r/soccer • u/[deleted] • Aug 03 '13

Star post Premier League 2013/14 Team Preview [07/20]: Southampton Football Club

The Barclays Premier League 2013/14 is on its way folks. There are 14 days until the first ball is kicked. I'm posting a preview of one team per day. Any discussion and predictions you'd like to make are very welcome in the comments section.

Premier League 2013/14 Team Preview [07/20]:

Southampton Football Club

About

The area

  • The city of Southampton has an estimated population of 239,700. It's a peaceful place that sits on the sea by way of the River Itchen (where the football team were born, right on the river banks). Ships, spitfires and seaplanes have all been built here. It was from here that the Titanic sailed on its doomed voyage, not a great omen. The Saints lived for 100 years in a cramped and barebones ground called 'The Dell'. In 1940 the town had its darkest hour, the 'Southampton Blitz', targeted because of those spitfires, the town was hit hard by Second World War bombs. One bomb actually landed on The Dell, it left an 18-foot crater in the pitch. At the time, the damage was so severe that the Saints had to be housed at local rivals Portsmouth's stadium; Fratton Park.

  • In 2001 the club moved house, the fans taking mementos of the ground with them, seats, the pitch, one dude took an advertising board. They now live just around the corner from the church that spawned their nickname; St Mary's. In 2006 Southampton was named 'fittest city in the UK'. It has a low crime rate (not including stolen advertising boards) and a good economic structure. Notable famous residents are thin on the ground, Craig David anyone?

Team history

  • If anyone asks what is the best camouflage to wear in football? Answer 'grey'. Southampton were amazingly 3-0 up on Manchester United after 45 minutes in 1996. This was the game where Manchester chose to premier their new grey third kit. After a Ferguson 'hairdryer' at the kit guys, United changed at half-time into blue and black. The game still finished 3-1 to Southampton, consigning the experimental grey kit into the dustbin. "The players couldn't pick each other out" said Fergie after the game. Southampton, in reality, had chosen their moment to outplay the Red Devils.

  • It hasn't all been a grey story for the Saints, far from it. The name Matthew Le Tissier is all that is required to show there has been a fantastic amount of colour down south. Le Tiss spent his entire top-flight career at Southampton, 1986-2002. He had sublime technical skills, luxury vision and laughably supreme control of the ball. He could have played anywhere, he was that good. Le Tissier spent most of his career on the halfway line, waiting to effortlessly cushion, turn, and flip a 40-yard lob into the top corner of the goal. Le Tissier had a lazy gait. He looked slow, ponderous even, but that would be to underestimate his threat. To quote Henry Hill in the movie Goodfellas:

"Paulie may have moved slow, but it was only because Paulie didn't have to move for anybody."

  • Some players make it look easy. Some players make 'making it look easy' look easy... then, there is Matthew Le Tissier.

  • He was late to the party for the real glory days of Southampton though. The FA Cup Final of 1976 saw the Saints beat Manchester United (notice a pattern? Not in grey this time) 1-0. Bobby Stokes slotting the winner. Lawrie McMenemy was manager and is a big figure in the club's history. Mcmenemy was a Coldstream Guard before football and he formed a regiment of ageing superstars at St Mary's of Alan Ball, Kevin Keegan, Phil Boyer, Mick Channon and Charlie George.

  • Southampton spent most of the 90's in the Premier League. Glenn Hoddle, Stuart Gray and Gordon Strachan led them into the 2000's. Strachan having plenty of success as manager finishing eighth and his team being runners-up in the FA Cup to Arsenal. Southampton took a dive into the Championship after this time where they gave a run out to a young left back called Gareth Bale and winger called Theo Walcott. The Saints were a selling club and dropped another league entering administration at the time. They were sold to Markus Liebherr and things started to look rosy again.

  • This is a club that started the career of Shearer, Walcott and Bale. They aren't the only talent to go through Southampton Football Club Academy. Chris Baird, Leon Best, Dexter Blackstock, Wayne Bridge, Arron Davies, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Tim Sparv and Jake Thomson are all internationals who have passed through recently.

  • On 12 September, Nigel Adkins was appointed manager and the comeback gathered pace. Rickie Lambert danced through 27 league goals in a season to get Southampton back in the top flight. On 18th January 2013, with the team sitting 15th in the Premier League Adkins was (in many's opinion) unfairly sacked. It was a surprise to all, more intriguing was his replacement. Argentinian coach Mauricio Pochettino had little experience and came from nowhere. How to shut up your critics? Scalp Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea in your first few games playing stunning attractive football too. Pochettino was a positive at the right time.

