Tag: Southampton

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How much is too much for a Premier League Centre Back?

£40m or £50 – how much is too much? That seems to be the question plaguing Pep Guardiola and the hierarchy at Manchester City in this summer’s second most tedious transfer saga.

 

It is surely one of the most decadent and carefree transfer windows in recent memory and the value of Stones; a player with undoubted ball-playing ability but who is unproven as a defender who can defend, is a key barometer of the spiralling fees that clubs are prepared while jostling for position in England’s top flight.  Continue reading “How much is too much for a Premier League Centre Back?”

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Why is Graziano Pelle now the sixth highest paid player in the world?

You are Graziano Pelle, you’re an established Premier League striker, pretty hard to play against on form even if you do have fallow spells. You’ve just had a really good Euro 2016 at the apex of Antonio Conte’s Italy side that comfortably defeated reigning champions Spain, and a much fancied (at least at that point) Belgian side. What is your next move? Continue reading “Why is Graziano Pelle now the sixth highest paid player in the world?”

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JG’s Transfer Update Pt.2

Here we are with pt.2 of JG’s transfer round up and its full of the big hitters. It’s L to W, taking in the likes of Liverpool, United, City and Spurs and the newcomer who loves being linked with the big names – Middlesbrough. Continue reading “JG’s Transfer Update Pt.2”

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Euro 2016

Italy vs. Spain – When Powerhouse’s Collide 

Game of the Day: Italy vs. Spain, Paris, 18:00

No one saw this coming. Spain coming second in their group.

After losing their first game in the European Championships since 2004 to Croatia, Spain now found themselves on the sticky side of the draw, and a game against an Italian side that at first impressed but now come into this game with questions against their name.

After a tentative start against the Czech Republic, Spain waltzed past Turkey with more flair than a 70s disco in the second game of the group. Spain appeared to have mojo back. Then came Ivan Perisic and Croatia. Continue reading “Italy vs. Spain – When Powerhouse’s Collide “

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Southampton vs. Chelsea, Match Preview, 27-02-16

Predicted XI’s

Southampton: Forster, Cédric, Fonte, van Dijk, Bertrand, Clasie, Davies, Long, Ward-Prowse, Mane, Pelle

Chelsea: Courtois, Azpilicueta, Ivanovich, Cahill, Baba, Fabregas, Mikel, Willian, Oscar, Hazard, Diego Costa

Southampton’s season has somewhat turned around in the last 6 games. Their 4-0 defeat of Arsenal was an undoubted highlight of a pretty rubbish Christmas period that saw defeats to Tottenham, West Ham and more worryingly Norwich. Yet Koeman used the January window effectively, bringing in Charlie Austin for a snip at £4million, whilst Southampton went on to find a bit of form once more.

Their victory against Swansea last time out in the Premier League was Southampton’s 6th game unbeaten, and whilst defeat in the FA Cup all but ended any potential silverware for the season, Koeman admitted after the Swansea game that it “…looks like another great season…” for Southampton. Continue reading “Southampton vs. Chelsea, Match Preview, 27-02-16”

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Is this Saints player the one for United?

The Sun reported over the weekend that Sadio Mane could be subjected to a little bit of a Manchester tug of war come the summer. With Pep joining the Manchester City project this coming summer, Txiki Begiristain has highlighted Mane as a source of pace as Manchester City’s impending tactical overhaul seems to have a little more Bayern than it does Barcelona about it.

For Manchester United, transfers will be yet another battlefield in which Manchester City will be looking too gazump their city rivals. It would have been hard to believe that Guardiola wasn’t mentioned as a potential successor to Van Gaal, and after potentially losing one battle, already Sadio Mane might be the next name added to the list but is Mane the player that Manchester United need going forward into next season? Continue reading “Is this Saints player the one for United?”

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‘Can Arsenal produce a Knockout this Boxing Day?’ – Southampton vs. Arsenal, 26-12-15

Predicted XI’s

Southampton: Gazzaniga, Soares, Fonte, van Dijk, Bertrand, Clasie, Wanyama, Davie, Mané, Tadic, Pellé

Arsenal: Cech, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Ramsey, Flamini, Campbell, Ozil, Walcott, Giroud

With Boxing Day signalling the start of Festive Fixture list for the Premier League, this fixture represents perhaps the toughest test of the three this week for both clubs. Continue reading “‘Can Arsenal produce a Knockout this Boxing Day?’ – Southampton vs. Arsenal, 26-12-15”

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‘Can City Bounce Back?’ – Manchester City vs. Southampton, 28/11/15

Probable XI’s

Man City: Caballero, Sagna, Demichelis, Otamendi, Kolarov, Fernando, Delph, Touré, De Bruyne, Aguero, Sterling

Southampton: Stekelenburg, Soares, Fonte, van Dijk, Bertrand, Wanyama, Davies, Ward-Prowse, Mane, Long, Tadic

Two defeats in a week. Liverpool’s ‘gegenpressing’ approach during last week’s game at the Etihad could have been an anomaly, City were awful with a whole host of defensive errors. Liverpool were fantastic. City’s defeat in Turin however hints at a greater issue for City that has reared its head once more for Pellegrini. What to do when Kompany gets injured? Continue reading “‘Can City Bounce Back?’ – Manchester City vs. Southampton, 28/11/15”

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