 4

Favourites: 8

...ineloquently dreamed up by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from Sky Sports article

Premier League Daily podcast: Is Antonio Conte the world’s best manager?

Show/hide article…

Is Antonio Conte the world’s best manager?

That was the pre-match claim of Pep Guardiola before Wednesday night’s Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge.

And Conte certainly helped deliver on that claim, his Chelsea side holding their nerve to beat Manchester City 2-1 and stay seven points clear at the top of the table. We’ll hear from Conte, and also whether Alan McInally agrees with that statement.

Plus, listen out for Mauricio Pochettino after Tottenham’s comeback win at Swansea kept them in touch with the league leaders.

It was a good night for Arsenal and, in particular, Mesut Ozil. He scored one and assisted one in the 3-0 win over West Ham. Matt Le Tissier tells us why Gunners fans should cut him some slack.

Premier League Daily is back tomorrow and every weekday morning from 10am on Sky Sports News HQ. Danny Higginbotham and Paul Merson join us in the studio on Friday.

Go to the original article…

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

Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 06/04/2017 19:11:37

| | Team news: The latest on Matty Phillips ahead of SouthamptonBIRMINGHAMMAIL |
| | Palace Options ‘Thin On The Ground’ For ArsenalVITALFOOTBALL |

...lecherously synergised by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from Sky Sports article

Claude Puel sets top eight target for his Southampton side

Show/hide article…

Claude Puel has admitted that defeat at West Brom could seriously damage Southampton’s chances of a top-eight Premier League finish.

Boss Puel has challenged Saints to pull off a result at The Hawthorns to avoid losing any more ground in the league shake-up.

Ninth-placed Saints, who trail West Brom in eighth by seven points, hold two games in hand over Tony Pulis’ side.

Last term Saints finished sixth to qualify for the Europa League, but the south coast club trail sixth-placed Manchester United by 17 points with nine games remaining.

“It will be important to take points at West Brom, or one point minimum for our ambitions for the end of the season,” said Puel.

"The win against Crystal Palace [on Wednesday] was very important in terms of the result because many teams behind us also took points.

"I was happy yesterday because with all those scenarios the team kept a good spirit and kept going always, and in difficulties they gave a good answer.

“It will be the same against West Brom and with the schedule afterwards too.”

Southampton will be without the suspended Oriol Romeu for the trip to the west Midlands, and Manolo Gabbiadini, Ryan Bertrand, Steven Davis and Sofiane Boufal are all doubts.

Romeu will start a two-match ban after collecting 10 bookings, and Davis suffered an ankle problem against Palace.

Bertrand missed the Palace win with a hamstring complaint and Boufal a muscle injury, while Gabbiadini is still battling a groin issue.

“Romeu is suspended, we will see with Davies if he can play, with his ankle injury,” said Puel.

“And I don’t know for example if Gabbiadini can participate with the squad for this game. It’s difficult for the moment to prepare this game. With Bertrand, Davis and Boufal, all these players I don’t know about for the moment.”

Sky customers can now upgrade to Sky Sports and get 12 months for just £18 per month. Upgrade now!

Go to the original article…

...materialistically forged by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

:bar_chart:

An unwanted #WBA record, #SaintsFC’s @NathanRedmond22’s form and @Prowsey16’s goals all feature in our stat pack: http://sfcne.ws/StatPackWBAa

Retweets: 2

Favourites: 3

...harassingly brought into existence by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!

Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

:camera_flash:

It was all smiles at Staplewood this afternoon, as #SaintsFC prepared for the visit to #WBA:… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/850083695029604353

Retweets: 1

Favourites: 9

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

Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

Our Predict The Score competition for #SaintsFC’s trip to #WBA is open!

Enter for the chance to win a signed shirt: http://sfcne.ws/PTSWestBromA

Retweets: 0

Favourites: 0

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

Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

:movie_camera:

Watch the second part of Claude Puel’s press conference, ahead of #SaintsFC’s clash with #WBA: http://sfcne.ws/CPonWBAPart2

Retweets: 0

Favourites: 3

...overwhelmingly formulated by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!