Tino Lavramento
Posted in2021-2022-Season Daily News

#PLStories – #TinoLavramento joins Saints and reveals reason for joining them #SaintsFC

August 3, 2021
NEW Saints acquisition Tino Lavramento tells how he had transfer options but insists “to choose Southampton was sort of a no-brainer.” The 18-year-old dynamic defender departs Chelsea with a big reputation in search of first team football, joining south-coast Saints on a five-year contract. He featured heavily in Premier League 2 last season for the Blues’ under-23s, contributing goals and assists up the other end, and follows in the footsteps of Dynel Simeu who joined the club from Cobham in July. Speaking to the club website, number 21 Lavramento said: “I've been discussing with my dad about what we thought was best for my future. We felt like this was the right time for it to happen and for me to move on. “To have interest from a few top clubs, to choose Southampton was sort of a no-brainer. They are a solid Premier League club and the manager was quite a big factor as to why I wanted to come here and why I wanted to play for Southampton.” Reports suggested he was linked to the likes of Red Bull Leipzig, AC Milan and Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion. He’s yet to make a senior appearance in his young career but did impress enough to make the bench in the league back in May, when Chelsea played Manchester City and Arsenal.
Graham Potter Brighton
Posted in2020-2021-Season Daily News

#PLStories- #GrahamPotter verdict as Brighton beat Luton in friendly #BHAFC

August 2, 2021
Graham Potter has given Albion's latest pre-season run out his seal of approval. Fine finishes from Aaron Connolly, Enock Mwepu and Percy Tau secured a 3-1 win at Luton. Harry Cornick brought the Hatters back in the contest at 2-1 just before the interval after a poor pass by Dan Burn. Albion boss Potter said: “I thought we played well in the first half especially, we controlled the game, created some good chances and scored some good goals. “I was really pleased for Enock to get off the mark. Disappointed in their goal, which was from an error, which makes the start of the second half a little bit more competitive. “It is something we just have to accept and learn from but, in the end, our response was good and it was nice for Percy to score. DANNY WELBECK COULD MISS START OF PREMIER LEAGUE SEASON “In the end there were lots of young players and players on the pitch getting minutes. It was a really good afternoon for us.” Albion used 22 players, including 80 minutes for centre-back Shane Duffy. Albion: Sanchez (Steele 46); Veltman (Karbownik 46), Duffy (Tsoungui 80), Burn (Ostigard 58), March (Zeqiri 64); Bissouma (Gross 64), Mwepu (Leonard 68), Moder (Tau 46), Lallana (Richards 64); Connolly (Alzate 46), Maupay (Andone 46).
Sean Dyche Burnley
Posted in2020-2021-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Burnley boss #SeanDyche reaction on Tranmere workout and #ChrisWood return #BURNLEYFC

August 2, 2021
SEAN Dyche believes Burnley are in good shape with the countdown on to the new season as Chris Wood returns to the fold. Wood’s New Zealand exited the Tokyo Olympics with a penalty shoot-out defeat in the quarter-finals against the hosts. He is now on his way back to Barnfield, and with Matej Vydra playing the final half an hour of Saturday’s 2-1 win behind-closed-doors at Tranmere, Dyche’s options in the final third are increasing ahead of the season opener against Brighton on August 14. Work is also continuing in a bid to bring fresh faces in, RB Leipzig winger Ademola Lookman the latest player linked after spending last season on loan at Fulham. “There are a couple of games coming up so we will see how the squad looks after that,” said Dyche. “Woody is coming back – unfortunately for Woody. It’s shame for him and for them but good for us, in a way. “He comes back and will be able to re-acclimatise and get a bit of recovery before he joins in with us. “I am pretty pleased and the main thing is – so far – we are injury-free. “Everyone is fit and well at the moment and long may that continue, of course.Then if we can reinforce the squad as well, we’d like to think we are growing into pre-season so that when the real stuff starts we’re ready.” With a behind-closed-doors game and a Turf Moor friendly with La Liga side Cadiz to come, Dyche saw Ashley Barnes and Dwight McNeil get the goals at Prenton Park against Micky Mellon's League Two side. “They are a decent outfit and pushed us hard, which was good for us so we feel like we benefited from this," said the Clarets boss. "I thought the general performance was good. I liked the tempo about the play, the energy and I thought there was a nice edge to it, so I was pleased overall. "We are still in the market to support the group where we can but when we’re fit and well I’ve always said it, I think we’ve got a good outfit."
Kyle Walker Peters
Posted in2020-2021-Season Daily News

