Premier League Preview: Southampton

Last Season: 8th

Pre-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.

Premier League Preview: Manchester United

Last Season: 7th

Pre-Season Prediction: 5th - Van Gaal and his new system will drastically improve the team although the squad just currently isn't good enough. Prediction could change by the end of the transfer window though.

'Last season? What last season?' The Moyes Era has already become known as the Forgotten Era to fans of Manchester United after they suffered unquestionably their worst season at least in my living memory. A seventh place finish,  an overpriced purchase of Marouane Fellaini, failure to qualify from Europe, failure in cup competitions are but a few of Moyes' many failures in his short time as Manchester United manager and the future can only be brighter after that worst of seasons.

The summer started promisingly with the signings of Ander Herrera and Luke Shaw but has rather stagnated since then. Potential deals for Mats Hummels and Thomas Vermaelen both fell through and United still look extremely weak at central defence, especially with Van Gaal opting for three central defenders. It looks like Marcos Rojo may be joining but another centre-back will definitely be needed for ample squad depth. With Michael Carrick out for a few months another midfielder may be required whilst a competent right-sided wing-back is a necessity after the uncertainty of Antonio Valencia in that position.

All of that said, it is uncertain as to whether Van Gall will actually opt for a larger squad after already saying he would prefer to work with a small squad to get back into Europe. Much of this will depend upon who he manages to shift before the end of the transfer window. Rumours are as many as seven players could be departing Old Trafford which would leave the squad very thin. Van Gaal may be willing to gamble on youth but that is a dangerous game considering he has been told to get top four football or he faces the axe.

So far Van Gaal's tactics have been top notch. His 3-4-1-2 tactics have led to an unbeaten pre-season including a trophy as well in the form of the International Champions Cup after defeating Liverpool 3-1 in the final. Six victories out of six - although one was a penalty shoot-out victory against Inter Milan - has left the squad members vocally optimistic. Defensively there is still plenty of work to do as players adapt to this new system, but from an offensive level there has been a marked improvement from the dismal displays of last year.

The general consensus among the media is that 3-4-1-2 is a sparkly new tactic which is completely fresh but the reality is that it isn't. The likes of Wigan and Hull have implemented this in the not so distant past and met with mixed results, as you can see from Wigan's relegation. Unfortunately for Van Gaal he is unlikely to have time on his side. The board as well as the fans are demanding an instant return to Champions League football and if LVG suffers a slow start then the pressure will very quickly start to build. Unfortunately, with the implementation of new tactics and a growing concern about the quality of the squad with little action in the transfer market, it may already be too little, too late for United's European push.

Key Man: Darren Fletcher - With the departures of Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic and Giggs, there has been a major loss of experience in this young Manchester United side. Rooney has been awarded the captaincy and will inevitably be important but Fletcher's importance is greater if not more understated because of his position on the pitch and the dearth of quality in his position. Fletcher will probably be required to play week-in-week-out at this current rate and his stability in the center of the park could be instrumental to controlling the pace of this new side. He will also provide protection for a back-line which is still learning their roles.

One to Watch: Tyler Blackett - With just three current first-team centre-backs and no new signings on the immediate radar, any injuries to either Evans, Smalling or Jones could see heads turned to the reserves. One of the stand-out players in pre-season has been the versatile defender Tyler Blackett, who can play either at centre-back or as the left-sided wing-back. Blackett has impressed with a number of mature performances, especially in the ICC Final against Liverpool and also provided the assist for a last minute goal against Valencia a couple of days ago. With Phil Jones error and injury prone, you could be seeing Blackett starting sooner rather than later.

Best Signing: Ander Herrera - Finally United have signed a central midfielder with a bit of flair and creativity. Central-midfield has been a problem area for the Red Devils for a number of years now but through the signings of young Spaniard Herrera it looks as though it might be solved for now. Herrera's performances have been mixed so far and it still remains to be seen how he will cope with the physicality of the Premier League but he has at least provided some moments of magic including a golden first touch and some quick feet. He seems to be built in a similar mould to Luka Modric and with the right guidance could be just as good.

Premier League Preview: Southampton

Southampton made a strong start to their new Premier League era last season, finishing in a respectable 14th and playing attractive football on the way. However the next challenge for a recently promoted side is the dreaded second season. Southampton's aim should be top half football and, although I see them achieving this, I also have a bad feeling they may struggle.

Their summer activity has been quiet but expensive, splashing a reported £21 million on Victor Wanyama and Dejan Lovren. Both are great prospects as they are 22 and 24 respectively but Southampton need to strengthen their attack if they are to really push on in the league. Whilst they boast a gifted midfield and solid enough defence, their strike force is largely reliant on Rickie Lambert. Whilst Jay Rodriguez is a solid enough second striker there is no one to reinforce these two should either suffer an injury. This needs to be strengthened before the end of the transfer window.

Southampton are a nice side to have in the Premier League because they play attractive football and are not afraid to have a go at the big sides. I don't think this philosophy will have changed under Pochettino and I look forward to watching them progress as a side this year. Their aim will be to finish top-half but I think the curse of the second season will unfortunately drag them closer to the relegation zone than they would like. Don't fear though, they will survive.

Key Man: Morgan Schneiderlin - Whilst many argue Lambert is Southampton's star man I would completely disagree. Schneiderlin's work in central midfield went largely unnoticed by neutral fans but with the most tackles and interceptions in the League, the young Frenchman has emerged as one of the most underated players in the Division. Undoubtedly a superb talent, I hope he goes on to have another fantastic season and obtains wider recognition.

One to Watch: Luke Shaw - It's a shame that most of the depth in the England squad lies in the left-back position. Luke Shaw is no exception to this and, at only 17, is one of the hottest prospects in English football. Described by many as the 'next Gareth Bale', this wonderkid will be looking to maintain his regular spot and continue down the path he is going, as that path can only lead to success.

Best Summer Signing: Victor Wanyama - Wanyama, a Scottish Premier League record sale at around £12.5 million, is a great addiction to the Southampton side. A powerfully built player, Pochettino will be looking to slot Wanyama next to Schneiderlin to build a strong midfield to push for top-half football.

Last Season: 14th

Pre-Season Prediction: 15th - As the Premier League goes from strength to strength Southampton will not quite get a foothold in this season.