2015-16 Premier League Season Preview: Southampton
Welcome to theScore's 2015-16 preview of Southampton. Transfer dealings, lineup projections, and everything else you need to know about the club's upcoming campaign.
Southampton
Hey there, neutral fan looking for a Premier League club to get behind. It's a difficult decision. May I suggest Southampton?
It's a club that operates on a small budget, with an engaging manager, an attractive brand of football executed by exciting attacking players, and some truly magnificent hair.
You're a Saint now. Welcome to the club.
2014-15 Season
| Record (Points) | Finish | Goals For | Goals Against | Top Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18-6-4 (60) | 7th | 54 | 33 | Graziano Pelle (12) |
The little engine that could ultimately could not last season, to the disappointment of many a neutral fan.
Southampton, which looked for so long like a threat to break the monotony of the Premier League's top four, came up short. Key injuries at inopportune times, compounded by a lack of depth, saw Ronald Koeman's club drop down the table in the second half of the campaign, en route to a seventh-place finish and a spot in the Europa League.
It was a cruel finish for a club that had endured a summer of major transition - thanks a lot, Liverpool - but a necessary reminder that depth is an enormous factor in determining which sides are consistently at the top of the table.
The little engines, it turns out, rarely can.
Key Arrivals
- Jordy Clasie (from Feyenoord)
- Juanmi (from Malaga)
- Cedric Soares (from Sporting Lisbon)
- Maarten Stekelenburg (Fulham - loan)
- Steven Caulker (Queens Park Rangers - loan)
It's been a classic summer at the Saint Mary's Stadium, chock-full of the kind of shrewd deals that have come to define the Saints in recent years: relatively inexpensive purchases that make rival fans and pundits marvel at the club's ability to replace high-priced talent quickly and efficiently.
While the likes of Juanmi and Soares will make important contributions this season, most eyes will be firmly focused on the centre of the pitch, where the diminutive Clasie will spend much of his time.
The 24-year-old Dutchman reportedly cost the Saints a mere £8.4 million. He'll act as a direct replacement for Morgan Schneiderlin, who left for Manchester United this summer. The Frenchman leaves a massive pair of boots to fill, but in Clasie, Ronald Koeman thinks he has the ideal replacement.
Key Departures
- Nathaniel Clyne (Liverpool)
- Morgan Schneiderlin (Manchester United)
- Toby Alderweireld (Atletico Madrid - end of loan)
Another summer, another series of big-money players out the door. Some things never change.
Though Schneiderlin's departure grabs the headlines, the loss of Clyne and especially Alderweireld could be more impactful, given a lack of depth at their respective positions. Alderweireld certainly leaves the most bitter taste of the three; Southampton was confident of signing the Belgian on a permanent basis, only to see him end up at Tottenham.
Projected Starting Lineup (4-2-3-1)
Maarten Stekelenburg; Ryan Bertrand, Jose Fonte, Maya Yoshida, Cedric Soares; Jordy Clasie, Victor Wanyama; Sadio Mane, Dusan Tadic, Jay Rodriguez; Graziano Pelle
How will Koeman incorporate Jay Rodriguez, and how long will last season's undisputed No. 1 shot-stopper Fraser Forster be out of action? Those are the two main queries on the minds of Southampton supporters eager to see how their club will line up this season.
Forster, the imposing English 'keeper who made 30 Premier League appearances last season, is recovering from surgery to repair significant damage to the patellar tendon in his left knee - an injury suffered in March during a match against Burnley.
There's a very real possibility he could miss the entire year, which would thrust Stekelenburg into the spotlight.
Player To Watch: Jay Rodriguez
Though not technically a transfer, the English attacker is essentially a new acquisition after missing all of last season recovering from a ruptured ACL in his right knee.
What a difference he could have made.
Graziano Pelle, though a capable striker, was overworked. The debonair Italian was visibly exhausted by the end of the season, playing in all 38 Premier League matches and starting 37. Rodriguez, 26, is the type of versatile attacker who would have offered both rest for Pelle and a different look up front, something the Saints desperately needed as the campaign rumbled into its latter stages.
Now, the club can count on just that.
The England international scored 15 goals in 33 matches before suffering the aforementioned injury. If he can hop right back on the horse and showcase the same form, another European berth is surely on the horizon for Koeman and company.
Keep One Eye On: Sadio Mane
Three Questions
- How will Koeman's side cope with the additional strain of playing in the Europa League this season?
- Can Rodriguez be the impact player he was two years ago, prior to his unfortunate knee injury?
- Can the defense, which was rock-solid in 2014-15, withstand the losses of Alderweireld and Clyne - along with Schneiderlin, whose presence as a shield for the back-four was immense last season?
Trivial Matters
- Manager: Ronald Koeman
- Nickname: The Saints
- Stadium: Saint Mary's Stadium (Capacity: 32,689)