Sourced from Southampton FC - Official Site article
Show/hide article…
This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are consenting to their use. View cookie policy.
Go to the original article…
...improbably made by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
Sourced from Southampton FC - Official Site article
Gallery: Saints prepare for FC Internazionale
Show/hide article…
Take a look at our gallery of images from Staplewood Campus, as Southampton trained ahead of Thursday’s UEFA Europa League clash at the San Siro.
Go to the original article…
...uncannily built by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet
@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC
Ahead of #SaintsFC’s latest #UEL trip, we got the lowdown on @Inter from @MondoFutbolCom journalist @pizzigo: https://cards.twitter.com/cards/rh0us/2e399
Retweets: 3
Favourites: 7
...semi-circularly cobbled together by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary
Summary of non-mainstream articles: 18/10/2016 21:33:51
|
...untruthfully concocted by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!| Charlie Austin: The New Offensive Leader of the EPL? | SoccerlensSOCCERLENS |
|| 4-3-1-2 line-up with changes: Predicted Southampton side to play Inter MilanHEREISTHECITY |
Sourced from Southampton FC - Official Site article
Limited hospitality for Sunderland
Show/hide article…
Our Saints Bar package is available for the match on Wednesday 26th October, 7.45pm, for just £40 +VAT.
The Saints Bar package includes:
– Premium seating with a great view on the action
– Access to the private bar throughout
– A half-time drink on the house (wine, beer or soft drinks)
– A complimentary pre-match meal from our gourmet food market
If you are interested in making a booking, you can buy online now, or make an enquiry and a member of our Hospitality Team will be in touch.
Go to the original article…
...generously given rise to by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
Sourced from Southampton FC - Official Site article
Show/hide article…
Ahead of Southampton’s trip to the San Siro in the UEFA Europa League, we got the lowdown on Inter from MondoFutbol.com journalist Carlo Pizzigoni.
How has Inter’s season been so far?
This summer, Inter replaced coach Roberto Mancini with Frank de Boer. The former Ajax manager has only been working with his players since mid-August and it has influenced the beginning of the Nerazzurri’s season.
The Dutch coach needs time to build a new team identity. In these first matches, Inter’s performances have been rather fluctuating, alternating between some good matches and bad ones. At “San Siro”, the Nerazzurri achieved a great victory against Juventus, their fiercest rivals in Italy, in an amazing match where everything went well for Inter. However, De Boer’s side have struggled against small teams and also in home matches. At “Stadio Giuseppe Meazza”, the Nerazzurri indeed won a match against Juventus, but drew one game and lost two. Now Inter are in 11th place, a position that doesn’t reflect the real value of their players.
How has the team been performing in the Europa League?
Until now, the Europa League campaign has been even more difficult than Serie A, with two losses in two matches and a pair of performances not good enough, both against Israeli side Hapoel Be’er Sheva, in Milan, and against Sparta Prague, in Czech Republic.
These results are probably also influenced by Frank de Boer’s squad rotation. In the Europa League, the Dutch manager has deployed different players. However, as we’ve already said, the fact that the Nerazzurri have not yet developed a clear team identity and well-defined style of playing, due to de Boer’s late start, has influenced so much of their Europa League campaign.
It’s a short competition where you can’t fail in a match. Now Inter can’t afford to miss any chance.
How is the absence of some of the team’s important players affecting them in the Europa League?
For sure, the absence of some players is a burden for Inter. First of all, that of Portuguese talent João Mário, who played a stunning European championship. In the final against France, without injured Cristiano Ronaldo, the Porto-born midfielder showed his high quality. Having arrived in Milan, he has settled in immediately in Serie A, which is normally a rather difficult league for newcomers. He’s already become a fan idol, and many supporters wear his “number six” shirt. On San Siro stage, the Portuguese player seems to feel at home and has shown moves that have excited football lovers.
How strong do you expect Inter’s team to be against Southampton?
Inter must win against Southampton, after two losses in the first two matches. It won’t be an easy game. In addition to being in last position in their group, the Nerazzurri are experiencing a quite difficult moment, also due to the controversy related to Mauro Icardi. The team must enthral its fans, and the only way to do that is to play a generous game, but attention and concentration should be very high. Inter-Southampton could be a key match in Inter’s season.
