Herzlich Willkommen » German as she raced to a

Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has hailed the impact of defender Virgil van Dijk since his arrival from Celtic last summer. Derek Sanderson Jersey . Van Dijk moved to St Marys on Deadline Day last September for a fee in the region of £11.5m and has put in a number of impressive performances for the club so far this season.The Holland international was an ever-present in Southamptons run of seven straight Premier League clean sheets earlier this year and has helped his side record the joint-third best defensive record in the top-flight alongside Arsenal and Watford, and only behind Tottenham and Manchester United. And Koeman insists his fellow countryman is crucial to Southampton as they battle to qualify for Europe. Van Dijk has built up an impressive partnership with Jose Fonte He is strong, hes fast and hes important in the way we like to build-up [from the back], Koeman said on Monday Night Football.He is good at short passing, he has a good long pass and he has got a good partnership with Jose Fonte and last Saturday he was good in tandem with Ryan Bertrand. He is strong, hes fast and hes important in the way we like to build-up [from the back]. Koeman on Van Dijk He is also a good header of the ball, has a good shot and is a good free-kick taker. Hes a very good centre-back.Despite Van Dijks form this season, Koeman revealed he did have doubts about signing his fellow countryman from Celtic. Van Dijks Champions League experience convinced Koeman to sign him My only worry with Virgil was that we signed him from Celtic in the Scottish league, Koeman added. Its different from the Premier League.It makes it a little more tricky but he had experience of playing against Barcelona in the Champions League, so in the end there was no doubt about it.Meanwhile, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher echoed Koemans praise of Van Dijk, claiming Southamptons defensive record is evidence of the Dutchmans growing influence. Jamie Carragher thinks Van Dijk has been outstanding for Siants so far this season Carragher said: Obviously I look at centre-backs in the league and I think he has been fantastic. The defensive record shows that. When he first came in I thought he was more interested in playing on the ball but hes been outstanding defensively. Also See: David targets Europa return Saints appeal Mane red card Koeman v Benitez Carragher on Benitez Jaromir Jagr Jersey . In a matter of days, he went from unwanted to wanted, from fired to hired, from discarded by the Philadelphia Eagles with reputation tarnished to rock star treatment and a new fat contract from the Washington Redskins. Brad Marchand Jersey . That Ginette Reno can sing. http://www.cheapbruinsjerseys.info/authentic-bobby-orr-bruins-jersey/ . - The Raiders have released guard Mike Brisiel after two disappointing seasons in Oakland.PARIS -- Canadian Eugenie Bouchard advanced to the third round of the French Open on Wednesday after a come-from-behind win over German Julia Goerges. Bouchard dropped the first set but then rallied for a 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory. "I wasnt worried after the first, I just took my time," said Bouchard. "I just really tried to forget about that I lost the first set and just start fresh. Thats what I did for the second and third." The 18th seed from Westmount, Que., will play Swede Johanna Larsson, who upset 12th-seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta 5-7, 6-4, 6-2. "For sure it definitely wasnt one of my best days, but Im proud that I was able to turn it around,"said Bouchard. "It was definitely more of a mental win today to get my game back in the right place." Bouchard said she stayed mentally strong. "I have confidence that no matter what happens on the court, I can fight and still give my best and give myself the best chance to win," said Bouchard. Bouchard broke the 107th-ranked Goerges to end the match, taking thee victory with 21 winners and conversions on six of 13 break points. Zdeno Chara Jersey. Bouchard broke twice in the second set and began the third with another break of the German as she raced to a 5-0 lead. But she lost serve in the next game after a forehand error. She immediately recovered a game later, breaking Goerges back and advancing on her first match point. "In the first set I felt I wasnt in the right mental frame of mind, and it just wasnt good enough for my standards," Bouchard. "I just needed to regroup after that, and I really focused and got back to playing the way I need to play, which is stepping in, going for my shots." Bouchard, a semifinalist at the Australian Open, arrived in Paris after her first WTA title last week in Germany. She was eliminated in the second round at Roland Garros last year, her French Open debut. In doubles play, Canadas Sharon Fichman and her partner Anastassia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia upended ninth-seeded Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic, 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-1. ' ' '