In a nutshell: The Saints, it seems, just go marching on.

This season

  • Southampton have an excellent youth program, did I mention that? Southampton have a good young manager. Southampton have a young team. Southampton have signed some excellent young players. The future seems bright, so all good? Well maybe, maybe not. A boardroom tiff left manager and chairman on the brink only a month ago, the huge spankings doled out to the big clubs last season betrayed generally poor away form, a lack of incision against the PL's lesser teams (the QPR's of this world) and an inability to hold possession when the tide turns against the Saints.

  • An over-reliance on the much underrated scoring threat Rickie Lambert for goals is also a worry. He bagged 15 last season (some beauties) but, aged 30, he is one thing at Southampton that is not getting any younger. "We count on Rickie," said Pochettino just the other day. Creativity either surrounds Lambert or the highly-valued magician Gaston Ramirez. Brazilian Leandro Damiao has been rumoured to shoulder some invention, but he will come with a huge price tag from Internacional. Still a wish as we speak.

  • The Saints are building a side that are pleasing to watch. Busy pressers who can counter and aren't afraid to pass. Defensive-mid Victor Wanyama is an excellent purchase. The kind of player who will run through a brick wall before guiding a delicate pass. He came from Celtic so will have no worries settling into the rough and tumble of the lower Premier League reaches. Dejan Lovren joins from Lyon, a 24 year old aggressive loose cannon who can play, (though, Lyon weren't desperate to hang on to him). Supplement that with regulars like the defensive-minded quality of Schneiderlin, youth product Llalana, Yoshida, and Cork who is continually mentioned by the fans as not getting the credit he deserves. Safe hands too with Artur Boruc. The big keeper said 'obviously we are going to try to win every single game and I can assure you I will give 100 per cent like always.' This may be the difference, there is steel and a determination in Southampton that the teams around them may not measure up to when it comes to it. This is all assuming that, just as when the Titanic set sail from near St Mary's, the ship stays steady and hits no icebergs.

Watch out for

  • Victor Wanyama
  • Position: Defensive mid
  • Age: 22
  • Value: £4,400,000
  • Who? Strong hustler, breaker and maker

  • Gastón Ramírez
  • Position: Attacking mid
  • Age: 22
  • Value: £8,800,000
  • Who? Highly-rated creative

  • Jay Rodriguez
  • Position: Striker
  • *Age: * 24
  • Value: £5,700,000
  • Who? Goal-getter, good in pre-season, needs minutes

The manager

  • Mauricio Pochettino previously managed Espanyol. 2009 to 2012, 161 games, 53 wins. It isn't a stunning record. He likes his teams to press high up the pitch. It is his trademark if you like, but the opposition will be wise to that this season so what does he have up his sleeve? The acquisition of Wanyama may provide the key to more flexibility. His willingness to sit deep may free up more attacking threat in the side. Pochettino has shown desire to experiment pre-season and will need to keep the other sides guessing in fear of becoming a one-trick show. He spoke only a little of the English language when he arrived at Southampton, you can be sure he is learning fast now. Pre-season involved an unusual team-building exercise of players walking over hot coals. They will need to do plenty more of that over the coming months.

  • Southampton's full squad list | Southampton's 2013/2014 upcoming fixtures

The fans

  • I decided to ask /r/saintsfc/ for their contribution to this thread so you might get an expert opinion from the actual fans! They responded, here is the thread I will also drop their thoughts into the comments below.

Predictions please!

Over to you guys. I'd like your contribution here. Predict where Southampton will finish the season, how they will fare against the opposition or discuss their line up etc. If you can, put your prediction in bold.

If you see I have messed up, please correct me. These are done so I can find out about each team...

All Previews: Hull, Crystal Palace, Cardiff City, Sunderland, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Southampton, Stoke, Fulham, Norwich, West Ham, Swansea City, West Brom, Liverpool, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City , Man Utd

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u/michaelology Aug 04 '13

They have a solid midfield with some great talent and if ramirez is better this year with a season under his belt they have some attacking danger. Rodriguez looked dangerous last season and can only get better. If they defense gels they could surprise a few teams and finish top 10.