In the 17th round of the English Premier League this evening, Southampton and Fulham played to a 0-0 draw away from home and shook hands. After the match, Southampton's interim helmsman Lascelles faced the spotlight of the British media and gave an in-depth analysis of the match and looked forward to the team's blueprint.
Lascelles began by giving credit to the team's performance: "We are committed to building a solid defense and seeking harmony between attack and defense. It was pleasing to see that we are the first team to record a clean sheet at Craven Farm this season, which is certainly a huge boost to the players' morale. Expect this draw to inspire them to keep pushing forward."
He went on to praise the team spirit of the squad: "They are an honest team and every player has no distractions. They have shown remarkable professionalism and will to fight in these two duels. With the confidence of this draw, they are expected to meet the next challenges."
Speaking about Ramsdale's performance since his return, Lasker spoke extremely highly of his performance, "He was perfect tonight and infused the team with boundless energy and focus. He was a key part of our team's exceptional performance."
On the question of his personal future, Lasker said he will focus on the task at hand, "As interim manager, my mission is to focus on the immediate needs of the club and the team, rather than indulging too much in my personal footballing ideals. I have learned from experience and am fully committed to helping the players cope with these two games."
He revealed that he had a brief exchange with Juric, who will take over as the official head coach: "My duty is to take care of these two matches and I am fully focused on that. I'm sure that Juric's arrival will bring a new style and philosophy to the team, which will gradually become apparent over the next few weeks. Tonight, I just want to rest and recharge my batteries for the upcoming job."
Despite failing to win the title this campaign, Lasker remains confident in Southampton's future, "We are confident that as long as the team stays united and fights hard, we will be able to create good results in the coming campaigns."
