Southampton’s 2014/15 season was odd. They did not rise up the table at all this season; in fact they dropped from second, in early November to seventh by the end of the season. However, as the Saints slid slowly down the division, morale on the South Coast didn’t.
Contrary to the norm of a poor start, as a newly formed squad ‘needs time to gel’ – Southampton were straight out of the blocks and slowed towards the end. But despite declining fortunes, Ronald Koeman’s side were never disheartened by results not going their way on the pitch – or endless rumours surrounding its playing and managerial staff off it.
Southampton’s first win of the season was vital – a 3-1 victory against West Ham at Upton Park. After a 2-1 loss at Anfield in the season opener, and a dire 0-0 draw at St. Mary’s against West Brom had some, who predicted doom and gloom on the South Coast, rubbing their hands in glee – but this result showed a Saints team with character; something that was on show throughout the year.
Morgan Schneiderlin bagged a brace that day – and following the situation surrounding the Frenchman last summer this performance showed that he had indeed settled down after being left out of the team at Anfield to get his head straight. Graziano Pelle also grabbed his first Premier League goal and for a player who’s performance seems so reliant on confidence; this was vital, as the Italian began an early season goal-scoring glut.
An obvious highlight for many will be Southampton’s 8-0 trouncing of Sunderland featuring Santiago Vergini’s own goal of the season contender. In front of a thrilled St. Mary’s, Saints were merciless as they bagged their biggest win since 1921. Summer signing, Dusan Tadic, provided a record-breaking four assists in a single game while Graziano Pelle bagged two – even Jack Cork scored. This day will live long in the memory of many Saints fans.
Entering Advent, Southampton had only lost three games all season and were third in the Premier League. But with winter in full swing, the wave of confidence that had been rushing up and down the Itchen River was beginning to freeze. On the last day of November, Saints were beaten 3-0 at home to Manchester City – they’re heaviest defeat of the season. Southampton lost their next four games, including a dismal performance in the Capital One Cup against Sheffield united, and it looked like Southampton’s season had been derailed. Despite good performances against Manchester United and Arsenal, people were, once again, writing off Koeman’s side.
The South Coast had its first glimpse of Koeman’s Dutch efficiency in the team’s last game of 2014 – the first of two 1-1 draws against Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea. The Saints were dogged and pragmatic; something not often associated with the boys in red & white of recent times, as Chelsea dominated but failed to penetrate – scoring with their only shot on target despite having 61 per cent possession.
January was a month of two halves for Saints. They kicked off 2015 with a 2-0 win over Arsenal, their first since their return to the Premier League in 2012 and Ronald Koeman’s favourite match of the season – Arsenal goalkeeper Wojech Szczezny at fault for both the home side’s goals. 11 days later, Southampton were celebrating their first victory at Old Trafford in 27 years as Koeman got one over on his compatriot Louis van Gaal and Saints weren’t pretty but, once again, dug in to record an historic win.
January passed and with it, did Saints’ good form. They were knocked out of the FA Cup at home to Crystal Palace, and poor results in the league against West Ham, West Brom and Swansea saw Saints slip out of the top four. February was a month of misery for Southampton – they scored one goal in its 29-day entirety. It was summed up on a freezing cold, wet day at St. Mary’s – pathetic fallacy for the return of Lallana, Lambert and Lovren. Saints were beaten 2-0 as a hostile atmosphere fell fairly flat as the returning starters were booed – well two out of three of them.
For much of the remainder of the season, results and performances were forgettable – Saints picked up another hard-fought draw at Chelsea, dismissed the teams they should have when playing at home but they struggled to pick up points on the road; the final away win came in February – Sadio Mane’s last-minute winner against QPR at Loftus Road the last time Southampton’s travelling support journeyed back down the M3 victorious.
The final home game of the season provided Ronald Koeman’s side one last hurrah for a valiant and historic season for the club. It was only fitting for the side that has obliterated the season’s expectations to sign off the season at St. Mary’s in style – Sadio Mane was the man to turn it on as he recorded the quickest hat-trick in Premier League history as Saints dismantled Aston Villa sticking six past FA Cup Finalists Aston Villa. One final memory for Saints fans to treasure from this campaign.
It was another Villa drubbing that ultimately got Southampton into Europe – this one was dished out by Arsenal at Wembley as they ran out 4-0 winners against Tim Sherwood’s side in the FA Cup Final.
In a season that was predicted to be full of trial and tribulation, Southampton showed defiance but in an understated way. On occasion they were unstoppable, at times they impenetrable but the 2014/15 season will always be considered a success.
Unchartered territory now faces Southampton in the coming campaign – qualification for the Europa League means the Saints enter a competition that, in its current format, they have never entered which brings with it a season that starts earlier than ever before and more fixtures than any modern Southampton team has ever had to face.
