Southampton Resurgence || When is the time to take them seriously?

What a contrast a good run makes:

Last 5 games

Man U (A) W
Arsenal (H) W
Chelsea (H) D
Palace (A) W
Everton (H) W

The 5 games before that:
Sheffield Utd (A) L
Man Utd (H) L
Arsenal (A) L
Burnley (A) L
City (H) L


They went from relegation form and falling off, to incredibly coming back with a title winning form against top teams.

They'll stick around now. they've combatted the tough fixtures a a mini-meltdown

From an objective point of view, it's wonderfully refreshing to see a medium-size club fighting for CL spots. While I don't like the fact we are looking like fools for buying three of their players and then doing worse than them, if we cannot get into the top-4 this season, I really hope Southampton do.


By the way, I wonder if Lallana is having any regrets over his move to Liverpool?
He spent all his career at Southampton before joining us, was with the team during their journey up the divisions and was the captain and now he's missing out on their most amazing season yet while his new club are doing worse than Southampton. If Soton actually make it to the CL and we miss out, it must feel really weird for Lallana.

He can feel weird all the way to the bank.

Well, there is that.

Despite what I have said before I really hope they get top 4.

It will put a stop to the nonsense that if you don't have loads of money that you can't compete.

This negative attitude has been drummed down so much that not only do the clubs believe they can't compete but the fans also.

It's time that this BS ended and no matter who you are you can compete even if you don't have "big club" money.

Mole's hope after Pardew is gone knows no bounds.

It's the hope that kills you though

Watch us *bleep* up every interview, hire Mr. Vancouver and go down.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Despite what I have said before I really hope they get top 4.

It will put a stop to the nonsense that if you don't have loads of money that you can't compete.

This negative attitude has been drummed down so much that not only do the clubs believe they can't compete but the fans also.

It's time that this BS ended and no matter who you are you can compete even if you don't have "big club" money.

They would have to do it for a few years, it would hardly count in a season where everyone bar City and Chelsea have been garbage.

But what happens if they get your CL spot, sell their entire squad, lose their coach, and either don't qualify or go out in the group stage?

As anti-romantic as it is, Serie A fans have seen first hand that surprise packages like this only hurt the league in the long run.

And yes I know, Southampton were ravaged in the summer and are still here today, but you can only survive having your best players poached year after year for so long. Just look at Dortmund.

You can compete without money, but long term I'm sure most clubs would rather be backed by a rich owner.

Also yeh, most underdog clubs tend to lose their top players. Lewandowski, Gotze - Dortmund, Costa, Filipe Luis - Atletico etc.

They'll finish 7th imo.

ACMRox wrote:But what happens if they get your CL spot, sell their entire squad, lose their coach, and either don't qualify or go out in the group stage?

As anti-romantic as it is, Serie A fans have seen first hand that surprise packages like this only hurt the league in the long run.

And yes I know, Southampton were ravaged in the summer and are still here today, but you can only survive having your best players poached year after year for so long. Just look at Dortmund.

In the other leagues, most of the 2nd tier teams have to sell because of finances... not in EPL.  If Southampton has CL money to go along with the insane EPL money, i could see them hitting the market and buying players, not selling.  Even if a player asks to leave, they could spend big to replace him.

As it is, there's already a rumor of an insane bid for Lacazette by Southampton...  40 mil range.  So it seems that the strategy there is changing.

Don't let Newcastle's policy fool you (sorry Mole)... they just pretend like they're poor when they have money to burn.

Nishy wrote:They'll finish 7th imo.

And if they do, there is nothing wrong with that. Solid spot on the table.

Nishy wrote:They'll finish 7th imo.

Sounds wishful to me. They seem legit for a top four, maybe even third!

I like that Southampton is doing well and that even the smaller clubs have enough money to buy good players. The more competitive the league the better IMO.

That said I think Southampton will finish in 5th.

