Last Season: 8thPre-Season Prediction: 11th - Far too much being read into the summer exodus. Southampton still have plenty of quality in reserve and a knowledgeable manager in Koeman. Will be leaps and bounds clear of the relegation zone.
It may seem a long way away now to Southampton fans, but last season is one that will live long in the memory. A special campaign saw the Saints sail up to 8th, their highest ever finish in the Premier League but was particularly memorable for the fact that it was acheived with a squad that largely came through their own youth ranks. A solid defence coupled with an attractive attacking unit made for a hugely entertaining side, with many such as Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert, Luke Shaw and Jay Rodriguez earning themselves international call-ups as a result of their effort.
That must seem a lifetime ago now though for Southampton fans. A turbulent start to the summer saw them lose their manager, Mauricio Pochettino, to the white side of North London. It only got worse as the summer progressed, with their international starlets, Shaw, Lallana and Lambert all heading north to Manchester United and Liverpool whilst Lovren made it a trio of 'L's' at Liverpool. Not to be seen missing out on the action, Chambers went to Arsenal with Schneiderlin and Rodriguez also pining for a move following their former manager to Spurs. The word exodus has been understandably floated around.
Is the situation really as bad as it sounds though? Just as players have gone they have been replaced. Defensively Ryan Bertrand has been brought in on loan to replace Shaw whilst Florin Gardos also arrives at centre-back. Fraser Forster has arrived to hopefully clear up last season's goalkeeper problem whilst both Shane Long and Graziano Pelle have arrived to bolster the front line. Dusan Tadic, the high-scoring winger from Twente arrives as a replacement to Lallana and Saphir Taider has also arrived to strengthen a midfield already littered with young talent. There are still areas which could be strengthened though. Another dominating central defender is needed to replace the void left by Lovren whilst a winger-cum-striker would be useful on loan until the return of Rodriguez in October.
Pre-season has done plenty to relax Saints fans and ensure them that the so-called emergency is merely a media whirlwind. The friendlies were nearly faultless aside from a 1-0 blip against Bayer Leverkusen but the displays of a number of youngsters as well as new signings will have been encouraging for the season ahead. James Ward-Prowse has looked to have taken a notable step up in midfield whilst the likes of Lloyd Isgrove, Harrison Reed and Stephen Gallagher have all been given some playing time to show they can emerge as the next breed of Academy stars. With question marks over the strength of the defence, conceding just two goals will also have been a major boost.
There was probably a few moments of panic over the summer months for Koeman and the team, but the honest truth is that they have emerged with a full squad and a lot more money. Koeman is a manager with plenty of pedigree and is a perfect fit for this Southampton squad. He is famed for giving youth a chance - generally successfully - and will continue to exploit the marvelous pool of young talent at his disposal along the south coast. One quick glance at a squad list should east any worries the fans may have as a side full of depth has slowly and carefully been established over the summer months. This young Saints side will have no worries avoiding the drop and should be right back where they belong, in the echelons of mid-table.
Key Man: Jose Fonte - Now without his partner in crime after Lovren departed to Liverpool, the onus for defensive stability falls solely with the Portuguese centre-back. He will undoubtedly have to strike up a partnership rather quickly with either Hooiveld, Yoshida or Gardos but is enough of a dominating presence to ensure that Southampton remain tight defensively in this period of transition. Fonte also managed three goals last year in the League but will be looking to increase this tally this year after proving himself to be a potent goal threat from set pieces.
One To Watch: James Ward-Prowse - Ward-Prowse may have lost many of his Saints friends to other clubs over the summer but luckily these departures mean we will get to see more of the brilliant young midfielder. At just 19 he is another product of the academy, but his eye for a pass has already earned him great plaudits after featuring heavily last year. He likes to spread the play to the flanks and, as he proved in pre-season against Brighton, has a fearsome shot on him as well. With Lallana gone, Koeman may fancy trying him in a slightly more advanced role in which we may see Ward-Prowse take a step up to a higher level.
Best Summer Signing: Graziano Pelle - Both Pelle and Tadic have followed Koeman from Holland and both come with big expectations. It is the signing of Pelle that really catches my eye though mainly due to his similar goalscoring figures to one Wilfried Bony, who had a pretty special first season after also travelling across the channel the year before. Having seen Pelle play in a pre-season fixture against Bournemouth, I can say he looks not an overly pacey striker but is extremely powerful. He has not had his scoring boots on over pre-season but is new to the side and will take a while to gel with his new team mates. That said, defences will find him a handful and expect him to pick up as the season goes on. Not all transfers from Holland have worked - Mateja Kezman and Jozy Altidore spring to mind - but this might just be one of those great success stories.
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