Gavin Bazunu
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Southampton’s Gavin Bazunu reveals being level headed in tough premier league moments #SAINTSFC

April 25, 2023
The Republic of Ireland international briefly reflects on his own performances in the mixed zone at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, during his debut Premier League season. Bazunu is only 21 years old but he has played every single minute of the league campaign following his summer move to St Mary’s from Manchester City. It is less than an hour since his side had shipped two goals in the last three minutes of regulation time to give up two valuable points in a 3-3 draw with the league leaders. READ MORE: The three big things to take away from Southampton's draw at Arsenal Bukayo Saka’s equaliser was tapped in from Bazunu’s initial parry into a central area – not the first time that has happened this season but the most forgivable given the speed of the initial shot. “It’s obviously the top league in the world and I’m a young goalkeeper but I relish every moment of it,” Bazunu told the Daily Echo. “I keep a level head about everything because It’s the only way you can get through it, you have to keep confidence in yourself. “I can’t speak on behalf of the other players but for myself, with all the minutes I’ve had and experiences good and bad, I’m taking every bit of it for these last few games.” All goalkeeping metrics point to the fact Saints could have done with a more viable number two option to offer competition to young Bazunu throughout this season. But the hope remains that the Irishman will be an improved product year-on-year, having never played above League One before the start of this term. What league the team will play in is still yet to be decided. Following Saturday’s Leicester City victory, even a win at Emirates Stadium would have kept Saints bottom. They remain four points from safety with six games to play and a visit from AFC Bournemouth - the team Bazunu's first clean sheet came against - is up next. “I think the immediate feeling is disappointment at not picking up all three points but going into Thursday there are so many positives we can take,” Bazunu admitted. “We have come to the league leaders and scored three goals, been ruthless and shown the fighting spirit that we did.” He added: “We scored some great goals and showed fight and desire but we need to be as ruthless in the remaining games. “We’ve now got to look at the performance we put in and take the positives into Thursday, we’ve got to be confident with our ruthlessness and spirit.” Much of that ruthlessness looks like it could be coming through 20 year old January signing Charly Alcaraz – who has already scored three in the Premier League. It was the Argentine who opened the scoring beyond Aaron Ramsdale and assisted with a splitting pass for Theo Walcott and the side’s second. “It’s great, all season we’ve been a great team in the attacking phase but we’ve just not taken our chances,” Bazunu said, when prompted on the youngster, who still does not speak English. “In other games, we have not had the luck fall our way. With the quality we have up front, we’ve been able to be more ruthless. “I think if we can gain this confidence and our attacking players can find that clinical edge we’ll have no problem in the remaining games this season."
chris mepham Bournemouth
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- AFC Bournemouth’s Chris Mepham admits surprise after defeat to West Ham #AFCB

April 25, 2023
Hammers opened scores after five minutes, Michail Antonio heading home unopposed at a corner, before the away side made it 2-0 on 12 minutes through Lucas Paqueta. Declan Rice crashed home a third from another corner minutes before the break, substitute Pablo Fornals adding a fourth in the second period. Talking to Sky Sports, Mepham shared: “Weird game really. “I felt like we probably felt in complete control, had a lot of the ball, started the game well and then just set pieces killed us. “It’s something we’ve put a lot of work into and we’ve been aware we’re not good enough dealing with them set pieces and today showed again – two balls in the box and two goals and you’ve got a mountain to climb against a very stubborn West Ham team. “We need to do more to make sure we’re not in that position but I felt like that was the difference today. I don’t think in general play there was much in it either way. Just shows the importance of set pieces at this level.”  
David Moyes
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- West Ham’s David Moyes feared potential AFC Bournemouth comeback #WHUFC

April 25, 2023
The Hammers raced into a 2-0 lead on the south coast, Michail Antonio opening scores on five minutes before Lucas Paqueta grabbed a second seven minutes later. Declan Rice made it three shortly before the break, with Pablo Fornals confirming the result on 72 minutes with the fourth and final goal. Despite his side’s relative control of the scoreline, Moyes shared that he had not counted his chickens before they had hatched, pointing towards recent comebacks in the Premier League. Last weekend Hammers came from two behind to draw with league leaders Arsenal, whilst the Gunners themselves overcame a two-goal deficit to draw 3-3 with lowly Southampton“It was an excellent win. Asked about Fornals’ goal, Moyes replied: “I was just thrilled we got it. Because even at three, if they get a goal - more so than ever, we are seeing teams coming from comebacks and we were 2-0 down last week. “We saw Arsenal Southampton, 3-1 and a comeback, you never know at the moment how these things are going.” Cherries head coach Gary O’Neil shared after the game that Moyes had told him he felt the 4-0 margin flattered West Ham, with the Hammers boss believing his side to have been “clinical” with their opportunities. “I thought Bournemouth put us under pressure, had a few opportunities,” he continued. “We were clinical when we got our opportunities. “We got off to a great start in the game and especially after the midweek game, it gave us a real lift. “I thought the players went into the game with a lot of confidence and self-belief from reaching another semi-final and obviously we had a really good comeback against Arsenal last week. “We defended the box very well. I didn’t like that we gave up so many opportunities. We did that part when we had to as well. “I thought Bournemouth had opportunities as well.”  
Gary O’Neil
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Gary O’Neil explains ‘real reason’ why West Ham beat Bournemouth #AFCB