Who do you think will be the key players for Inter on Thursday?
The footballers with the most experience – those who have played high-level matches more often – must appear immediately sure, in order to be a point of reference for their teammates. I’m referring especially to their defensive leader and former Brazilian national team captain João Miranda, the talented midfielder Éver Banega, who captured the last two Europa League titles with Sevilla FC, and Gary Medel, two-time South American champion with Chile, who was praised by former national coach Jorge Sampaoli in a recent interview in Spanish monthly magazine “Panenka”.
What sort of a match do you expect between Inter and Southampton?
Southampton are in good form, they’ve gained four points in the first two matches. Inter must win and they will have to lead the game, if possibly not at high intensity. Maybe the Nerazzurri need a change of formation, or rather a different interpretation of their formation – until now a “spurious” 4-3-3, with an agile midfield – but, in a decisive match, it’s not the time to try something new. A “syncopated” style of play could be useful for Inter Milan. They should be able to wait without uncovering too much. In these kind of games, calmness and patience are among the most valuable virtues.
Go to the original article…
...fussily fitted together by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
Sourced from Mirror.co.uk article
Inter vs Southampton shows how the clubs’ fortunes have changed in six years
Show/hide article…
Few occasions will highlight Southampton ’s rapid progress in recent years than their glamour trip to Inter Milan.
Six years ago, Jose Mourinho led Inter to Champions League final glory as part of a Treble – also featuring their fourth successive Serie A title – in their greatest season.
That same 2009-10 campaign, Saints won the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and finished seventh in League One, hampered by a 10-point deduction, under Alan Pardew.
Yet on Thursday evening, the two sides meet as equals in a Europa League group match in the iconic San Siro.
Kelvin Davis, Saints’ goalkeeper during their rise to the Premier League and now their football development executive, said: “Did I realise back then that, within that timescale, we would be playing Inter Milan at the San Siro? No.
“But did I believe the club was heading in the right direction? 100 per cent yes.
“Playing Inter is a fantastic marker. They are a massive name in world football, so to be on a level playing field with them shows what the club has achieved.”
Back-to-back promotions in 2011 and 2012 took Southampton from League One to the Premier League. And they have improved year-on-year in the top flight, finishing 14th, eighth, seventh and sixth, despite major turnover in playing staff and the departure of two managers.
The huge belief and finances injected into the club – following the late Markus Liebherr’s 2009 takeover – have been key to their growth, says Davis.
So, too, has building strong and united dressing rooms, plus having a good link between the management level of the club and players.
Listening to Davis, it is clear that everyone at Southampton is in accord.
It is also impossible to ignore how impressively they have coped with the loss of players and managers and repeatedly found equally, if not more, effective replacements.
Five things we learned as Austin double leads Southampton to win vs Burnley
“That has certainly been a key factor in continuing our success,” Davis said.“Whenever anybody comes to this club, they are put through a rigorous selection process to ensure they are the right type of person because it is about having the right people before having the ability.”
One of the next targets for Southampton is to be Champions League-ready within five years.
Contrasting with Saints’ success, bad decisions on and off the pitch have contributed to Inter’s decline.
This season, having sacked coach Roberto Mancini less than a fortnight before the first game and with replacement Frank de Boer already under pressure, they are 11th in Serie A.
Their Europa League squad has had to be weakened because ofFFP rules, and captain Mauro Icardi is at war with the club’s Ultras.
Saints hero Benali had to ‘grit his teeth’ during 1000-mile charity groundhop
Southampton arrive in Italy primed to inflict more misery — Saints are on a seven-game unbeaten run and eyeing a result that would be another high point in their remarkable rise.
“We are excited about the game,” Davis said. “I can assure you, we don’t go to any club these days expecting to lose.”
Go to the original article…
...desirously bred by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
Sourced from Southampton FC - Official Site article
Liverpool ticket details confirmed
Show/hide article…
Ticket details for Southampton’s Premier League home game against Liverpool have been confirmed.
Claude Puel’s side welcome Liverpool to St Mary’s on Saturday 19th November, with a kick-off time of 3pm GMT.
