At the first time of asking, Southampton secured promotion back to the Premier League.
By Sam McGuire
The Saints will be looking to solidify their place in the English top-flight and it will be interesting to see how manager Russell Martin gets on in the top tier of English football.
What happened last season?
It was no doubt an emotional rollercoaster for Southampton fans last season.
They started well, then couldn’t win a game of football before an unbelievable unbeaten run put them in contention to claim a top-two finish. A disappointing end to the campaign, however, meant they had to settle for a fourth-place finish.
The Saints won the play-offs though to book their place in the Premier League.
Southampton kicked off their campaign with three wins and one draw in their opening four matches. It had appeared as though the new manager had put his stamp on things. And then there was a mini-collapse. The Saints lost four on the bounce, conceding 12 goals and scoring just twice.
This could’ve derailed their campaign. It didn’t though.
Instead, they put together a 22-match unbeaten run and this catapulted them into play-off contention. They eventually finished nine points off of the automatic promotion places, but it could’ve been different had they not collapsed in their final 10 matches.
The collapse might be an exaggeration. But Southampton did fail to win six of their last 10 in the Championship, losing four and drawing two. This included a run of three defeats on the bounce against Leicester City, Cardiff City and Stoke City.
Despite this, it was still a hugely encouraging year for Martin and his players. They averaged 1.9 goals per 90, a figure only Ipswich Town could better, while ranking second for Expected Goals, first for passes per 90 (almost 600) and topped the possession charts with 66%. It was a clear sign that the players had adapted to the style of play brought in by the new manager.
Defensively, though, there’s work to be done. They conceded 1.4 goals per 90. For context, Leicester had the best defence in the league and allowed just 0.9 goals against per 90. The Saints kept just 12 clean sheets while Leeds topped the charts with 19.
Adam Armstong will be hoping to carry his good form into the Premier League. The forward scored 21 goals and assisted on 13 occasions. No Southampton player could beat him for goals or assists. His 34 goal involvements were considerably more than the player who ranked second for this metric Che Adams (20).
What has happened during the summer?
Southampton have been busy preparing for life in the Premier League.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Flynn Downes impressed on loan last term and their deals have been turned into permanent moves. Adam Lallana and Charlie Taylor joined on free transfers to add some experience to this squad.
The Saints brought in Ben Brereton Díaz from Villarreal following his loan stint with Sheffield United last term while highly-rated right-back Yukinari Sugawara joined from AZ.
Martin bolstered his defensive ranks by bringing in young centre-back duo Nathan Wood and Ronnie Edwards.
A few players left on a free transfer, the standout name being Che Adams.
What they should be aiming for next season?
First and foremost, Southampton are going to want to stay in the English top-flight. They might struggle though. Martin had his team dominating the ball in the Championship and that isn’t likely to be the case in the Premier League. How will they adapt to having to cede possession? How will their defence hold up against the big-hitters in the top tier? Is the squad good enough to compete? We’ll know within the first few weeks if Martin has had to alter his plans and we’ll be able to see the impact it has had on the team.
Prediction: 17th
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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