April 24, 2023
The resounding score-line marked Cherries’ heaviest home loss since defeat by the same score to Liverpool in the Premier League in December 2018. Early headed goals from Michail Antonio and Lucas Paqueta set the tone, before Declan Rose slammed in a third before half-time. O’Neil tried to change momentum with his substitutions, but Cherries could not pull a goal back, eventually conceding again through an acrobatic Pablo Fornals strike. Asked how he would sum up the loss, O’Neil told the Daily Echo: “Not good enough in both penalty areas. “West Ham have a couple of real strengths and we weren’t able to cope with them, basically. “Whatever happened in between becomes irrelevant if you’re not able to deal with one of their key strengths. “David (Moyes) said to me afterwards obviously it was a never a 4-0 game. “We obviously dominated the ball. But West Ham have real strengths in that they attack set plays well, they’re physical, they’re good in the air and they can counter-attack. “If you don’t match their physicality in our penalty area for the first goal and even for the second goal, 12 minutes in, 2-0 down, you’ve not been able to cope with one of their key strengths and then you’ve set the game up perfectly for them to sit in as they wanted to and try and catch you on the counter. “And then on the flip side of that, we arrive in the final third, create a lot of chances and aren’t good enough to stick any away at the moment.” O’Neil added: “If you want to look at the real reason West Ham beat us today, it’s because their strengths, we couldn’t cope with.” Cherries slip to 15th with this defeat, five points clear of the relegation zone with six games to play.
Ryan Christie
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- AFC Bournemouth’s Ryan Christie cannot hide his frustration after defeat to West Ham #AFCB

April 24, 2023
Michail Antonio was left unmarked to nod home at a corner five minutes in, with the away side doubling their lead with another header seven minutes later, Lucas Paqueta the scorer. Declan Rice powered home a third after Cherries survived the initial cross at a corner, before Pablo Fornals added a fourth in the second period. Conceding from dead-balls has been a common theme from this campaign. Rice’s 43rd minute strike was the 20th goal let in from either a corner or a free-kick, with Cherries also conceding from six penalties. “It's not a good stat,” Christie replied when it was put to him by the Daily Echo. “At the same time, especially against the bigger teams, we've conceded a lot of corners as well. It probably accumulates to that. “Obviously frustrating to concede a goal anyway, but especially set-pieces, when we work on them every week and we worked them especially on Friday. “So West Ham again, probably a team that were focusing on that stuff like that coming into today's game. “And first one is really cheap. Second one, obviously, just kind of drops and it is a good strike. “Another day, somebody blocks that. “Frustrating, I think just because of the manner we concede in terms of how well we played in the first half.” Asked what the mood in the dressing room was like,  Christie responded: “It's alright, obviously frustrated. “Going into the game, we wanted to get a positive result, especially on the run of form we're on and after last week as well. “Sounds maybe a bit ridiculous, but we played all right first half. It was just two set-plays and an aimless ball in the box that killed us. “Probably makes it a little bit more frustrating. Half time I was going in thinking I couldn't believe we were 3-0 down. “But that's sometimes what the Premier League is, it comes down to each box. “And today obviously not our day, but still a massive week ahead, so can't be too down. We go on to Thursday.”  
Gary O’Neil
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- AFC Bournemouth’s Gary O’Neil on squad depth #AFCB

April 23, 2023
A return of 15 points from the last 24 available has seen Cherries rise up the league table, opening up a six-point gap over the bottom three at the time of writing. Cherries would do their survival chances no harm with a positive result over West Ham on Sunday (kick-off 2pm), David Moyes’ Hammers visiting the Vitality. In recent weeks numerous players have come from the fringes of the squad to playing key roles in recent victories, with O’Neil listing Welsh international Chris Mepham as one such example. Ryan Christie and Jack Stephens have also endured spells out of the starting XI, whilst Joe Rothwell has returned from injury to become one of the side’s most consistent performers. Asked whether he was impressed by the professionalism shown by his team, O’Neil told the Daily Echo: “I think that's the way the game is now. “There's a 25-man squad and you need your 25-man squad to be full of people that are all capable of stepping in. “So of course, there are going to be certain lads that spend spells without playing as much as they'd like. “It's the way the game is. So, they've managed to stay ready. “I think obviously Meps (Chris Mepham) was a good example the other day, where he had a couple of games outside of the squad. “Kept himself ready to come in and put in two big performances. “It's important that everyone understands that you're always involved regardless of whether you're selected one week or not. “Things can change very quickly and you need to keep yourself in a place that you're ready to affect the games that you're selected. “I think the group are very good at that. I think we have a lot of leaders in the group who not only lead with voice but example. “Adam Smith, of course, is one – he works his socks off every day. No matter what the result is, no matter how he's feeling, no matter what we're doing, he'll always give everything. “I spoke about it a lot already, but they're a group that they don't take too much managing. “They're very good around their approach to our work and approach to each game and how we respond to negatives and positives. "So, of course we need to make sure we keep that up because we've still got six weeks to go.” O’Neil is now able to trust on a wide array of players to come in when called upon, which the head coach believes could be key as his side face three relegation rivals in the next eight days. After hosting the Hammers, Cherries travel over the county border to face bottom side Southampton on Thursday, before returning back to Dorset to host Leeds United the following Sunday. “Back a few, maybe longer than a few weeks, when we were really short and we didn't have enough senior players to fill the bench, going into a three-game week with that sort of group would have been tricky at that time,” O’Neil commented. “So now of course, there are players you can take in, take out. “As you saw at the weekend, we've been able to take Adam Smith out and put in another really good player. “So, three-game week, having more options is definitely a benefit.”
Ryan Christie
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- AFC Bournemouth’s Ryan Christie on proving doubters wrong as relegation battle is almost over for Cherries #AFCB

