Expectations had been significantly tempered at Southampton after the team sold off half of its roster, replaced those players with cheaper talent and lost its coach last summer. So when the club finished near the top of the table and qualified for European competition, it was a pleasant surprise to say the least for the home fans. Southampton might not have finished in the top four in the Premier League but there are far more positives than negatives to take from this past year. Here is a look at the three most important things we can take from Southampton’s season.
The Defensive Core Is Very Sound
Nathaniel Clyne’s future at Southampton is still in doubt and Tony Alderweireld could also be on the way out but even if they lose those two players, the Saints back line is still very solid. Clyne and Ryan Bertand were excellent all year for Southampton while Jose Fonte really emerged as a stud on the field. He ended up being Southampton’s highest scoring player from a fantasy perspective. Fonte was a beast on the back end as he intercepted more passes than any other Saints player last season and really provided the type of solid play necessary to hold down Southampton’s back line. Although Southampton finished seventh in the EPL table, they actually finished second in goals allowed with just 33. That was second-best to the league champs, Chelsea.
The team’s defensive play will be that much more important with goalkeeper Fraser Forster likely out for the beginning of next season but if they play the way they did this past year, they will be in very good shape.
Bound For Another Busy Summer
The problem with having so many talented young players on a team without as much money to spend as the other big clubs in the Premier League is that they will always be looking to poach the roster and steal players with more money to offer them. The Saints survived a busy summer last year but according to fans and pundits, it wasn’t supposed to be that way. They were written off after their roster was picked apart during the last offseason. While they survived it once (and thrived), it’s unlikely to happen again. They should be bound for another busy summer with rumors that Clyne and Morgan Schneiderlin rumored to be on the way out. Then there is also the issue of finding a capable replacement for the injured Forster – at least for the beginning of next season.
In terms of additions, this team will be shopping for offense. Graziano Pelle went through a dry spell this season and Southampton should be on the lookout for a capable complement to him up front at the striker position. They managed just 52 goals and will have to do something about their lack of scoring. The Saints were able to overcome a ton of adversity this year to qualify for European competition but with roster issues to address once again, expect the team and it’s players to be in the transaction headlines quite frequently.
The Future Is Bright
One of the effects from last summer’s roster turnover was the youth movement that helped fill the holes and left the Saints as one of the youngest teams in the Premier League. Southampton ranked fifth in the Premier League in minute adjusted age behind Tottenham, Liverpool, Newcastle and Manchester United with a 26.3 mark. The Saints will have to adjust to losing a couple of young stars with the 25-year-old Schneiderlin and 24-year-old Clyne, and replacing their talent will be tough. However, there is a good chance they get younger when filling the holes those two players leave. If the young players on Southampton’s roster step up again next year the way they did as a team this past season, then there will be even more reason for optimism in 2016.
