What lessons have Saints learnt this season

Not a season review as the season isn't over but to try and work out what lessons has Saints learnt this season. For me they have been:

1) Saints have a top team with genuinely top players, held Chelsea twice, beat Arsenal twice and beat Man Utd. Morgan Schneiderlin, Toby Alderweireld, Nathaniel Clyne, Jose Fonte and Graziano Pelle have stood out
2) We have top Manager in Ronald Koeman. Achieved instant respect from the players and has the knowledge and experience of life at the top to pass on to the players. Has connections at the top clubs tp bring in better players than we're used to.
3) First 11 can beat most teams in the league but a few injuries have shown that there is not a depth of quality in the squad.
4) Saints need to strengthen up front and take the pressure off Pelle. When Pelle is off form Saints have struggled to find the net.
5) Player recruitment is arguably the best in the league. Sold 5 players for £90 million and got better for just £60 million. Emphasised by the fact that none of the players who left have not had a good season.
6) Saints keeping turning players into internationals. Makes recruiting players easier. Come to Southampton and play for your country.
7) Some of the new players have struggled with the intensity of the Premier League over a whole season especially those from Dutch football.

 

... that we're not a top 4 team, but we can compete with teams in there and that is a good step in the right direction.

 

8) You can't go a whole season with only 1 target man and one Premier League quality goalkeeper.

 

I think we need a striker of a slightly higher level than we have, to progress to next level.

 

Good job we are looking at Austin and Ings then

 

Then we need a lock picker or a safe breaker to supply them.

 

**** it....let's get both

 

9) That until we qualify for the Champions League, the second half of any season will always be a lot more difficult than the first with other clubs and agents turning heads.

 

10) That we need to stop losing by the odd goal more often than we win by one in the 50/50 games.

 

I have learned that (present company excepted) we have the moaniest, moaning, moaners in the Premier!

 

Don't know if Twente would sell only a year after buying him, but Hakim Ziyech is having one hell of a second half to the year in a playmaking role.

 

Yep, certainly not there by a long shot. Although we've done fantastic this season we're still bottom of the points vs the top teams mini league. That's a definite improvement target for next year & I believe RK can do (providing Europa doesn't screw us).

 

Think Ron is top class but should also have learnt some things especially in recent months, he was practically flawless for months but for me has gotten it wrong on a few different occasions of late. I'm excited by that fact in a way though, Ron is hugely experienced man but even he can get better and push to higher levels.

 

To be fair breaking in new players to the premier league is not an easy thing to do. Especially if they have not played in it before. It could be argued that RK got his tactics wrong on occasion, that aside he has done very well.
He will know he has weaknesses in the side from loss of form to perhaps being slightly below the standard we need. Not to mention a few more back ups or replacements for losses during the close season.
I don't think many managers would have done so well.
I expect another large exchange of players similar to last year......what are the odds?

 

What have I learnt? Trust the club.

 

It is hard to increase strength and depth when you are having to replace a number of senior players that have been cherry-picked each year.

 

That the team is always bigger than any individual (see Aston villa right there!)

 

If we did it this season! We can do it again next season but better!

 

To take what the club says absolutely on face value. Straight talking Owner, Chairman and Manager.
That no-one is irreplaceable.
That my club is in the best possible hands and that I do know how lucky I am.

 

Along with every other team on the planet.