Are Saints now contenders for the Champions League spots?

Even Southampton boss Ronald Koeman has been surprised by his team’s start to the campaign

Ten games into the Premier League campaign and Southampton have surprised everybody by sitting second in the Premier League table.

Yesterday’s 1-0 win at Hull showed that the Saints are not just about playing pretty football, but they can grind out a result as well.

Second

The Saints are now four points behind league leaders Chelsea and five clear of third place Manchester City, who face arch-rivals Manchester United later today in the Manchester derby.

People are now asking whether the Saints are a realistic contender for the top four and a Champions League place.

Surprised

It seems that the Southampton players have not just surprised the rest of the league with their performances, but their own boss as well. Asked if he was surprised by how quickly his team have gelled Saints boss Ronald Koeman told Sky Sports:

“A little bit, yes. But we talk a lot about how you have to control the game. Out of good organisation, that is always the key for teams to be successful. We showed that today.”

Momentum

Southampton seems to have a lot of momentum at the moment. The Saints have now won ten out of their last 11 games in all competitions, which is impressive by anybody’s standards. That sort of run breeds confidence and it seems to be flowing through the Southampton team right now.

Style

Southampton’s playing style has not changed much from last season under Mauricio Pochettino. One difference is that the Saints are maybe slightly more direct and can adapt their style a bit more under Koeman.

Shrewd

The summer loss of attacking midfielder and inspiration Adam Lallana looked like a hammer blow to the Saints. However, the club from the south coast looked to have invested his £25million fee wisely in the likes of Serbian playmaker Dusan Tadic and Senegal winger Saido Mane.

Just like Lallana, centre-back Dejan Lovren and striker Rickie Lambert have been replaced by players that look as good, if not better than their predecessors. On-loan Belgium international Toby Alderweireld has forged a very solid central-defensive partnership with Jose Fonte.

One of the biggest successes of the Premier League season so far has been Italian striker Graziano Pelle, who has filled Rickie Lambert’s boots with ease and style. The former-Feyenoord striker has found the net nine times in 13 appearances this season, including six times in the top-flight.

The striker has played so well for the Saints since his summer arrival that he received his first international call-up and even found the net on his debut for the Azzurri.

Pelle’s presence in attack gives the Saints the option of going more direct if they wish, but the Italian should not just be labelled as just a target man, because he does hold the ball up well and contribute a lot when he is not scoring goals.

Solid

Southampton have conceded just five league goals this season, which is the least of any team in the top four leagues in English football. The Saints started off last season with a very good defensive record, but as the season went on looked less solid.

This season they have again looked very solid and a big part of that has been the acquisition of Alderweireld, keeper Fraser Forster and on-loan Chelsea full-back Ryan Bertrand, who has impressed as a replacement for England international Luke Shaw.

If the Saints can continue to stay as solid at the back as they have been so far this season, then they will have good foundations to stay in the top four of the Premier League for the rest of the season.

Depth

Teams have put in surprise challenges for the top four before in recent years, with Everton and Newcastle coming just short of finishing in those Champions League places. Both teams fell short due to a lack of strength in-depth.

They had good starting eleven’s, but injuries and suspensions took their toll and the pairs challenges faltered towards the end of the campaign. Southampton looks to be in a similar situation. They have a very good first eleven and on form will give anybody a game.

With a spot of luck and a few of the Saints academy graduates coming through hopefully the Saints can maintain their challenge for a Champions League spot.

Outsiders

Despite their flying start to the season the Saints are still considered outsiders to grab one of those lucrative Champions League spots.

In fact they are considered sixth favourites to finish in the top four at odds of 9/4. However, the Saints have confounded the odds before by making such a good start to the campaign.

I for one would not mind seeing the men from the south coast in the top four come the end of the season, because they have shown everybody this season that you do not need to spend a fortune to have a successful season. That is a lesson some other Premier League clubs would do well to learn.

Are Saints now contenders for the Champions League spots?