April 23, 2023
Heavily unfancied by most, Cherries have hit form at the right time, 15 points from their last eight games bringing them six points clear of the bottom three with seven games remaining. As a newly promoted side from the Championship, Cherries were viewed as likely candidates for the drop in pre-season by sections of the national media. Discussing proving people wrong, Christie shared: “Personally, I’ve kind of felt it since the very start of the season. On pre-season, the first media, everyone was talking about relegation for us. I was thinking ‘we’ve not even kicked a ball yet’. “So that’s nice. It gives us the feeling to keep everything in house and do it for ourselves and the travelling fans. “It kind of builds that feeling of us against the world almost. I think that plays into our hands. “A good run of form right now. Hopefully we can continue it into a big game Sunday and keep building on that.” Asked how Cherries were dealing with the congested lower portion of the table, Christie replied: “Probably just trying to do what we’re doing, which is putting a run of games together. “Three big games coming up, West Ham being huge. “If you can get another positive result in two or all three of them, I think that’s when we’ll probably notice the difference. “I don’t think many teams would have thought we were going to come (to Spurs) and pick up a result like we did. “It’s nice, hopefully other teams looking at that and cursing us a little bit. Hopefully a good win to push us on and get another few wins and get us safe.” Playing other teams in the relegation scrap not only gives Cherries the opportunity to add points to their own tally, but also to deprive positional rivals of picking up key results. “I think it plays into the fact more of how the league looks, just because there are so many teams in and around it,” continued the Scot. “When you can get a result against teams (near you), obviously we felt how big the Leicester win was, just to kind of create a gap between you and others. Obviously a big game coming up. “The West Ham game marks the start of a run of fixtures against fellow sides in the relegation battle. Cherries visit Southampton next Thursday, before welcoming the division’s most out-of-form team, Leeds United, to Vitality Stadium next Sunday.”
Ruben Selles
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Southampton’s Ruben Selles admits disappointment and pride after Arsenal draw #SAINTSFC

April 22, 2023
The Spaniard made some big calls over the course of the 105 minutes of football at Emirates Stadium, which saw the home side steal a late point. Charly Alcaraz and Theo Walcott had opened the scoring for the visitors while goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Duje Caleta-Car saw a two-goal lead in the closing stages. But Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka – with Saints operating in a five-back defence for the entire second half – netted in the final three minutes of regulation time to level. READ MORE: 'Will probably determine' - Walcott accepts significance of upcoming Bournemouth game It kept alive Arsenal’s title hopes ahead of their meeting with Manchester City next week, while Saints missed the chance to climb off the bottom of the Premier League table. “I feel disappointment because of the two points we dropped at the end but very proud of the effort and the togetherness that the boys showed,” Selles admitted, after the match. “Sometimes it can feel like a disappointment because of the result but I think we need to go out of the stadium with our chests out. We put in a good performance. “We know what we need to do, we know the solutions in every single moment and they showed that they want to play and they want to fight for each other. That’s why when we went to our fans because they were very proud of us.” He added: “I think it feels like two points dropped because I think we were staying with our plan, we were doing what we wanted to do. “And I think it’s a double feeling. The feeling of dropping two points that will help us a lot but the feeling that we can do it against any opponent.” It was another positive result against ‘big six’ clubs after wins versus Chelsea and draws with Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United already this campaign. Saints now need to show the same fight against the so-called lesser teams, if they are to make up the points deficit and survive with just six fixtures left to play. “I think the desire is there,” Selles insisted. “What we need to find is solutions that put us in the best position and I think we are getting there. “I think the performances we’ve had in big parts of the game have been good performances in the last two but if we had the same behaviours as we had today with the finishing action then we would be talking about something different today.” Up next for Saints is AFC Bournemouth – who have managed to race nine points clear of Saints with this weekend’s game still in hand for them. Saints beat the Cherries away in October. “We always talk about habits. And our habit is to review the game, talk to the players, have a good recovery, have a good day off, and then coming in the third day we will prepare for the next game,” Selles said, looking ahead to the visit of the Cherries. “They will have the time for themselves and then we just go again. It’s just about habits and how we work, there’s nothing new in the season, it’s just about let’s go and take the very best from today for the next game. “My assessment is that I want to be fighting for survival until the last day and then making it on the last day - or hopefully before. That’s my assessment.”
James Ward Prowse
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- James Ward-Prowse tells Southampton what they must do after surprise Arsenal draw #SAINTSFC

