Football Season Guide

After spending a decade in the top flight, their descent into chaos in 2022/23 was as sudden as it was unexpected, but the talented Russell Martin has steadied the ship and taken Southampton straight back up. A change in style helped them secure promotion through playoffs, as they finished fourth and beat third-placed Leeds in the final. In their bid to add squad depth, Southampton have been one of the most active Premier League teams so far in the offseason. As many as seven new players have joined, the most eye-catching being a homecoming for Adam Lallana, left-back Charlie Taylor from Burnley and Ben Brereton Diaz from Villarreal. Meanwhile, none of the players who’ve departed so far were considered important members of the team last season. Martin is a coach who likes his sides to have the majority of possession. Inverted full-backs are also part of his philosophy, with Kyle Walker-Peters, who registered two goals and four assists, being frequently tasked with this role. Their main strength lies in the team’s attack. Southampton failed to score in only five Championship games this season - the best record in the division. In fact, the Saints often depended on their potent attack to bail out a defence that ranked midtable for goals conceded and clean sheets. This is the main weakness Martin should work on.