15th Aug 2013 | Football
Southampton 2013-14 Preview
Rickie Lambert scored with his first ever touch for England on Wednesday. A fitting emblem of the feel-good factor at St Mary's Stadium these days.
Best odds to finish top 10: 13/8 (Betfred)
Last season: 14th
Reasons for hope:
The signs are that they just need to carry on where they left off last term to avoid any potential ‘second season syndrome.’ The big boys shouldn’t look forward to their trips to the south coast; Man City, Chelsea and Liverpool have all perished at St Mary’s already in 2013. Furthermore, the £12.5m acquisition of Celtic enforcer Victor Wanyama is a real statement of intent.
Potential bet: August Manager of the Month - Mauricio Pochettino: 18/1 (Skybet). The Saints open with fixtures against WBA, Sunderland and Norwich.
Reasons to worry:
Spending £8.5m on Dejan Lovren may be a risk after the Croatian got sent off three times in France last season, also conceding two penalties. The defence should remain the chief concern for Pochettino; Saints conceded 60 times in 2012-13, the same number as relegated QPR.
Potential bet: Team to concede most goals - Southampton: 33/1 (StanJames)
Verdict:
Everything looks very progressive and ambitious. A top half finish isn’t beyond this group.
Odds correct at time of publishing: 12:13 15th Aug, 2013 but subject to change
