FourFourTwo UK – September 2019

FFTVERDICT

FourFourTwo Season Preview 2019-20 35

NATHANREDMOND

The25-year-old,pickedasSouthampton’skey

manbyFFTlastsummer,againhasa bigroleto

play.RedmondwasnamedSaints’playerofthe

yearbyfansandteam-matesalike;nowhemust

buildonhisfinestPremierLeaguecampaignyet.

KEY PLAYER

12

TH

VIEW FROM THE STAn DS

STEVE GRANT @SAINTSWEB

The big talking point among the

fans is who we can get rid of in

order to fund a necessary squad

overhaul. Gone – for now – are the

days of worrying about keeping

hold of key players.

This season will be different

because we went into pre-season

with a competent manager and

not a self-preserving charlatan.

The player I’d happily drive to

another club is Jack Stephens.

Not for some time has a defender

terrified a fanbase to this extent.

Look out for Michael Obafemi.

The opposition player I secretly

admire is Raheem Sterling. He

deserves more widespread respect

for putting up with a huge amount

of nonsense from opposition fans

and the media, maintaining class

and dignity while also performing

incredibly well for club and country.

The best away ground is probably

Brighton’s – they’re welcoming of

all teams... except Palace, perhaps.

Our most underrated player is

Fraser Forster, so please, top

Premier League clubs, come at

us with your £30m bids now!

The fans’ opinion of the gaffer is

that he isn’t afraid to be ruthless

but he’s also brought personality,

in his relationship with fans and in

the team’s style of play. Top man.

Save the date for games against

Liverpool, as Pompey are bobbing

around somewhere way below us.

Liverpool have plenty of ex-Saints

players who deserve plenty of stick

for the manner of their exits – plus

Sadio Mané, who doesn’t – and

with VAR in place, we might even

have some fair decisions this time.

We’ll finish 12th.

FIVE-POIn T PLAn

1

MAKE ST MARY’S FUN AGAIN

Over the past three seasons, Saints
have managed a total of 15 league
victories at St Mary’s. Fifteen. They
didn’t win at home in 2018-19 until
December 16. Facing three of the ‘Big
Six’ in their first four home games of
2019-20 isn’t ideal, but positive signs, at
least, would help to keep dismay at bay.

2

ACCEPT THAT THERE IS

ALWAYS A BIGGER FISH

Saints have gone from struggling
to keep their players to struggling
to shift them. As much as it hurt to lose
talent every year, that policy of buying
smart and selling high is a good way to
operate. Southampton must be realistic
about their current status and, rather
than attempt to shop near the top
of the market, remember that if their
employees are attracting interest,
they must be doing something right.
Plus, Hasenhuttl’s force of personality
may persuade them to stay anyway.

3

BECOME A SOLID UNIT

Virgil van Dijk was never going to
be easy to replace, even after
fetching Saints a world-record fee
for a defender, but it’s not just about
personnel – they’ve yet to find a mental
resolve without him. They kept only
seven clean sheets last term, showing
an unerring knack of frittering away
points. Hasenhuttl’s more structured
training sessions should help matters.

4

STICK TO THEIR GUNN

Southampton began pre-season
with three goalkeepers who have
been part of the England senior
setup. Fraser Forster is the best-known
but furthest down the pecking order,
while Alex McCarthy was usurped at
club level by Angus Gunn at the turn
of the year. The 23-year-old shows
promise and has the potential to be
a fine Premier League performer – as
long as he gets minutes and backing.

5

FIND A CUTTING EDGE

Southampton’s 483 attempted
shots last season brought them
a paltry 45 goals – an alarming
conversion rate of just 9.3 per cent.
Saints will be hoping a full pre-season
helps to get Danny Ings fighting fit
for a new campaign that will also see
new signing Che Adams unleashed.

SEASOn PREVIEW

If youcangetin,The

Cricketers Arms is

a fine old boozer

• just expect the
  local plod to direct
  you towards Yates’
  instead. Many prefer
  the city centre.

@SaintsFCPodcast

is in-the-know and

entertaining – as is

@SouthamptonFC,

the club’s in-house

social media team,

Fyre Festival-inspired

kit reveal and all.

Theinfamous‘grey

shirts’ game against

Manchester United

finished 3-1 to Saints

• their 6-3 win came
  six months later.

Southamptonhasa mixture of

everything, so why not tryCosmo,

a world buffet restaurant with

150 dishes from across the globe?

OceanVillage, a mixed-usemarina,

residential, business and leisure

development at the mouth of the

River Itchen, is pleasant in the sun.

MATCHDAY PACK

AWAY PUB

SIGn ATURE DISH WHILE YOU’RE HERE...

DID YOU MUST FOLLOW

K nOW...?

AUGUST

10 Burnley (a)

17 Liverpool (h)

24 Brighton (a)

31 Man United (h)

SEPTEMBER

14 Sheffield United (a)

20 Bournemouth (h)

28 Tottenham (a)

OCTOBER

5 Chelsea (h)

19 Wolves (a)

26 Leicester (h)

NOVEMBER

2 Man City (a)

9 Everton (h)

23 Arsenal (a)

30 Watford (h)

DECEMBER

4 Norwich (h)

7 Newcastle (a)

14 West Ham (h)

21 Aston Villa (a)

26 Chelsea (a)

28 Crystal Palace (h)

JANUARY

1 Tottenham (h)

11 Leicester (a)

18 Wolves (h)

22 Crystal Palace (a)

FEBRUARY

1 Liverpool (a)

8 Burnley (h)

22 Aston Villa (h)

29 West Ham (a)

MARCH

7 Newcastle (h)

14 Norwich (a)

21 Arsenal (h)

APRIL

4 Watford (a)

11 Man City (h)

18 Everton (a)

25 Man United (a)

MAY

2 Brighton (h)

9 Bournemouth (a)

17 Sheffield United (h)

FIXTURES

It will be fascinating to

see Hasenhuttl’s impact

over a full Saints season.