Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/354989
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 30 JULY 2014 Sport 23 Answers to the MaltaToday crossword will be published next Wednesday WEATHER: Mainly Sunny VISIBILITY: Good WIND: Northerly force 3 to 4 becoming West to Northwest force 3 to 4 locally force 4 SEA: Moderate becoming slight to moderate SWELL: LOW NORTHWEST SEA TEMP: 25 °C A B C D E F G H 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 White to play and mate in four moves A B C D E F G H 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Last week's solution Sudoku rules are extremely easy: Fill all empty squares so that the numbers 1 to 9 appear once in each row, column and 9x9 box. PARTLY CLOUDY 30 º C / 22 º C UV INDEX: 8 Today's Weather Chess Sudoku Pursuits OPINION Across 1. Branch of knowledge (7) 4. Vacuum flask (7) 8. Stealing from a shop (11) 12. Scheme (4) 13. Pitch (4) 14. Person who explores caves (5) 15. Revise (6) 17. Artificial waterway (5) 22. Donations to the poor (4) 23. Reprimand (5) 24. Encounter (4) 25. Shoe ties (5) 28. Zone (6) 30. Occur again (5) 32. Abound (4) 34. Equipment (4) 35. Saturated with water (11) 38. Communication (7) 39. Any longer (3,4) Down 1. Containing soap (5) 2. Fourth Gospel (4) 3. Head covering (3) 5. Humble dwelling (3) 6. Rave (4) 7. Moon (9) 8. Having a sound mind (4) 9. Escaping fluid (4) 10. Combustible matter (4) 11. Woman's dress (4) 14. Crucifix (5) 16. Squander (5) 18. Allow to enter (5) 19. Icy storm (9) 20. Female bovine (3) 21. Mammary gland in cows (5) 26. Ship's company (4) 27. 365 days (4) 28. Form of wrestling (4) 29. Was indebted to (4) 31. Unrefined (5) 33. Charts (4) 34. Microbe (4) 36. Ovum (3) 37. Alcoholic liquor (3) AFTER an excellent last season from Southampton we all expected them to invest and try to push further up the table next season. Instead there seems to have been a clearance sale at St Mary's this summer with a mass exodus under way. First in the long queue to leave was 32 year old striker Ricky Lambert, who joined boyhood club Liverpool. Hardly an apt replacement for the de- parting Luis Suarez, Liverpool were looking to add depth to the top half of their squad and Lambert, at a cut price fits the part well. A member of Roy Hodgson`s World Cup squad Liv- erpool are hoping they landed a bar- gain as despite his age, Lambert looks like a player with goals in him. Their next two deals saw Luke Shaw join Manchester United for a new British Transfer record. The £30 million spent by United was the high- est ever spent on a teenager and no doubt Southamption took the beit for that deal. At 19 Luke Shaw instantly became a top earner at Old Trafford and this sparked controversy, with the ever-wise Jose Mourinho stoking the flames adding that Chelsea did not sign him as such deals do nothing to boost morale. New United boss, and Jose's friend, Louis van Gaal has moved swiftly to ignore the com- ments, hoping for a chance to speak to his ex colleague in person Prior to his departure however Liverpool too were once again found fishing in the same pond and a further £25 million went Southampton's way for Adam Lallana, the linchpin of the Saint's midfield. Selling at the right price is the tonic for Southampton and having made over £60 million in three deals did not only serve to leave a gaping hole in their squad but also left them with piles of cash in the bank to spend. At this stage fans were beginning to worry. Apart from losing three key men, at the midpoint of last season Southampton had to deal with the de- parture of their club chairman which left the fans, manager Pochettino feel- ing the pinch. Pochettino agreed to see out the succesfull season however he too jumped ship when Spurs came calling. His replacement, former Fey- enoord manager Ronald Koeman is yet to have seen his Saints kick a game and is probably wondering where the rest of his once promising squad is. The training ground looks deserted and he must be thinking who else would be next to leave. With Liverpool once again lurking there has been one more departure. Having received £75 million for prized asset Luis Suarez, Brendan Rodgers has the cash to spend and is looking to assemble a squad capable of finally delivering the Premier League trophy. £20 million more and they had their man: Dejan Lovren swapped jerseys too and all Liverpool need to do now is take the club's home kit to succes- fully morph into Southampton FC. Southampton currently look like they have spent the summer on a scrap heap in east London and truth be told I am worried about their fate next season. As always more rumours surround the club with their trusted tea Lady also rumoured to be looking for a new house in Merseyside. The older woman has spoken of her desire to move north, as she will miss long deep converstations with Ricky Lam- bert - do not be surprised if we will see another unveiling during the next few weeks. In what has been a terribly busy summer for the Reds, Emre Can and Lazar Markovic have also been wel- comed at Anfield for a combined fee of £30 million and just when you thought the funds are runnuing dry for Brendan Rodgers, he himself has argued he is still looking to add more players to his deeper squad. They might have sorted out their midfield, bolstering it in all the right areas with some decent names thrown in the ring, however there is one area that seems to have been overlooked by Rodgers and co. Despite finish- ing second in last season's Premier League table, they shipped more goals than seventh place and defensively in- ept Manchester United. Alarm bells should be ringing at Anfield and I do believe a complete over haul is need- ed at the back, with an over reliance on Glen Johnson the highlight of the defence's problems. Sackho might have looked like a completely different player for France in last month's World Cup, however they must surely add to their defence or otherwise risk falling short once more. It is much easier and probably more fun and exciting to bring attack- ing players and forwards in, but Rodg- ers must not forget to tweek Liver- pool's mentality. If the 3-3 draw with Palace last season told us anything it was that Liverpool's Achilles Heel was far too exposed and a goal could crip- ple them badly. It should not be a case of whatever you score we will double, but more of a Gandalf style You Shall Not Pass approach in the rear end of Anfield this season. Mark Strijbosch When the Saints go marching out Nd6+ Ka5 Nxe4 c4 Nd6 Ka6 Bxc4 Ka7 Nc8+ Ka8 Bd5# Luke Shaw