April 22, 2023
The St Mary’s outfit missed a chance to climb off the bottom of the Premier League table after Arsenal scored two late goals to draw 3-3 on Friday evening. The result follows points taken against Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal already this campaign – with south coast rivals AFC Bournemouth up next. With the teams also fighting relegation still to play this weekend, Saints are not just three points adrift of safety with Thursday’s clash with Cherries looking huge. Speaking to Sky Sports after the Arsenal game, Ward-Prowse said: “A great game to play and incredible atmosphere and you can definitely feel a positive feeling here. “We took our chances really well and we knew they'd come on in the second half. It's a good point to come here, but we are disappointed not to take all three. "It's a massive blow, but we have to take a lot of positives from it and I was surprised to see eight minutes at the end, a strange amount to be added on. But we have to defend better.” He added: "We lost our identity a bit and Ruben has definitely got that back on track with the high aggressive press. I think we tired towards the end and we came up against a world-class side. "We need to follow it up with good performance and good results. We always get good points against the so-called good teams but need to follow it up in following games." Saints have been beaten by Nottingham Forest, Wolves, Leeds United and West Ham United already in 2023 - while the opposition were in 19th.  "There is still a lot of football. We've got to keep believing," Ward-Prowse concluded, however.  Saints host AFC Bournemouth at St Mary’s on Thursday night with the Cherries already nine points clear of their counterparts ahead of playing this weekend. Ward-Prowse and the squad then visit Champions League-chasing Newcastle United on Sunday and face relegation rivals Nottingham Forest following that.
Gary O’Neil
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- AFC Bournemouth’s Gary O’Neil on Lloyd Kelly after a stop/start season #AFCB

April 21, 2023
Named skipper by previous head coach Scott Parker last term, Bristolian Kelly led Cherries as they secured promotion back to the Premier League at the second time of asking. However, since the start of the 2022-23 campaign, the 25-year-old has been blighted by injury in what O’Neil described as a ‘stop-start season’. With Kelly dipping in and out of the team, O’Neil took the decision to name goalkeeper Neto as club captain, with Adam Smith remaining vice-captain. Kelly has enjoyed his longest spell in the team this campaign in recent weeks, recording six consecutive starts. Asked if Kelly’s improved form was in response to the removal of the captaincy, O’Neil told the Daily Echo: “He's still the same. Still very vocal, still trains really well. His performances have been excellent as well, since his return this time. “So really pleased with where Lloyd is. Nothing to do with the captaincy, really. I think he's just had a stop-start season and he's managed to put some real good work in back-to-back weeks recently, and you can see the benefits of that in his performances. “Lloyd, he's always been really important to us and last few weeks has sort of just been confirmation of that. “He’s an impressive defender. I thought he was very impressive last season in a group that were chasing promotion. “He’s had a tricky season, sort of stop-start a little bit, injury-wise. But whenever he’s injured, you’re keen to get him back very quickly, which shows how important he is to the group and the team.” During Kelly’s time on the south coast, he has been used as both a left-back and centre-half. Primarily trusted as a centre-back under Parker, his recent run in the side has seen him used as a full-back, with O’Neil comfortable with Kelly in either role. “I think he can do both,” he continued. “We use him quite low in it as well. “We generally have one full-back high and one low and the low one has suited Lloyd. “But he can play both. I don’t see any issue with him playing left-side centre-back or left-back. I think he has real good physical attributes that can help him with both. “We’re always working with him on improving the attributes that he needs to play in both positions. It’s a real good quality to have that you can be an expert at both. We try to get him to that level.”
Ruben Selles
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Southampton manager Ruben Selles reveals everyone in the squad dis working hard and defends his team selection #SAINTSFC

April 21, 2023
The Spaniard started the eventual 2-0 home defeat versus Crystal Palace last weekend without a recognised striker, with £18million Paul Onuachu on the bench. It was the second successive match Saints had set up without a traditional number nine following the loss to Manchester City – in which substitute forward Sekou Mara scored their only goal. Selles was asked if he is going to change tact and put Onuachu in for his first start since losing to Leeds United in February, in Selles’s second game as boss. However, Selles, facing media ahead of the trip to Emirates Stadium, was defiant in his answer and insisted: "I don't make my line-up or tactics to do with what anyone else thinks. "We need to be competitive in the game until we can score the goal. It is not about one number nine, this is a different challenge for all of us so the solution is not to put one, two or three strikers on, it's about putting people in situations. "We are going to try and press them and win the balls high as possible to win the game," he added. “If we play our game we have options to win the game. “We know what we can do if we can keep the performance as we did in the first half against Manchester City. "It has been desperate from the very first second but the only difference now is we are running out of games. We haven't transformed performance to points. "In every game that the result is not for us, it is hard. Everybody is working hard and the most important thing is you wake up the next day to fix the mistakes."
Gary O’Neil
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Gary O’Neil insists Bournemouth are ‘still in a relegation scrap’ #AFCB

