Relegation almost hit Southanpton hard in the face last season but can they pull away from any bottom three battle, and cement a comfortable mid-table finish without really being troubled?
Manager: Ralph Hasenhuttl
Last Season: 16th
Stadium: St Mary’s Stadium
Fixtures:
Home: 14th September
Away: 17th May
Transfers;
In: Che Adams, Danny Ings, Moussa Djenepo, Tommy Scott
Out: Matt Targett, Sam Gallagher, Jordy Clasie, Steven Davis, Jake Flannigan, Jonathan Afolabi, Jamie Bradley-Green, Siph Mdalose, Ben Rowthorn, Alfie Jones (loan), Jack Rose (loan), Tyreke Johnson (loan), Alex Cull (loan), Kingsley Latham (loan).
With another poor summer signing wise, I would imagine most Southampton fans were expecting the relegation battle that we were in under Mark Hughes, but within weeks of Ralph Hasenhuttl’s arrival you could really see that we’d refound some confidence, belief and we were just more Southampton-like under the Austrian.
We avoided the drop with points to spare and again the rise in expectations around the club is palpable and with a return to youth, we’ve returned to the kind of club that has now remembered its roots as we climbed back through the tiers into the Premier League and enjoyed some European football.
Fans know plenty about the likes of Che Adams and Danny Ings, and whilst we undoubtedly need to shed some big, underperformers’ earners, the rest of our signings like Moussa Djenepo, few know what to expect but it’s very much a case of in Ralph we trust.
With a continued growing confidence, and pre-season at least showing that we have rediscovered a goalscoring touch which had been a major problem of ours, I think everyone would just hope to see us consolidate the steps we took in 2018/19 and aim for a solid mid-table (maybe break the top ten) finish, as proof that we are again back on track and a final position that gives us a foundation to hope for more from.
With the improvement in individual players under our Austrian gaffer last season, a comfortable mid-table finish is definitely doable for us.
What is your opinion ahead of the 2019/20 Premier League season? Will Sheffield United survive the challenge ahead, and which team will be crowned Champions? Why not join the debate at the Vital Blades Message Board or over on twitter at @vitalblades with the hash tag #vitalblades
What is your opinion ahead of the 2019/20 @officialprem season? Will Sheffield United survive the challenge ahead, and which team will be crowned Champions? #vitalblades #arsenal #avfc #afcb #BHAFC #burnleyfc #CFC #CPFC #EFC #LCFC #LFC #MCFC #MUFC #NUFC #ncfc #twitterblades pic.twitter.com/cqFiSNvxwB
— Vital Blades (@vitalblades) July 29, 2019