Southampton

Dave2l

Don't really like the club for some reason, but:

Could they really go from starting league 1 with -10 points ...to only 5 years later, sneaking a champions league spot in the premier league?

Nothing much surprises in football now but how are they so relentlessly producing this miracle where they were also favourites for the drop in the summer after losing their best players and basically having a depleted squad.

Of course that was the trick...apart from arguably chambers, none of their old good players have really impressed at their new clubs so far and appear to have been easily replaced. Appears to be rather outstanding business.

You would look at the table and think of course they will not actually finish what they have started in terms of league position, but look around. City, arsenal, Liverpool man United, all consistently under achieving basically making Chelsea's title fight rather straightforward.

They destroyed Sunderland 8-0 a couple of weeks ago and have recorded solid wins since.

Will this be maintained?

Karim_myBagheri

I hope they do well. I fine them a breath of fresh air in that league. them, Swansea and even west ham are making it a little more watchable.

Always liked Koeman as well. got a old Barca kit with his name and number on the back of it.

paulie8290

Hope they get 4th ahead of United

Mendonca In Asdas

When they started flogging all their players off in the summer, and brought in a load of new ones, I thought they were nailed on for relegation, they seemed in free fall.

Unless you know what's going on behind the scenes, you really haven't got a clue.
I think they've been amazing, can they sustain it?

Who knows, I hope so, the premiership 'top 4 race' has become pretty stale.

kentaddick

Hope they crack the top four. Will show a clear path for championship and league one teams that if you invest in your academy then it gives you sustainable results

CAFCsayer

Pelé is a class act!

MattD

Mendonca In Asdas said:

When they started flogging all their players off in the summer, and brought in a load of new ones, I thought they were nailed on for relegation, they seemed in free fall.

Unless you know what's going on behind the scenes, you really haven't got a clue.
I think they've been amazing, can they sustain it?

Who knows, I hope so, the premiership 'top 4 race' has become pretty stale.

I think even those behind the scenes had absolutely no idea they would do this well.

In their situation I imagine the idea was to cash in on those players as there was a ton of money to be made and then create another team on a small budget with the aim of staying on for TV money.

iaitch

Good to see them or anyone else put the 'big' clubs noses out of joint, might make the Champions League more interesting.

jams

In many ways I think they are what Roland is aiming for - top quality academy with a smattering of foreign signings that are relatively good value with the odd experienced pro

shirty5

jams said:

In many ways I think they are what Roland is aiming for - top quality academy with a smattering of foreign signings that are relatively good value with the odd experienced pro

Is the above about Southampton or Charlton? Sounds and looks rather similar to what M.Roly would like as well.

kentaddick

shirty5 said:

jams said:

In many ways I think they are what Roland is aiming for - top quality academy with a smattering of foreign signings that are relatively good value with the odd experienced pro

Is the above about Southampton or Charlton? Sounds and looks rather similar to what M.Roly would like as well.

That... Is exactly what his post is saying.

Algarveaddick

MattD said:

Mendonca In Asdas said:

When they started flogging all their players off in the summer, and brought in a load of new ones, I thought they were nailed on for relegation, they seemed in free fall.

Unless you know what's going on behind the scenes, you really haven't got a clue.
I think they've been amazing, can they sustain it?

Who knows, I hope so, the premiership 'top 4 race' has become pretty stale.

I think even those behind the scenes had absolutely no idea they would do this well.

In their situation I imagine the idea was to cash in on those players as there was a ton of money to be made and then create another team on a small budget with the aim of staying on for TV money.

In an ideal world I don't think they would have wanted to lose all those players at once, but when the Sky 4 (and a half) come knocking it's almost impossible to keep them.

Ledge

It's brilliant they are clear in 2nd and even west ham sloping about in 4th. Must be really painful, for the motd bores that clubs like that are are competitive at that end of league. Hopefully they can carry it on

charltonkeston

Hopefully a few of the less fashionable clubs like Southampton, West Ham, Swansea can break up the top 6 places a bit and may be then there will less of a easy "product" to sell around the world.
May be then we might get a little bit of a rebalance when some of the big clubs can no longer have first dibs on all of the money.

GretnaGreenAddick

The problem across all of Europe is we have created not just in finances but in the mind of players/managers/fans a feeder club system to a certain number of clubs, we just happen to a have a couple more in our league then other European nations.

So it really is great that a club like Southampton might have a good go at upsetting the odds despite being forced to sell nearly all their prize assets to the rich clubs in the summer.

JohnBoyUK

I think its absolutely brilliant for the PL that Koeman has got Southampton playing like he has.
No excuses about players leaving in the summer, no excuses about needing time for his team to adapt to his ideas, no excuses about the pitch being too small etc etc etc.

The more teams in the mix at the top the better.

LenGlover

It was Southampton we were meant to be playing when that git D'Urso (the referee on Saturday coincidentally) had his fit of Boxing Day megalomania a few years back.

Just shows what can be achieved by clubs of our size.