News about Stuart Armstrong

THERE'S a way to bounce back from a nightmare of an international tournament and attempt to win friends and restore momentum. A way to offer an olive branch to supporters who have lost faith in those who let them down so badly.

SIMON JONES: Brentford are giving a trial to former Southampton midfielder Stuart Armstrong, 32, who is a free agent and played in their friendly against AFC Wimbledon on Saturday.  Armstrong featured in the second half as Brentford won 5-2 against AFC Wimbledon. Joe Lewis put Wimbledon in front early on but new signing Igor Thiago scored twice for Brentford, with Yoane Wissa also netting a penalty.

Euro 2024 should have been the tournament when VAR finally won over a few sceptics. Quick semi-automated offside decisions. Just the one iffy handball decision against Germany. Scotland were so bad, even the Tartan Army were prepared to overlook that late Stuart Armstrong shout against Hungary. You can't keep a rampant attention seeker out of the headlines for long, however. Like one of those professional trolls addicted to being wrong about everything in the quest for likes and retweets, VAR craved a bit of attention. It needed people to sit up and take notice.

UEFA managing director for refereeing Roberto Rosetti has defended the decision not to award Scotland a penalty during their heartbreaking defeat to Hungary on Sunday. The Scots were denied what they believed was a clear penalty before the Hungarians netted a 100th minute winner to send them home.  Southampton's Stuart Armstrong went down in the box following contact from Hungary defender Willi Orban, but referee Facundo Tello waved play on and was not asked to review the incident by his VAR assistants.

Referee Facundo Tello and VAR Alejandro Hernandez have reportedly been axed alongside the two assistants that night, Gabriel Chade and Ezequiel Brailovsky. Tello enraged Scotland boss Steve Clarke when Stuart Armstrong went down under an ugly challenge from Willi Orban in the 79th minute and nothing was given. The Tartan Army were desperate for a goal to make the last 16 of Euro 2024 but failed to score and conceded in stoppage time as their dreams disintegrated .

What are we to make of this Scotland team? The nearly men? All talk and no trousers? Certainly, for the second time in three years, this group of players have merely made up the numbers at a major tournament despite promising so much more. All the chat about trying to create history and reach the knockout stages for the first time felt cheap and hollow come full-time against Hungary on Sunday night, almost like a pipe dream. It was all so different barely a fortnight ago. Even a couple of laboured performances against Gibraltar and Finland in the warm-up games couldn't dilute the excitement and optimism surging through the country.

Steve Clarke questioned UEFA's appointment of referee Facundo Tello based on his nationality after Scotland were knocked out of Euro 2024 by Hungary on Sunday. Scotland boss Clarke saw his side fall to a 1-0 defeat in Stuttgart that left them with just one point from their three group games. After failing to record a single shot on target, Scotland deserved to lose, although Hungary's winning goal did not arrived until the 100th minute. However, the Scots may well have won had a strong penalty appeal in the 79th minute not been turned down by Tello and his team of South American officials.

AADAM PATEL AT THE MHPARENA: 'I'm sad - disappointed and sad,' said Clarke. 'The overriding feeling is to be sad for everyone - for the supporters and the country. And the players are just as sad as everyone else.' added the Scotland boss. Defeat for Scotland means that for the 12th time in a row, they have now failed to make it out of their group at a major tournament. Despite knowing that a win would put them in a strong position to qualify, Clarke's side failed to have a shot on target until injury time but were denied a potential penalty in the second half by Argentinian referee Facundo Tello for a challenge by Willi Orban on Stuart Armstrong. And the Scotland manager revealed his frustration after there was no VAR check in Stuttgart.

Scotland supporters have slammed the decision not to award Stuart Armstrong a penalty against Hungary after the midfielder was brought down in the box by Willi Orban during the Euro 2024 defeat. Steve Clarke's battling Scotland side went all-out for victory that would have put them in a strong position to qualify with a third place group finish, underwhelming in the first-half before improving in the second.

Southampton have released five players ahead of their return to the Premier League next season. The Saints were promoted back to the top flight at the first time of asking after beating Leeds in the Championship play-off final last month.  And following the season's end, the club have now revealed which first-team stars will be kept on for the 2024-25 campaign. 

Scottish soft drink brand Irn Bru has released a hilarious advert ahead of the Euros, which sees a kilt-wearing fan back the Tartan Army to go far in this summer's tournament while making very colourful jokes about his 'Mannschaft'. The innuendo-laden ad revolves around the German word for football team and potential confusion over its meaning. The patriotic video posted to X starts with a Scottish fan, dressed in a dark blue replica kit and checked kilt, washing his hands in a pub bathroom. He is soon joined by a German supporter sporting a white top, a Germany-themed hat and a German flag draped over his shoulders. The host nation fan turns to the Scot and says: 'Hey Scotland. Good luck with your Mannschaft. Ja!'

THE last time John Bennett said anything significant outside of the stage-managed snoozefest of the Rangers AGM, it was part of a ludicrous move to try to play down the significance of monies being brought in from the Champions League. September 2022 that was. On the in-house TV channel. He was still the vice-chairman. The manager, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, had got the club into the group stage of Europe's premier competition by beating PSV Eindhoven in a play-off and, despite seeking to strengthen the squad, received nothing for any new players in the six days between securing progress in the Netherlands and the transfer window shutting. When it all went pear-shaped that season, managing director and all-round grey man Stewart Robertson started droning on about how people had been talking about money having 'fallen out of the sky' and how this Champions League dough the club had been chasing for years was, as it turns out, nothing to get in a flap over.