#PLStories- #KyleWalkerPeters wants Saints to keep hold of ‘top player’ #JamesWardProwse #SAINTSFC

August 2, 2021
FULL-BACK Kyle Walker-Peters admitted it was hard for him to comment on the rejected bid for Saints skipper James Ward-Prowse but added: “Of course, I hope he stays.” The Daily Echo understands Saints turned down a £25million offer for their captain from Aston Villa, with transfer speculation having linked Ward-Prowse to the Birmingham side all summer. And while Walker-Peters admitted “teams are always going to be looking” at the England midfielder, he is hopeful the 26-year-old remains at St Mary’s. Put to the defender that Saints would want to keep hold of their best players amid the interest in Ward-Prowse, Walker-Peters replied: “Yeah. It’s hard for me to speak on that, obviously. “Prowsey is a top player, teams are always going to be looking at him but that’s down to the club. “Of course, I hope he stays.” Ward-Prowse has been on the books at Saints since the age of eight and made 322 senior appearances for the south coast club in all competitions. He signed a fresh five-year contract with Saints 12 months ago. The Daily Mail this weekend reported Villa will make another effort to sign Ward-Prowse in the coming days. A knee injury had kept the midfielder out of Saints’ two friendly fixtures against Cardiff and Swansea, during the team’s pre-season trip to Wales. But Walker-Peters insisted both the club captain and manager Ralph Hasenhuttl had been working on gelling the squad together, ahead of the new campaign. He added: “I think we had that unity anyway but the gaffer and Prowsey have made sure we keep that unity and keep gelling as a squad, even off the pitch. “It (the trip) has been great. It’s been good to get minutes against some good teams but the main thing is working on how the gaffer wants us to play and we are slowly getting there, slowly getting better."
Jake Vokins
Posted in2020-2021-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Saints youngster #JakeVokins has injury setback at Ross County #SAINTSFC

August 2, 2021
SAINTS youngster Jake Vokins has suffered an injury setback while at loan club Ross County. The 21-year-old had started two Scottish League Cup ties for the Saggies and had been set to feature in their league opener at home against St Johnstone on Saturday. But boss Malky Mackay revealed the Saints academy graduate has a stress fracture in his fifth metatarsal and was now set to go under the knife back on the south coast. Former Watford and Cardiff boss Mackay told the Press and Journal: “We had to contend with our starting left-back Jake Vokins, in the last minute of training on Friday, who innocuously made a pass and felt something in his foot. “It has turned out he has a stress fracture in his fifth metatarsal and will be out for 10 weeks now.” He added: “Jake had settled in really well in the three games he played. “He was absolutely gutted, I spoke to Southampton on Friday and he will be operated on Monday down there. “Left-back might be the eighth one (player) we bring in now, because that’s an extra area we will have to look at again now.” Having come through the ranks at St Mary’s, Vokins has made five senior appearances for Saints. He also spent the second half of last season on loan at Sunderland.
Ralph Hasenhuttl
Posted in2020-2021-Season Daily News

#PLStories- #RalphHasenhuttl says Saints’ young duo ‘getting stronger every day’ #SAINTSFC

August 2, 2021
MANAGER Ralph Hasenhuttl praised Saints youngsters Ryan Finnigan and Oludare Olufunwa and added: “They are getting stronger every day.” The pair have been working with the St Mary’s side’s first team during their pre-season trip to Wales and came off the bench during Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Swansea. Central midfielder Finnigan replaced Stuart Armstrong after 73 minutes at Liberty Stadium, while defender Olufunwa came on for Jan Bednarek for the final nine minutes. Asked about the young duo’s integration into the first team, Hasenhuttl replied: “Very good, I must say they are getting stronger every day and when we are working together, it’s good for them to be with the first team. “It’s good for them to learn quick and always a fantastic opportunity for the young lads to be part of the game.” The pair could be involved when Saints host La Liga sides Levante and Athletic Bilbao at St Mary’s this week.
Ralph Hasenhuttl
Posted in2020-2021-Season Daily News

#PLStories- #RalphHasenhuttl identifies ‘biggest threat’ in Saints’ game #SAINTSFC

