Southampton FC: What's gone wrong?
Is it possible for Southampton to survive?
The Situation
“No chance we stay up,” said lifelong Southampton fan Martin Sanders when asked about their prospects of surviving in the Premier League this season.
Southampton FC currently sit bottom of the Premier League this season with only six points to their name. They are eight points away from 19th and ten away from safety but is it still too early to say that the Saints are destined for relegation?
Video on Southampton FC struggles. Video: Football Park.
Currently, they are on an 11-game run without a win and most recently, they lost 3-1 to Manchester united in last night’s Premier League fixture despite being 1-0 up with 10 minutes left to play.
Should the side replicate their poor first half of the season, they will narrowly beat Derby’s record low point total of 11 in 2008 by a singular point.
Sanders said: "If we finish on fewer points than Derby alongside the two 9-0 defeats the fans will never forgive Sports Republic."
Although it has become apparent that the player quality gap between the Premier League and the Championship is increasing, due to all three promoted sides getting relegated last season, were Southampton destined to go down before they arrived?
Recent History
The Saints were promoted from the Championship last campaign in what was considered a disappointment by fans.
Despite beating Leeds in the playoff final and maintaining an unbeaten run of 25 games in all competitions the overall opinion is that Southampton should have done better.
St Mary's stadium. Photograph: Daniel Quina Brito.
St Mary's stadium. Photograph: Daniel Quina Brito.
Charlie Wring, a Southampton fan and content creator said: “Our squad underperformed we should have at least finished second, but we had to scrape it through the playoffs.
“Whilst it was an amazing moment with a squad like ours it was disappointing, I thought we would go up automatically very easily.”
The Hampshire based side have struggled to adapt to life in the top tier of English football for a number of reasons, but the general consensus is that the manager is to blame.
Management and Tactics
After a successful tenure in the second tier, Sport Republic (owners of Southampton FC) rewarded ex-Saints manager Russell Martin with a three-year deal.
Martin’s style of football involves a high volume of short passes which worked in the Championship efficiently due to their superior player quality but, it had been proven by Burnley last season that it was difficult to implement against higher calibre opposition.
Russell Martin signing a new contract. Photograph: Southampton FC.
Russell Martin signing a new contract. Photograph: Southampton FC.
Zaakir Mirza, a season ticket holder at Southampton FC said: “Martin went into games thinking it was Southampton playing their good football against the opponents instead of us setting up against them because we’re the weaker team.
“I don’t necessarily think you have to play 4-4-2 football, but he should have set up for the points.”
Despite early losses in the league using this style of play, Martin stuck to his guns and continued using his philosophy.
Sanders believes that the players were not fit enough to carry out Martin’s vision as many players have struggled with the high intensity running involved in the league.
Screenshot of sprints in the Premier League on the BBC. Photo: Daniel Quina Brito.
Screenshot of sprints in the Premier League on the BBC. Photo: Daniel Quina Brito.
BBC reported a statistic in early October which showed that Southampton were second bottom in the table when looking at sprints only ahead of Manchester City who tend to create chances through slow build up play.
Ipswich, who are also involved in a relegation battle, have performed the 5th most sprints in the league which has improved their chances in games.
This has proven beneficial to the Tractor Boys as they have caused upsets in the league this season with crucial wins against Tottenham and Chelsea.
Russell Martin was sacked on the 15th of December after a 5-0 home loss to Tottenham and replaced by Juric who promised to bring a different style to the south coast, but fans of the club were surprised by the appointment.
Southampton against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Photograph: Daniel Quina Brito.
Southampton against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Photograph: Daniel Quina Brito.
Sanders said: “He promised to play heavy metal football I read mixed reports that he likes to play high energy high press, but fans hated it at Roma.
“You look at the performance against Brentford and the thing that was alarming was that the minute we let a goal in the players gave up on it.”
Juric has a tough job on his hands and this upcoming transfer window will be his chance to put his mark on the team which could prove vital in their venture survival.
Over recent years there has been a history of poor recruitment which Juric will look to change in order to give his side a fighting chance to stay up.
Transfers
Southampton have gained the reputation of being a stepping stone club which means players sign for cheap, improve their game and leave for a profit.
The main examples of this in recent times are Sadio Mane and Virgil Van Djik who both joined Liverpool for a combined £104 million but, the reinvestment has been poor.
Southampton players celebrating a goal. Photograph: The Independent.
Southampton players celebrating a goal. Photograph: The Independent.
Mirza said: “The Van Djik money was spent on unproven talent a really big example of this is Guido Carrillo where we spent £19 million on him. But he produced nothing for us.
"We've been easily selling our best players. We make a lot of money but in a footballing perspective it doesn't work."
St Mary's before kick off. Photograph: Will Lacey.
St Mary's before kick off. Photograph: Will Lacey.
These poor signings have carried on to this season with the majority of the players signed being branded not good enough for the level.
Wring believes that this has been a waste of money as well as a waste of talent and highlighted Armel Bella Kotchap as a player who was an “amazing young talent” when he first joined the club but was not allowed to grow under Russell Martin.
Wring added: "We have been needing a proper striker for such a long time but It seems we are signing the wrong profile players for the managers we have and we continue to waste our money."
Southampton ahead of their fixture against Leicester. Photograph: Daniel Quina Brito.
Southampton ahead of their fixture against Leicester. Photograph: Daniel Quina Brito.
The key issue in terms of gameplay for Southampton has been goalscoring the Saints have not had a consistent striker since Danny Ings during the COVID season.
Whilst these recent issues have been highlighted by their relegation in 2023, Southampton's real problems may have started earlier on.
Deeper Roots
Southampton at one point were regular competitors for the European spots in the Premier League and even qualified for the Europa League in the 2015/16 season.
Although they were knocked out in the group stages with Claude Puel at the helm, the frenchman managed to have a successful tenure with the side in the league.
The outside of St Mary's. Photograph: Daniel Quina Brito.
The outside of St Mary's. Photograph: Daniel Quina Brito.
Mirza said: “Under Claude Puel, we played boring football, but he got points. We finished 8th that season and getting rid of him at the time was what the fans wanted. However playing that boring football is what we needed points on the board is what matters.”
After Puel’s last season in charge at the end of 2016/17, Southampton went through seven managers before Russell Martin which included established Premier League names like Mark Hughes and Mauricio Pellegrino.
During this period of change at the club, the aforementioned Van Djik and Mane.
Ultimately, the responsibility for relegation fell on Nathan Jones who was in charge of the club for 14 games winning only one of his eight league games in charge.
Tyler Dibling. Photograph: The BBC.
Tyler Dibling. Photograph: The BBC.
Wring said: "The appointment of Jones was the start of our decline it was bleak during his time as manager."
Having had to prepare for the Championship recently, Southampton should know what steps to take to give themselves a fighting chance for a return.
Preparing for life in the Championship
Should Southampton get relegated which is becoming more likely every matchday what should they do to prepare for life in the second tier.
Mirza said: "There was a stat that there is a 99.4% chance that we go down which is embarrassing."
Similarly to their previous relegation, the Saints will need to be plan around losing their best players. England goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale and youngster Tyler Dibling are the main candidates who are expected to move away should the Saints go down.
Management could be another aspect of the club that the board look to tie down as should Juric leave in the summer, there could be potential for Danny Rohl to return to the club but as the manager of the club.
Sanders believes that Rohl knows the club well enough, from his time as the asisstant coach to ex-manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, to be able to push the side back in the right direction to hopefully make a return to the Premier League.
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