Departures either side of the World Cup have left many Southampton FC fans scratching their heads. The prediction for the upcoming season looks rather unpleasant, especially with the exodus of their manager, top scorer, player of the year and two top teenagers for greener pastures. With Ronald Koeman now in charge, are The Saints really destined for Satan’s ‘survival scrap’ this year?
The comically named Mr. Krueger, Southampton’s chairman, first name Ralph (not Freddie, unfortunately), described the club’s refusal to sell Morgan Schneiderlin and Jay Rodriguez as a “turning point.” Schneiderlin, who is wanted by Tottenham Hotspur, clearly stated his desire to follow Pochettino to White Hart Lane. Infuriated by the measly offer of £10m from Spurs, Southampton’s market value estimation of the French international is closer to £30m. Losing Adam Lallana, the club’s 2013/14 player of the year with 9 goals and 6 assists in the Premier League, was a big blow, both on and off the field, while Rickie Lambert, last season’s top scorer, was an iconic figure, a man adored by every Southampton fan. If it wasn’t bad enough losing Lallana and a striker who tallied up 13 goals and 10 assists, they have also lost key defenders Dejan Lovren, Luke Shaw and Calum Chambers. Finally, as we all know, after a truly imposing first year in English football, Southampton lost their manager Mauricio Pochettino, an impressive figure who gladly accepted the poison chalice at Tottenham. Will the Argentinean regret drinking from the tainted cup?
In his first game in charge, after grabbing a last minute 1-o win against West Ham United, maybe not, but only time will tell. When the entirely unknown Pochettino took over from Nigel Adkins at the start of 2013, the appointment left many Southampton fans fearing the worst. Under Adkins, while they attacked fluidly, Southampton had a defence leakier than Keith Richards’ bladder. Pochettino’s arrival rectified this issue, and when he was satisfied with the refurbishment, he set about helping his players evolve creatively. For example, Adam Lallana performed estimably under Adkins but occasionally lacked real cutting edge, game changing cutting edge. As his recent move to Liverpool clarifies, superior man management from the Argentine helped cultivate a superior player, a Premier League heavyweight, just watch as Lallana dictates play for Rodgers’ men this season. Perhaps the rise of Jay Rodriguez was even more surprising; developing from an uneasy introvert into one of the most lethal strikers in the league, the youngster went on to amass 17 goals and make his international debut. The new found momentum was obvious, an impetus that saw The Saints defeat Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City.
Playing football that was animated, academic and exceptionally incisive, Southampton excited fans and captured the imagination of a nation. But calm down, Southampton fans; Even though pudgy Poch is a huge loss, Ronald Koeman could very well prove to be a very shrewd appointment. Having been in this situation before with Feyernord, he went on to lead the Dutch outfit to bigger and better things. While the Saints lost so many key players, hefty sums like £27M for Luke Shaw, £25m for Lallana, £20m for Lovren, and £16m for Calum Chambers have enabled them to bring in some decent replacements. Schneiderlin, though, seems destined for the door, especially if Southampton get off to a poor start. For many, undoubtedly, it is vital for the club to keep hold of a man who is essential to the footballing philosophy and the formation of the new manager. The majority of the St Mary’s faithful will be praying that their midfielder has missed the boat that has already delivered big names to bigger clubs.
At the end of the day, Krueger and Koeman must now look forward; they must also assist with Schneiderlin’s psychological state, so to speak. No doubt the French man is feeling bitter, however, it is essential for his career and for Southampton that he leaves the past firmly in the past. When Rickie Lambert began the exodus, moving to boyhood club Liverpool, nobody envisaged such a clearout. And although any chances of bettering last season’s eighth-place finish look unlikely, the loan signing of Saphir Taider, a midfielder from Internazionale, ex Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster, Dusan Tadic, Graziano Pellè, Ryan Bertrand and the £12m acquisition of Shane Long should quell some of the apprehension. So much pressure is on Serbia winger Dusan Tadic and Italian striker Graziano Pelle to adapt quickly if the club wish to avoid being dragged into a relegation scrap.
Tadic, a £11m acquisition from FC Twente, is an adaptable attacking midfielder and a clear replacement for Adam Lallana. Having scored 16 goals and notching up 14 assists last season, he could very well be the man that makes the team tick. Standing at 6ft 4in, Italian striker Pelle has bagged 55 goals in his last two seasons at Feyenord. Considering he netted all these in just 66 games, £8m doesn’t look so expensive, does it? Ryan Bertand, a season long loan from Chelsea, is a proven left back, he is an excellent replacement for Luke Shaw, while Fraser Forster, a man who was so impressive for Celtic, especially in European fixtures, was a bargain for £10m. While the fee for Long may seem a little exorbitant, he is an experienced Premier League striker and will chip in with plenty of clever play.