On-sale dates:
• Official Members with a previous purchase history from this season: Monday 24th October (9am)
• Official Members with a purchase history from the 2014/15 season onwards: Thursday 27th October (9am)
• Supporters with a previous purchase history from this season: Monday 31st October (9am)
• Supporters with a purchase history from the 2014/15 season onwards: Thursday 3rd November (9am)
Please note that tickets are limited to one per Official Member during the priority periods. All on-sale dates are subject to remaining availability.
Tickets for the Category A game are priced as follows:
Please note that supporters are able to purchase one ticket per eligible Supporter Number. We would advise all supporters to ensure that they allocate each ticket to the Supporter Number of the supporters attending the game, so that those fans can build a purchase history with the club. Tickets cannot be re-assigned to other Supporter Numbers once they have been purchased.
If you meet the above criteria, be sure to sign up to become a 2016/17 Official Member to ensure you’re at the front of the queue!
Become an Official Member by clicking here.
Tickets are sold subject to the Ticket Terms and Conditions and Ticketing Policy.
Go to the original article…
...scintillatingly given life to by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
Sourced from Southampton FC - Official Site article
Video: Saints train ahead of Inter
Show/hide article…
This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are consenting to their use. View cookie policy.
Go to the original article…
...ostentatiously developed by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet
@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC
Ticketing details for #SaintsFC’s home game against #LFC next month have been confirmed. Find out more here: https://cards.twitter.com/cards/rh0us/2e3f4
Retweets: 0
Favourites: 1
...voyeuristically bred by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet
@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC
A limited number of Club Southampton packages are available for #SaintsFC’s clash with #SAFC in the #EFLCup: https://cards.twitter.com/cards/rh0us/2e37z
Retweets: 0
Favourites: 2
...philosophically prepared by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary
Summary of non-mainstream articles: 18/10/2016 22:34:05
| | Southampton keeping an eye on Bundesliga starlet, January move possibleSPORTWITNESS |
...heart-breakingly shaped by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
Sourced from Daily and Sunday Express article
Fantasy Premier League Dream Team: Gameweek 8 | Sport Galleries | Pics | Daily Express
Show/hide article…
Express Sport takes a look at who made it into the Fantasy Premier League Dream Team in Gameweek 8 [Getty Images•REUTERS]
Go to the original article…
...forcibly manufactured by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary
Summary of non-mainstream articles: 18/10/2016 23:34:17
|
| Southampton breeze past struggling BurnleyFANSIDEDPLAYINGFOR90 |
|| Southampton should make a move to bring Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain backHEREISTHECITY | ...contrastingly whittled by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
Sourced from Daily Echo article
Show/hide article…
SAINTS star Ryan Bertrand has been fined for speeding in Hampshire.
The defender was clocked doing 83 miles per hour on the A31 near Winchester near Spitfire Roundabout, Aldershot Magistrates Court was told. The legal limit on that road is 60 miles per hour.
Bertrand, of Eaton Park Road, Cobham, Surrey, admitted the offence that occurred when he was driving a 65-reg Mercedes S63 coupe on March 30 this year.
Magistrates fined him £330, with a £33 victim surcharge and £85 court costs. he also had three penalty points imposed on his licence.
The England international left back is currently injured after pulling a hamstring during the match with Malta earlier this month.
He signed for Southampton on loan in July 2014 and made the move from Chelsea permanent in February 2015, signing a four and a half year contract for an undisclosed fee estimated at around £10 million.
Go to the original article…
...ornamentally modelled by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
Sourced from Sky Sports article
Blackburn 2-1 Nottingham Forest: Sam Gallagher at the double
Show/hide article…
Sam Gallagher’s first-half brace hauled Blackburn out of the Championship’s bottom three as Nottingham Forest’s travelling troubles continued.
Philippe Montanier’s side remain without a victory on the road in the league this term and Rovers coasted to a 2-1 success with on-loan Southampton striker Gallagher taking his tally to five goals.
His cool finish in the driving rain 11 minutes in was followed up by a tap-in laid on by Corry Evans to earn Blackburn just their second home success, enough to lift them above Wigan and Cardiff.
Damien Perquis pulled one back late on for a Forest side who ended with 10 men when Hildeberto Pereira picked up a second caution in stoppage time.