April 21, 2023
Before wins away at Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur, Cherries sat in the relegation zone. However, those victories have now moved O’Neil’s men six points clear of the bottom three with seven matches remaining. They host West Ham United on Sunday (2pm). Reflecting on the last-gasp 3-2 victory at Tottenham, O’Neil said: “It was a big three points for us, of course. “They all are, throughout the season. But the closer you get to the end, they feel bigger. “And being away from home at a big club was obviously a big win for us, and a big performance as well to go with it. “I’m looking forward to getting back home. “We’ve obviously had two away games on the trot and it will be a very tough game against a West Ham side that can be stubborn and hard to break down. “We need a good atmosphere here on Sunday and will try and make sure the lads are in a good place to go and attack the game and make the Vitality what it can be when it gets bouncing.” Asked if securing three wins in a row would make him feel confident of avoiding relegation, boss O’Neil added: “I’m just trying to win the next game. “Whether it’s three on the trot or not, it doesn’t make any difference. We need more points, definitely, 33 is not going to be enough. “As we were two weeks ago before we beat Leicester and Tottenham, just desperate to add another three. “The focus hasn’t changed, it hasn’t switched. We understand that we’re still in a scrap to make sure that we’re in this division next season. “So this week is going to be a big one for us. It starts on Sunday where three points would give us another step towards us achieving what we set out to.”
Theo Walcott
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Southampton ace Theo Walcott makes ’emotional’ Arsenal admission ahead of must-win #ArsenalFC #SAINTSFC

April 20, 2023
Ex-England international Walcott made 397 appearances and scored 108 goals for the Gunners following a move from St Mary’s in 2006. The 34 year old has already scored against Arsenal for Saints back in December 2020, while initially on loan before making a permanent return to his boyhood side. Now, Walcott is likely to line up against Arsenal again but this time with the Gunners chasing the Premier League title and Saints facing relegation to the Championship. There is no time for sentimentality in the forward, as Ruben Selles’s charges sit four points adrift of safety with seven matches to play. “Every game is a win, it’s as simple as that. We need points, points. It will be an emotional game for myself, personally,” Walcott admitted. “But I’ve got to go out there and do a job and that’s to try and play as well and as hard as I can for this club and see where that takes us. “Arsenal are top of the league for a reason, we get that. We’re realists, I am particularly, so we’re not stupid, we know it will be a tough game.” Walcott added: “But a Friday night game, you never know. Hopefully, we’ll catch them in a doze but we’ll see. It’s going to be a very interesting battle.” The experienced forward has been called on by Selles to help lead a young dressing room out of potential disaster, with two managers sacked already this campaign. Walcott and the senior leadership group have been unable to shake off a mental scourge that has followed conceding the first goal in Premier League matches. In all competitions, Saints have lost 14 games by just one goal this season – including a number of six-pointers versus relegation rivals. “I don’t know what you want me to say about that,” Walcott said. “In the Premier League you need to get the first goal, it’s so important. “The level, we’re playing a team who has a lot of confidence at this time with Roy (Hodgson), they’ve had a complete change and it’s working for them and everything we’re doing at the moment…it’s just not quite going our way. “We need to just essentially forget about this game, we can’t change anything now. I know it’s such a cliche but we’re looking at the next game now. “But you’re looking at other results now too, it’s as simple as that, you do. You look at results and make sure we don’t get too cut adrift now.”
Ryan Christie
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Ryan Christie believes Dango Ouattara will be a big player for Bournemouth #AFCB

April 19, 2023
Ouattara made an eye-catching start to his Cherries career, providing an assist in a 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest just days after his £20million arrival from FC Lorient. The 21-year-old also set up goals in games against Newcastle United and Liverpool, named in the starting XI for 11 games in succession. However, the Burkina Faso international had struggled to replicate that form in recent weeks, substituted at half-time against Fulham, before then being taken off during the first half at Leicester City earlier this month. A week later, Ouattara began a Cherries game on the bench for the first time, only to be introduced with 11 minutes to play to devastating effect. The winger scored the dramatic winner, deep into stoppage time as Cherries secured a 3-2 win over Spurs to massively boost their survival bid. That goal, his first for the club, came shortly after Arnaut Danjuma looked to have rescued a point for the hosts. Asked what it was like watching the final minutes unfold whilst watching on from the bench having been substituted, Christie told the Daily Echo: “A big day, a big win. Honestly, I genuinely think we deserved to win. “Obviously frustrated with the first goal and then we dominated the whole first half. The second half was a bit different, it was a bit sticky. “But I think we did well, they didn’t really create too much, although they obviously dominated possession second half. “Their second goal I think is offside, but we don’t get it. And then Dango comes up with a bit of genius, chops inside and goal. Buzzing.” Put to him most people would have thought Ouattara would take the shot on on his favoured left foot, rather than cut back inside past Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and slot in right-footed, Christie added: “So did I and I think everybody did! “He chops inside and what a finish as well, especially so late in the game. I’m buzzing for him. “What a way for you to get your first goal. I’m delighted for him, delighted for all the boys. “I thought the defenders – Chris Mepham was ridiculous, so good. Same with Jack Stephens. Because that’s their main threat obviously, (Heung-min) Son and (Harry) Kane. And we dealt with them pretty well.” Asked how big a boost that goal will give Ouattara going forwards, the Scotland international said: “Absolutely. What a time, especially with the run-in as well coming up now. “With the attributes he’s got, he’s going to be a big player for us. “Hopefully he can kick on now as well between now and the end of the season.” Jaidon Anthony, who replaced Christie during the second half, said of Ouattara: “I think it (his quality) has been clear to see from the moment he came in really. “Obviously last week (at Leicester) it probably wasn’t his best game, I think he’d be the first to say that. “But he’s been top for us and I’m very happy he managed to get the goal that he deserves, because he’s helped us so much already.”
Theo Walcott
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Southampton attacker Theo Walcott says players must take responsibility as relegation is just about confirmed #SAINTSFC