Modern life, and particularly modern football, is as unjust as ever, but one fact remains constant; you cannot coerce players into staying where they do not wish to say. A player’s expiry date comes around all too quickly, so can you really blame Shaw and co. for accepting far more lucrative contracts elsewhere? The world of football mirrors the African savannah; the more powerful predators will always prey on the more vulnerable, and superior clubs will always snatch players from inferior ones. If Southampton can add a little more quality to the squad and maintain the services of Rodriguez and their mercurial French midfielder, then a mid table finish this season might actually be within their grasp.
With that philosophical musing aside, let’s take a look at Spurs, what can Pochettiono’s men hope to achieve this season?
Having recently signed 21 year old DeAndre Yedlin from Seattle Sounders for an undisclosed fee, the USA international was Spur’s 4th signing of the summer. Having already purchased two defenders and a goalkeeper, Yedlin was immediately loaned back to the MLS outfit for one more season. But seriously, anybody with an iota of footballing nous realizes that Spurs need strikers. As the majority of fans are desperately hoping for strengthening in the final third, surprisingly enough, the gaffer seems to be operating at a very relaxed pace. Seemingly happy to rely on the utterly disappointing Roberto Soldado and the psychologically unsteady Emmanuel Adebayor, will Poch give Harry Kane a chance? This young man actually performed admirably under Pochettino’s predecessor, the man in the gilet, Mr. Tim Sherwood. (Additionally, Kane played the pass for the winning goal on Saturday.)
But do Spurs need another striker?
Does Rob Ford continuously fart?
Does Miley twerk?
Yes to all three; this team is crying out for a hitman, a talisman who will score 20 league goals each season. After impressing for the Dutch team at the World Cup, Memphis Depay would certainly give Tottenham a new attacking dimension, but he is not an all out goal-scorer, a player in the mould of Jermaine Defoe. With Aaron Lennon, Andros Townsend, Lamela, Eriksen and Lewis Holtby, Spurs have decent offensive midfield options; however, a consistent striker is still non-existent. Many fans see the £26million spent on Soldado as money simply wasted, and with Fiorentina’s Giuseppe Rossi having a £30m buy-out clause and the farcical Leandro Damiao saga seemingly at an end, the club may look to Alexandre Pato. Plying his trade at Corinthians, the Brazilian could be the name required to give Tottenham some much needed striking power.
How about Loic Remy? Having reiterated his desire to hold onto the Frenchman, Harry must have been doing cartwheels when Liverpool opted not to sign the striker for £12m deal in July. But the opening day defeat to Hull might encourage Remy to get out before the ship sinks into the depths of the Championship. While the prospect of Remy remaining at Loftus Road is not looking as improbable as it did last month, the future of Queens Park Rangers’ best player looks uncertain.
At 27 years of age, Remy is in his prime, and Spurs could still sign the man who moved to the Hoops from Marseille in 2013. Previously linked with Newcastle United, it looks very unlikely that Remy would ever return to the north east of England. Valuing Rémy at close to £20m, Harry is all too aware that the striker’s contract release clause could see him leave for much less. A reported failed medical saw Liverpool withdraw their offer for Remy, and one can’t help but think that Rodger’s loss of interest is Harry’s gain.
You only have to look at the top teams in England to appreciate the value of a decent striker. Robin van Persie almost single-handedly clinched United the league in his first season at Old Trafford, while the seemingly neutered Luis Suarez turned Liverpool into genuine league contenders. Although the Tottenham faithful should not expect the arrival of a genuinely prolific striker this summer, a player like Divock Origi should certainly be obtainable. Regarding central midfielders, Pochettino seems extremely keen on the already discussed Schneiderlin and would quite likely build his team around the Frenchman.
Having missed out on the acquisition of João Moutinho two seasons ago, it looks like Spurs may very well miss out on another creative midfielder this summer, especially if Koeman gets his way. With Mousa Dembélé, Etienne Capoue, Paulinho and Sandro, the new manager has four players all looking to prove their worth. Maybe it is time for younger players like Tom Carroll, Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason to step up to the mark, especially after Paulinho’s hideous World Cup displays and Dembélé’s lack of incisiveness. A solid addition, the arrival of Ben Davies, the ex Swansea City player, most certainly signals the end of Danny Rose’s much maligned spell at left-back. Back from injury and supposedly eager to prove his merit, this could be the season of Erik Lamela, even if he did play poorly on Saturday.
In addition to the ex Serie A player, Christian Eriksen is a truly excellent creator of chances, but what good is that if Spurs do not have a consistent goalscorer? Against West Ham in the opening day fixture, the ‘Great Dane’ whipped in some beautiful crosses, however, Tottenham’s deficiencies in the final third was obvious. Unlike last summer at the North London club, there has been no crazy, unintelligible, financial indulgence. As Spurs found out last season, simply chucking money at a problem is not always the answer. Maybe Pochettino is comfortable in his coaching capability, comfortable with the thought of developing his new squad like he developed his previous squad. All credit to him and his players, going to Upton Park and winning 1-0 is an admirable achievement, the season ahead will be anything but boring for Pochettino and the Spurs faithful.
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