August 1, 2021
BOSS Ralph Hasenhuttl identified Saints’ pressing as the “biggest threat in our game” after they struck three times at Swansea. The St Mary’s side sealed a 3-1 victory over the Championship outfit as they looked to get themselves up to full speed ahead of the new Premier League campaign. Saints pressed with intensity against the Swans and found rewards through their endeavour – particularly when Nathan Redmond capped off a slick counter to make it 2-1 after the visitors had won back possession. Asked about his side’s pressing style, Hasenhuttl said: “We know that it’s our biggest threat in our game, definitely. “This is always the best moment to score because the opponent is a little bit disorganised and then you have more space, you can hurt them more and that is what we did in a good way.” Swansea had taken the lead at Liberty Stadium, when Mohammed Salisu’s miskick beat Alex McCarthy after Liam Cullen’s dangerous cross into the box. And while Saints limited Swansea’s opportunities after that moment, Hasenhuttl wanted to see more improvement in defensive areas. “I don’t want to give them any chance, to be honest,” he added. “When you play against a Championship team, I want to be so clinical that they don’t give them any chance but yeah, we gave a few and that we have to talk about.”
Stuart Armstrong Southampton
Posted in2020-2021-Season Daily News

#PLStories- #RalphHasenhuttl keen to get #StuartArmstrong up to full sharpness #SAINTSFC

August 1, 2021
BOSS Ralph Hasenhuttl admitted he had been keen to get creative midfielder Stuart Armstrong up to full speed and added: “He can definitely help the team.” The former Celtic man came back late to Saints’ pre-season training schedule, due to his commitments for Scotland at Euro 2020 this summer. He impressed in Saturday’s 3-1 friendly victory over Swansea, scoring just before the hour mark and then being replaced by youngster Ryan Finnigan after 73 minutes. Asked about Armstrong’s display, Hasenhuttl said: “You also see he is still missing a little bit – he has been in training one week and in one week you cannot train as much as when you come in the highest level fitness-wise. “We must work with him that he is then also able to go longer than 70 minutes.” Armstrong started alongside stand-in skipper Oriol Romeu during the contest in Wales, a deeper role he had been utilised for when Saints were stretched with injuries last season. “I mean we have flexible players,” said the manager. “Ori to have back is important for us but Stuey also showed last season, especially with the ball he is a very good six, who carries the ball very good in the opposition half. “This is his biggest strength – there he can definitely help the team.”
Ralph Hasenhuttl
Posted in2020-2021-Season Daily News

#PLStories- #RalphHasenhuttl wanted Saints to find the ‘next gear’ at Swansea #SAINTSFC

August 1, 2021
BOSS Ralph Hasenhuttl admitted he wanted Saints to find the “next gear” during the latter stages, despite their 3-1 victory over Swansea. Goals from Nathan Tella, Nathan Redmond and Stuart Armstrong meant the Premier League side came from behind in Wales to seal a pre-season victory over the managerless Championship Swans. But despite making seven changes on the hour mark at Liberty Stadium, Saints failed to add to their tally. Hasenhuttl said: “We dropped a little bit the speed I must say in the last 30 minutes, yes. We had a few chances but I hope we give again the next gear and push them a little bit more. “It was not enough for me but after the week they worked hard and they also on Friday we had not really taking respect of the game – we tried to work hard. It’s okay.” Tella’s goal came just a minute after Mohammed Salisu shanked a cross from Liam Cullen into his own net on 15 minutes, while Redmond’s crisp finish put Saints ahead at the break. Armstrong fired in Shane Long’s cross on 57 minutes before the raft of changes from Hasenhuttl. “I think it was a particularly good game,” added the Austrian boss. “I think we scored three good goals. We conceded one and it was a horrible mistake from Sali but okay. “But we are in pre-season, I think we are physically in a good position I think. The last freshness was not there but overall, it was a good performance.” Saints continue their pre-season fixture schedule with a home clash against Levante on Wesnesday, before hosting Athletic Bilbao on Saturday. Their first competitive game comes at Everton in the Premier League on August 14.
Ben White Leeds
Posted in2020-2021-Season Daily News

#PLStories- #BenWhite did not need much convincing to join Arsenal #ARSENALFC #BHAFC

July 31, 2021
Ben White admits he did not need to much convincing to join Arsenal. The 23-year-old defender joined the Gunners this afternoon from Albion, who received a club record £50 million for him. Read more: Ben White leaves Albion for Arsenal for fee of £50 million After joining White was asked what did Mikel Arteta say to convince him to join the club. However, White admits he did not need much convincing: He said: “I don’t think I needed too much convincing to be fair, obviously Arsenal speaks for itself. “I spoke to the gaffer a number of times during the summer and I got good vibes and the way the gaffer wants to play I can hopefully produce quality in this team and get Arsenal back.” White also revealed when he found about Arsenal’s interest in him. He said: “It was when I was away with England that is when it got a bit more serious. “So, it was obviously nice to find out and to be here is unbelievable.”