Southampton, the Feel Good Story of the Premier League Season Thus Far

Fresh off of an 8-0 thrashing of Sunderland, Southampton are sitting in third place in the Premier League standings, just one point behind the defending champions in Manchester City.  While many figured that the Saints would struggle and perhaps even find themselves embattled in a relegation fight at the end of the campaign (although I predicted otherwise six weeks ago), the team from the south coast has more than held their own to begin the 2014-15 Premier League season.

At the start of the current season, Southampton looked like a team taking a step or two backwards, as they sold five key players before the month of August (Rickie Lambert, Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, and Calum Chambers).  The loss of these five players, along with their Tottenham-bound manager, Mauricio Pochettino, many suggested that doom was ahead for the Saints; however, the Southampton brass has done an outstanding job replacing both the outgoing players and their manager.

Following Mauricio Pochettino’s switch to Tottenham Hotspur at the end of May, Southampton appointed former Dutch Footballer of the Year and Eredivisie Manager of the Year Ronald Koeman as the team’s new manager.  Koeman, a former Barcelona player, has done an exceptional job in his first season as the Saints manager.

The Dutchman was rewarded for his team’s performance during the month of September by collecting the Premier League manager of the month award last month.  Not only has he led the team to a great start to the season, but Koeman also helped bring in the right players in the off-season.

Koeman, along with team chairman Ralph Krueger, essentially replaced Lallana, Lambert, Lovren, and Shaw, with Dusan Tadic, Graziano Pelle, Toby Alderweireld (on loan), and Ryan Bertrand (on loan).  The Saints are also filling Chambers’ void with the highly-rated Nathanial Clyne and have also upgraded at the goalkeeper position with the addition of Fraser Forster.

Pelle and Tadic have been nothing short of outstanding so far this season, as the dynamic duo has combined for seven goals and eight assists in eight Premier League matches.  In comparison, Lambert and Lallana, the two players that Pelle and Tadic have so far successfully replaced at Southampton, have combined for just one goal and zero assists in Premier League play so far this season for Liverpool.

While there is no doubt that Southampton is having a fantastic start to their season, the question still remains, how high can this Saints team finish in the standings come May?  Although Southampton has had a flying start (and I personally believe this is a solid team), the average place in the table of their five Premier League victories is 13th and the Saints schedule for the rest of the campaign is a bit daunting.  Southampton has 30 Premier League matches remaining on the schedule, and 12 of these games come against the so called “top seven” clubs (Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham, and Everton).

Despite the tough schedule ahead, this Southampton team can very well compete for a Europa League spot in the final standings.  A fifth or sixth place finish for Southampton would be a major statement to the rest of the Premier League.  Yes, they sold five very significant players before the season began, but the Saints are still marching up the club ranks in England.