A difficult start to the season at Ewood Park has frustrated a fanbase with gripes over both the ownership and their choice of manager, Owen Coyle. However, there was little sign that such concerns were transferring themselves onto the pitch as Rovers’ first attacking move ended with a reward.
It featured excellent link-up play - Jason Lowe into Marvin Emnes and back to Ben Marshall, whose flicked pass set Gallagher free. And though the striker’s touch appeared heavy, Vladimir Stojkovic did little to impose himself when coming out to meet the shot as Gallagher shuffled it past him and into the net.
That strike enhanced Gallagher’s confidence and he drove at Forest’s defence again with a solo run that ended in him bending a left-footed try wide of the post.
With their visitors unable to muster anything to test Jason Steele, Blackburn doubled their advantage on the stroke of half-time. Danny Guthrie’s precise pass was collected by Evans in the box and, rather than going for goal, he selflessly squared for Gallagher to roll home his second of the evening.
A third goal would have killed off any hope for Forest and Blackburn thought they should have been awarded a penalty when Perquis seemed to push Tommie Hoban in the back from a corner. Referee Tim Robinson refuted their claim and was unmoved when the same Forest player tried to nick the ball away from Gallagher in the box shortly afterwards.
With the need for a goal evident, Montanier introduced the fit-again Britt Assombalonga from the bench with 16 minutes remaining. They had a great chance to reduce the deficit when another substitute Nicolao Dumitru was released by Vellios but he woefully steered wide.
Perquis did grab a consolation for Forest by stabbing in after Steele flapped from a long throw, but the visitors could not claim an equaliser, even when Stojkovic came up for a late free-kick.
That meant the keeper was stranded as Conway led a counter-attack and he was hacked down by Periera just after halfway to earn him a second yellow card.
"I’ve been an admirer of Gallagher for years. We had to work hard to get him here. He had the loan spell (at MK Dons) last year but it didn’t go well for him because it came on the back of the bad injury he had.
"I felt we could impart some knowledge, experience that we’ve picked up. I’ve had some very good strikers that have come to me, we managed to help Daniel (Sturridge), Benik Afobe, (Marc) Albrighton for a spell, very good attacking players. I said to Sam I felt he was in that mould of those players that can continue to develop.
"We started very badly in the first half. For me we lost the game in the first half. I don’t know why, what’s happened. We prepared very well and after Birmingham (3-1 win on Friday night) we had confidence. But it’s a handicap for us if you play only 45 minutes of the 90.
“The second half was better and we are closer to a goal at the end, but it’s not sufficient to play only one half.”
Go to the original article…
...unmotivatedly sculpted by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet
@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC
Heading out to Italy today?
Check out Dr Barry Gale’s guide to Milan, as #SaintsFC prepare to face @Inter: http://youtu.be/UykLPOBnOFM
Retweets: 2
Favourites: 12
...supplely erected by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary
Summary of non-mainstream articles: 19/10/2016 07:37:35
|
| The Kop Times | Liverpool Fan Blog | Opinions & Transfer News » Anfield Update: £34 Million Liverpool Star On Why He …THEKOPTIMES || Sam Gallagher brace sees Blackburn past Nottingham ForestCLUBCALL |
|
| | Football News | Betting Tips, Live Scores, Transfer News | Sporting LifeSPLIFE |
|| On-loan striker Sam Gallagher still improving, says Blackburn boss Owen CoyleCLUBCALL |
|| 3 Southampton players who could follow Victor Wanyama to Spurs in January | ShootSHOOTCOUK | ...blasphemously forged by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
Sourced from Daily Echo article
Inspirational Franny Benali deserves more help from those who can afford it
Show/hide article…
IT was a great opportunity for a superb piece of PR - an open goal, if you want - but football clubs up and down the country failed to take it.
The inspirational figure of Franny Benali spent a fortnight running and cycling around 100 miles every day in a bid to raise money for Cancer Research.
For the second time in three years, the former Saints star put his body through hell to encourage the general public to donate to a worthwhile charity.
No doubt the general public, certainly those in and around the city of Southampton who either know Benali or know of him, will do what they can to support.
So far, he has raised around £100,000 from what has become known as Benali’s Big Race.
His first charity challenge - running between all the Premier League grounds in September 2014 - brought in around £250,000.
They are big sums, certainly.