April 18, 2023
Despite a decent opening half an hour, Saints folded after the break as Eberechi Eze struck twice in the second half to condemn Ruben Selles’s side to their third-straight defeat. The result leaves Saints bottom of the Premier League table but the gap to safety remains at four points though following Everton’s 3-1 defeat to Fulham. READ MORE: Three young players Saints should build around next season And as Saints move closer and closer to the Championship for the first time since 2012, Walcott has pleaded for the squad to remain positive and ignore outside noise while taking responsibility for their own personal performances. “Of course, it’s disappointing,” the 34-year-old said on Saturday afternoon. “I had a really good chance and should have done a lot better so I take responsibility for that.  “But you need to get the first goal in the Premier League otherwise it’s an uphill battle. We’re a team who don’t score many goals anyway. I think we actually were playing pretty good football in the first half, we just needed that goal.  “Then when they scored I think it took the stuffing out of us a little bit, especially the way we started the second half, a bit disappointing from all of us. We never really recovered from it for whatever reason.  “But essentially we need to try and stay as positive as we can. It’s a really difficult situation obviously, there’s rumbles going on in the background as well which is frustration and I get it. "As players we understand the frustration, we see it, but we need to stay positive and not start pointing fingers cause that won’t get us anywhere.” The full-time whistle on Saturday was met with boos by those who stayed at St Mary’s for the conclusion of another disappointing afternoon while there were smatterings of chants including ‘You’re not fit to wear the shirt’ during the team’s meek surrender. Asked further by the Daily Echo about the ‘rumblings’ he mentioned, Walcott responded: “It just is what it is. When you’re at the bottom of the table there’s going to be a lot of disappointment, a lot of frustration, a lot of anger. Which is fine, I get it, we understand. “We don’t go in wanting to lose games, we want to win. We want to do it for our fans, for each other, for our families and it’s not working at the moment. Theo Walcott reacts after missing a chance to make it 1-0 against Crystal Palace. (Image: Richard Crease) “We will all stick together as a group and that’s all we can do. We can’t let the outside world affect us. "We have to stay in our bubble essentially and look after each other. Don’t start pointing fingers, that will get us nowhere, there would be little cliques and we would just hit a wall. And we don’t want that. "Because we still have points to play for. I want to stay really positive in a difficult situation. Because if you stay negative then it’s just a downward spiral.” Saints now have seven games to save their Premier League status and with fixtures still to play against Arsenal, Newcastle United, Brighton, and Liverpool - the first three of those away from home - it will be a mammoth challenge to get out of the hole they find themselves in. “There will be a big group of us that will try to build morale,” Walcott said of what comes next as Saints attempt to regroup from a damaging defeat.  “The manager is the main part of that, of course. The older guys and experienced players will try and do their best in a difficult time. But you have to take a little bit of responsibility for yourself as players and build yourself up. It’s not just down to the older players and the manager.  “You need to be able to work and we can’t be holding each other’s hands all the time. We’re there to help but you have to help yourself as well.  “Essentially we’re at that stage now and players will realise that and if they haven’t realised it already, then we’re finished. It’s a very interesting journey we’ve been on this season, there’s been a lot of change, a lot of disruption, a lot of discomfort for people.”
Jaidon Anthony
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Jaidon Anthony and Ryan Christie think arriving late may be good for Cherries to win games #AFCB

April 18, 2023
Due to a traffic incident on the A406, Cherries’ team coach got stuck as they travelled from their hotel to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. They finally arrived at 2.15pm, an hour later than planned. Kick-off was pushed back from 3pm to 3.15pm, with boss Gary O’Neil keen for it to be delayed even further to reduce the risk of his players picking up injuries. Cherries fell behind, but eventually emerged 3-2 victors. Discussing the pre-match delay, Christie told the Daily Echo: “I felt fine. There was a bit of traffic or an accident or something on the way. “I was happy enough with the delayed kick-off. I didn’t want to wait too much longer than that. “I actually prefer having less time going into a game. “I think it happened at QPR last season and we played well as well. So no problems. “Maybe we should be later to games more often!” Jaidon Anthony, who replaced Christie during the second half, added: “It was madness before the game. “We were sat there still for a very long time and sort of didn’t feel like we were going to get there. “It was obviously a quick warm-up and I think the boys did well to regain focus and switch on to the job we had at hand.”
Ruben Selles
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Southampton’s Ruben Selles responds to questioning over strikerless tactics #SAINTSFC