Stuart Armstrong faces a race against time to be fit to play for Scotland in the Euros after getting stretchered off playing for Southampton against Cardiff.

TOM PRENTKI AT ST MARY'S: The top four in the division are separated by just five points after a Che Adams double inspired Saints to a bruising victory over Preston. Russell Martin's side still have to travel to Leicester City and face a tantalising final day clash at Leeds with all of the top four on track to achieve 90 points or more. But it is Martin's men who have the most momentum and, playing like this, they will be a match for anyone.

Southampton and Watford, both championship sides, will face off at St. Mary's Stadium tonight in the FA Cup's fifth round. This fixture is one of five fourth-round FA Cup replays taking place tonight and tomorrow. Southampton and Watford had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Vicarage Road last month, with Stuart Armstrong's goal in the 90th minute assisting the Saints in keeping their FA Cup hopes alive.

ISAAN KHAN AT VICARAGE ROAD: For those supporters of red and white who made the trip to Vicarage Road, their world had almost crashed. Not because Southampton was on the verge of being knocked out of the FA Cup 4th round, but not because they were on the verge of being knocked out. That may not have been ideal, but it was all about their unique, special track. The Saints tied a new 102-year record a week ago. Twenty games in a row have been unbeaten. Many of these fans will never see again in their lifetime.

Southampton will be aiming to put some distance between themselves and Leeds, who are third and fourth respectively in the Championship table on Friday night. Russell Martin's side will face Plymouth Argyle at St Mary's Park, and if they win, they will win their fourth straight victory on the bounce. Leeds currently sits three points ahead of Leeds, who were defeated 2-1 by Preston on Boxing Day, but they are five points behind Ipswich, who have failed to win in their last three matches.

DAN MATTHEWS AT STAMFORD BRIDGE: Stuart Armstrong was assaulted on the edge of the Chelsea box and a half-second later, the celebrations began at Stamford Bridge, Southampton's pocket of support began. The children applauded the foul as if it was a goal. They knew what was coming. So, with a whip of his right foot and a whiff of inevitability, James Ward-Prowse curled the ball up and over the wall and beyond Kepa's stretching fingers. David Beckham's Premier League record is one step closer. Southampton may have started a new season with a giant leap, but they may have put some new life into their season.

On the three-part Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE), the artificial intelligence service course scored between 52.4 and 75%. Around 60% of the passing threshold each year is around 60%. 'Reaching the passing score for this notoriously difficult expert exam, as well as doing so without any human support, marks a significant milestone in clinical AI maturation,' according to the study's researchers.

Gabriel Jesus has said he is back to scoring ways, despite not having found the back of the net in five games following Arsenal's 1-1 draw to Southampton on Sunday. After Stuart Armstrong's second half goal nullified Granit Xhaka's early strike, the forward said his team needed to 'wake up' and admitted that Arsenal 'dropped their level' during the game at St Mary's. After missing several opportunities on goal, the Gunners dropped points this season, and Jesus expressed his dissatisfaction with his own play following the game.

Arsenal should have won a penalty during their match against Southampton on Sunday, according to Mark Halsey. As Stuart Armstrong's second-half goal put out Granit Xhaka's earlier opener, the Gunners were held to a 1-1 draw against the Saints. However, Mikel Arteta's team may have had a chance to double their lead in the first half from the penalty spot, according to the former referee.

DAN MATTHEWS AT ST. MARY'S: Arsenal's Mikel Arteta believes they were taught a painful lesson by Southampton, who came back to take two points from the Premier League leaders on Sunday afternoon. Arsenal led for almost an hour through Granit Xhaka's early game, and by halftime, the game may have been called off. However, the visitors were guilty of missing several golden opportunities, with Gabriel Jesus particularly wilful at St Mary's. Southampton erupted in the second half, and Stuart Armstrong scored their equalizer with 25 minutes remaining.

MARK WILSON: Just as it appeared Scotland would not gain only accolades, the midfielder's personal moment of redemption highlighted a superb team effort, one that was dramatically improved from the limp loss to Ukraine in the World Cup play-off semi-finals. McGinn has admitted to being haunted by his inability to convert from close range in the second half years ago, just as the hopes of Qatar fell away. It happened at the same time as Hampden, which was fittingly. McGinn turned away from Valeriy Bondar after Kieran Tierney's challenge forced the ball in his direction. The finish was unerring this time. Following a string of thwarted opportunities, it arced into the bottom corner of the net for the 70th minute. In the midst of the second period's one-way traffic, Stuart Armstrong had three children alone. Since the Ukrainians outclassed their hosts three months ago, Steve Clarke came under a lot of flak.

The Prince of Wales sent Aston Villa a letter of support as he mourns the Queen's death, according to manager Steven Gerrard. After Villa Park paid tribute to the Queen, Jacob Ramsey's first-half victory over Southampton 1-0 on Friday. Villa won their second game of the season - and first clean sheet since April - on an evening that began with a minute's silence and the national anthem.