But there is a limit, though, as to how much the public can do, how much they can raise.
It was nice to see a whole host of footballing stars - past and present - come out to meet Benali on his punishing journey around the 44 Premier League and Championship grounds.
The likes of Wayne Rooney, Teddy Sheringham, Aaron Ramsey and Adam Lallana all lined up to give their support to Benali for his superhuman efforts.
Inevitably, there have been calls on social media for the footballers to support Benali with four-figure donations from their own large bank balances to Cancer Research.
You can see why. After all, Premier League footballers are among the richest sporting stars in the world.
If any group can spare a few thousand pounds for a great cause - and to reward Benali for putting his health in danger - then it’s this lot.
In fairness, however, someone like Rooney might already make regular donations to charity. He might, for all we know, not want them to be made public. In that respect, modern-day footballers are easy targets.
But the clubs? That’s a different matter entirely.
Saints announced on Sunday afternoon, as Benali entered St Mary’s to a hero’s reception, that they have donated £25,000 to Cancer Research UK “thanks to contributions from players, staff, Saints Foundation and Southampton FC”.
Now, we can debate for hours whether a Premier League club’s playing squad and staff should be able to raise more than £25,000 - especially for someone, like Benali, who is “one of our own” …
It would be easy for Saints fans to say their club should have donated more to Cancer Research on the back of Benali’s herculean sporting achievement.
After all, they pay some of their players considerably more than £25,000 a week - and Benali has run more miles in October than any of Claude Puel’s first teamers.
And after all, they banked around £750,000 from Sky TV just for having Sunday’s game against Burnley screened live on satellite television.
How lovely it would have been if that fee was given to Cancer Research. Think of the positive PR, the goodwill generated.
At least they have donated £25,000, and that’s £25,000 better than nothing.
It’s also £25,000 more than the other clubs SuperFran had ran and cycled to have donated.
If the other 43 clubs Benali had visited on his journey followed Saints’ example, that would be £1.1m for Cancer Research.
One point one million pounds, and oodles of positive publicity.
Benali said at the outset that he was aiming to raise £1m, and £25,000 each from 44 rich football clubs would see him smash his target.
Just think - £50,000 each would be £2.2m!
On the day Benali visited Stamford Bridge last week, Chelsea announced a new shirt sponsorship deal potentially worth £900m.
Those are the sort of sums that the top Premier League clubs now deal in.
They are obscene sums to the average football fan, the working man and the working woman.
Surely some clubs can find a tiny fraction of that figure to boost Benali’s fund-raising target?
In this day and age, when football’s great name has recently been tarnished with national newspaper reports of possible corruption leading to the England manager losing his job …
In this day and age, when as a result of those corruption stories it is easy to look at Premier League players and officials as people divorced from the financial reality of the people who pay their wages …
Here was a chance, a really great chance, for all the Premier League clubs to get behind Francis Benali and show the nation that they do have a conscience.
I know, I know … football clubs probably deal with hundreds, thousands, of sponsorship requests every week.
They probably do what they can to help.
They are not sporting philanthropists, handing out cash sums to all good causes on a daily basis, they are well-run companies.
But still … here was a former professional - lest we forget, one of their own - completing a barely believable 100 miles a day, on his feet and on a bike, for charity.
Here he was, visiting all of them, come rain or shine.
You can’t help but think if it was a former Manchester United or Liverpool player who was undertaking the same route as Benali, the national media would have found more air-time, more column inches, to promote it.
Earlier this season, Everton FC donated £200,000 to the family of a five-year-old Sunderland supporter fighting cancer.
I’m not saying all top flight clubs should instantly write Benali a series of similar-sized cheques - though they could certainly afford to - because once you start where do you stop?
But Francis Benali, I’m sure you will agree, is different to most.
He put himself and his body through more punishment than most fund-raisers would be able to do.
Would want to do.
As a result, he deserves a bit more of a helping hand from the clubs whose stadiums he once played in.
Go to the original article…
...indecently instantiated by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet
@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC
Official Members can now buy tickets for #SaintsFC’s visit to #HCAFC next month: https://cards.twitter.com/cards/rh0us/2cliz
Retweets: 0
Favourites: 1
...instinctually originated by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
| 
| 
| 