April 16, 2023
Ebere Eze scored both goals for the Eagles as they piled the pressure on Saints, who are rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table and four points adrift with seven games to go. Selles has started each of the last two matches – a 4-1 home defeat to Manchester City – without a recognised number nine, with the likes of Joe Aribo and Charly Alcaraz filling in. They have failed to score in the two games, with the exception of substitute striker Sekou Mara, who netted a consolation effort versus City. However, asked if it would have helped having a natural forward on the pitch against Palace, Selles insisted: “No, I don’t think it would make any difference. “The way we arrived into the chances indicated that we don’t need a natural striker. “Joe Aribo is a player who played as a striker in the final of the Europa League last year and that is why we chose him today to play in those spaces. I think he helped us a lot. “We arrived to the situations but didn’t make it. Unfortunately, when they arrived into our box they made it and that was the difference today.” Saints did create chances to threaten the Eagles, with Theo Walcott hitting the outside of the post in an even first half. Alcaraz hit the post from range towards the end of contest. The Spaniard added: “We keep working on those things, working on the final third and the finishing actions – but we will not make excuses. “If we are not able to score those situations, we need to be able to – as a team – defend the situations better and not concede the goals. That’s the balance we need to make. “Of course, we need to be more relentless with the finishing actions in the final third and more relentless in dealing with situations in our own third.”
Gary O’Neil
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Gary O’Neil reflects on ‘rollercoaster’ victory against Tottenham #AFCB

April 16, 2023
Cherries picked up a first ever away win against Spurs, thanks to a brilliant last-gasp winner from substitute Dango Ouattara. Having trailed early on to a Son Heung-min strike, Cherries turned the contest on its head with goals from Matias Vina and Dominic Solanke. Former Cherries star Arnaut Danjuma then popped up with an equaliser for the hosts in the 88th minute, only for Ouattara to score in the fifth minute of stoppage time to secure a stunning 3-2 victory. Asked how his heart is after a crazy finale in north London, boss O’Neil told the Daily Echo: “A rollercoaster of last 10 minutes, which was obviously very up and down. “But I’m okay. I’ve settled down now. I’ll enjoy this evening, but have already switched focus to how I get the group ready for the next one. I’m fine.” The win lifts Cherries up to 14th in the Premier League table, now six points clear of the relegation zone with seven games to play. O’Neil’s men have now won four of their last seven matches, and face three other clubs battling relegation in their next three in West Ham, Southampton and Leeds United. Asked how Cherries have strung together their recent run, O’Neil added: “Fine margins on results. I think even today, real fine margins. “I thought the second goal they scored should’ve been given offside and then obviously we score a very late winner. “So fine margins, but the key from our point of view is we’ve kept performances at a real good level you give yourself a chance then, if you keep sticking to what you believe in and you keep performing, hopefully you pick up enough results to make sure that we achieve the goal that we set out to in August.”
Ruben Selles
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Southampton’s Ruben Selles responds to report of Salisu commitment issue #SAINTSFC

April 15, 2023
The 23-year-old has played just once in eight Premier League games under Selles before and after the recent international break. Salisu was injured in the build-up to the break but played 83 minutes versus Tottenham Hotspur before going away with Ghana and coming back with a hip abductor problem. However, a recent report elsewhere detailed that Salisu – whose current Saints contract expires next summer – has been left out of the squad due to doubts over his commitment. READ MORE: Saints team news with striker set to remain absent for huge Crystal Palace test Selles faced questions on whether the defender was being left out for this reason and responded: “He had some problems in the past for us for example in game against Chelsea. When he went to the national team he felt it again. “When he came back we had to put him into the injury process. He was expected to play today for the B team to try to solve problem but he didn’t feel great so he’s not available either.” The Spaniard added: “The injury I think is related with his hip - his adductor. There has been some problems from before. From during the season also. And it just gets worse. So they are just trying to take the therapy with that.” Probed again if he has any problem with his attitude, Selles responded: “He’s an injured player. We cannot have an issue with the attitude if he is injured, so we talk about the players that are available. “Salisu unfortunately is not available for us, so the issues for the attitude will be for the players who are with us working and trying to compete for the win.”
Gary O’Neil
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Gary O’Neil on Jordan Zemura’s decision to leave AFC Bournemouth #AFCB