1. Chelsea
2. City
3. Liverpool
4. Arsenal/United (can't decide, they take turns being shit, but I would guess Arsenal since United have been getting results that they probably shouldn't be)
5. Southampton
6. United/Arsenal
7. Tottenham

I feel like you're being a tad but optimistic with Liverpool at 3rd. Even with Sturridge back, Arsenal will also have more players returning to fitness and United will continue to find themselves.

To be honest I also see Southampton finishing 5th, they just don't have enough depth for the full campaign. Hope I'm wrong though.

All this talk of (a lack of) depth, but Soton have done very well to get to 21 games with what they have. And unlike Arsenal, they don't have to contend with the CL games (although we might have only 2 more of those in all probability imho judging by recent past).

Also, Liverpool 3 ahead of the rest, just because of Sturridge? Really? Not sure if you're taking the piss or actually serious.

Agree with BC, can't discount the fact that we also have players returning. I am not sure to what extent I can agree on United finding themselves, especially after the performance they put up yesterday.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:I feel like you're being a tad but optimistic with Liverpool at 3rd. Even with Sturridge back, Arsenal will also have more players returning to fitness and United will continue to find themselves.

To be honest I also see Southampton finishing 5th,  they just don't have enough depth for the full campaign. Hope I'm wrong though.

Well, the way I see it United are not trending upward. If anything for me their performances have not improved over the season. They had a lucky run of form where they were getting outplayed and still getting results, but it's not sustainable IMO. Arsenal should have beat them, Liverpool with any finish would have had a result, Stoke should have beat them, etc. Going into the second half I think they'll get worse and Liverpool are only 4 and 5 points behind those two respectively after starting really slow and having a huge turnover in players as well as not having a striker that can score (while missing the two players that scored 50+ goals for them last season).

Obviously it's optimistic, but I think they will make top 4 with Sturridge coming back and them already rounding into form. Plus Rodgers has had a better second half than first half in each of the previous two seasons by a pretty decent margin (11 and 12 points more respectively).

That said this topic is about Southampton sorry to derail. I like watching them play and think it's great they've had this kind of success. I back them for 5th and wouldn't even be surprised if they eeked out a top 4 finish. They have confidence and the players work well together in the system they've been running.

I'm starting to take them seriously.
Our CL spot might be under immense pressure.

I'm very happy for them. After offloading what turned out to be their scrubs everyone thought they were going to fight relegation. Koeman Barca DNA, saving those in need, mes que un ex jugador.

Tadic, Pelle, das it Mane etc are all GOATs ffs.


I know it's a 1/1,000,000 that you clean out your entire starting XI almost, replace it, make money and vastly improve your team but god damn they *bleep* did it.

Hope they don't get carried away and try it again because lightning won't strike twice. They have a huge chance to get in to the CL play-offs and establish themselves as a real top 6 club in the BPL if they don't drop the ball and *bleep* up by selling to the clubs above and below them. They surely do not need the money now

srigooner wrote:

Nishy wrote:They'll finish 7th imo.

Sounds wishful to me. They seem legit for a top four, maybe even third!

Obviously it is, Im expecting them to decline but ffs its January already. Stop them ffs

If anyone deserves to finish after the 2 best teams in the league, its them. And let them. The rest of the scrubs can fight for the 4th spot.

What that club is doing/achieving is for the good of the game and I am all for it. How often would you see a unit after suffering a mass exodus against all the odds standing up bravely. Southampton this year, Atleti last year these teams should deserve every last love, respect and support.

deserves what divine right was giving to them while I slept last night?

The will deserve whatever place they finish in.

Don't call me James wrote:deserves  what divine right was giving to them while I slept last night?

The will deserve whatever place they finish in.

Lets see, for starters they dont moan when a player of there's desert them, and wont come up every time with excuses laden with ifs and buts when one of their main player gets injured or becomes unavailable.

Thats a head-start then and there for that 'divine' right.

want more ?? Dont tempt me.