April 15, 2023
Despite having played a key role this season, Zemura was earlier this week informed he would no longer be allowed to train with the club’s first team, instead being sent to work with the development squad. That decision came as a result of Italian club Udinese informing Cherries they were in talks with the Zimbabwean over signing him a free transfer. Then on Wednesday, the Serie A outfit confirmed Zemura would join them in the summer, when his contract at Cherries expired. The Daily Echo understands Cherries’ final contract offer to the 23-year-old was made eight weeks ago after drawn out negotiations, with the proposed deal in excess of £30,000 per week, alongside additional bonuses and achievable salary rises. This offer, one of numerous the club made over the past 15 months, was not been acknowledged by either Zemura or his representatives. It is understood Cherries had not been officially informed that a deal had been struck with Udinese, finding out when it was announced on social media. Asked if he feels let down by Zemura for the way his departure has transpired, Cherries head coach O’Neil told the Daily Echo: “All of it is out now, so you all have a real clear picture of the situation. “I don’t feel any way about it. As a footballer you have decisions to make and you make them and you do what you think is best for yourself. “My responsibility is to do what I think is best for the team and the group and the club. “It is the same with any situation that I deal with really. No real feelings about it, just what is best for the group and how do we give ourselves the best chance of staying up at the end of the season.” Asked if Zemura’s situation had been a distraction to him and the squad, O’Neil insisted: “No. Nothing will distract me and the group from the task at hand, I can guarantee you that. “There will be no shift in focus. It will be 100 per cent, from the moment that I took over until the end of the season.” O’Neil added: “I think you guys know most of it now, if not all of it. I think it’s all out. “The club have always been really aligned in how we see it. “Jordan will move on and play for another club next season. As always, my focus is on the group and making sure that everybody is ready for the weekend. “We’ve made decision that it’s best at this moment for Jordan to train with the under-21s and that will remain until it doesn’t.”
Gary O’Neil
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- AFC Bournemouth’s Gary O’Neil calls for more work from team as they slowly climb up #AFCB

April 15, 2023
Cherries have picked up four wins in their last eight Premier League outings, taking them to 30 points from 30 top-flight games this campaign. Despite frequently being labelled as certs for relegation, Cherries sit above the dotted line, poised in 15th place with eight games to go. However, O’Neil and his charges are well aware that they are not safe just yet. O’Neil shared: “We've had a decent little run, I think, but we haven't achieved anything yet. “There's probably still a few people that think we could still go down to the Championship, so there's still an awful lot of work to be done from this moment. “We have eight very big games, starting with the one tomorrow against another very good side. “The points tally over the last eight has been decent, especially considering the teams that we had to play in there - Brighton, Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool, some real tough fixtures in there. “So to put the points on the board that we have has been good, but still an awful lot of work that needs to be done from this point on. Asked what has caused Cherries’ uptick in form, O’Neil responded: “We've kept working. We haven't really changed too much, as in the way we work or the way we play. “We haven't changed anything, actually. “We've just managed to improve it. “We've had a lot of players come back from injury and we've signed a few, so the group is stronger, there's a little bit more competition for places, we have more depth. “So in that spell after the World Cup, we were short. “We're not so short at the moment, so we've been very competitive in most of our last few matches and we are looking to do the same again tomorrow.”
Neto
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- AFC Bournemouth’s Neto on teams ‘spirit and fight’ as relegation looms for the club #AFCB

April 14, 2023
Gary O’Neil’s charges leapt out of the bottom three last weekend following a 1-0 victory over their relegation rivals Leicester. They face Champions League-chasing Tottenham Hotspur in north London on Saturday (kick-off 3pm). Asked what he was expecting ahead of the clash, the shot stopper told the Daily Echo: “I expect to keep the mentality, the spirit and fight until the end for the points. “I think we have to keep the mentality, the spirit and fight, because if you believe in yourselves and we fight until the end then we can play with all teams. So we have to keep this mentality.”A summer signing from Barcelona, Neto was named as club captain in February, boss O’Neil hailing his keeper’s influence amongst the squad. “To become a captain,” began Neto. “I think doesn’t depend about the player, but depends about the environment, the people who have to make the choice. “Really proud about it. And not just because I'm the captain, but I will always give 100 per cent for this team, for my teammates and try to find the victories in all our games.” Cherries’ transfer business this season has seen a host of new players from a wide array of cultures and countries arrive, with multiple different languages spoken in the dressing room. Having played in Italy and Spain, Neto can speak four languages – another reason why he was named skipper. He shared: “It’s just Portuguese, Italian, Spanish and English. “I'm fighting with English, but I can survive! “I think I can help. I can transmit the message for the players.” In one of his first acts as captain, Neto organised for the players to have a barbecue after a day of clay pigeon shooting. He explained: “From South America, our culture is when we are to be close, we always use the barbecue, to bring people close. “So we try to keep the people close. We try to organise this barbecue, this moment together because I think it was the right moment. And it was very nice. “We enjoyed the guys, enjoyed the moment.” Not only popular in his own dressing room, Neto has friends all over the Premier League. After making his Premier League debut against Wolves in August, former Barcelona teammate Adama Traore searched out for the goalkeeper in order to have a proper catch-up. There will be further familiar faces and reunions on Saturday at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, with Neto having briefly played with countrymen Emerson Royal (Barcelona) and Lucas Moura (Brazil), as well as French centre-back Clement Lenglet. “I have some friends there,” commented the Brazilian. “Very close with Clement Lenglet. But now we have a good week, I think, to relax and prepare for this game because it's another final for us.”