With the excitement of the EFL Cup final’s fast approach, Saints and their fans are understandably focussed on their huge game at Wembley instead of three months’ worth of Premier League fixtures.
However after the 26th of February, winners of the EFL Cup or not, Southampton have 13 Premier League fixtures to focus on.
They’re currently sat in 11th place with 30 points, two points off of the top half of the table.
I personally will be much more lenient with the team’s league finish if they win the final against United in a week; a trophy and a mid-table finish in the Premier League would be a dazzling season.
For those who don’t know our remaining league fixtures, let me supply you with them…
March 4th- Watford A
March 12th- Man Utd. H
March 19th- Spurs A
April 1st- Bournemouth H
April 5th- Crystal Palace H
April 8th- West Brom A
April 15th- Man City H
April 22nd- Chelsea A
April 29th- Hull H
May 6th- Liverpool A
May 13th- Middlesbrough A
May 21st- Stoke H
For me, I feel like with those fixtures there is a chance of breaking into the top half of the table by the end of the season even with other teams all picking up points along the way. Even if we don’t finish in the top ten, 11th or 12th in the Premier League with a trophy for a club of Southampton’s stature would be so impressive. I would love my club more than any other period of time in my fandom if they pulled that off.
It is obvious that we aren’t going to be anywhere near the 63 points and sixth placed finish that we miraculously achieved last season so aiming for at least 12th is a reasonable objective.
Also with the new addition of Martin Caceres, even though the defender doesn’t know the Premier League yet and hasn’t played competitively for over a year, he could play a big role in advising the squad and helping them succeed through the remaining fixtures.
Those who feel like finishing just below the top half of the table (between 11th and 13th) should result in Claude Puel and the club board’s heads being put on spikes should rethink about that.
Ignoring the final, finishing just below the top half of the table with a manager new to the Premier League, when we had an extra six games in Europe to play alongside and the EFL Cup matches, would not be bad, regardless of whether we achieve silverware or not.
Granted, I would feel slightly deflated if we finished 13th and lost the cup final but the club always look at potential and the potential is that Saints can finish the season with a trophy, a top half finish in the toughest Premier League season for years, and European football for a third successive year. Achievements like these for a club of our stature is why I love my team so much.
So, with 13 games left before the Premier League slams its doors shut for three months, Southampton will look to finish in the top half of the Premier League table for a fourth successive season but I feel I will be content with an 11th or 12th place given multiple scenarios that have prevented the team from reaching the similar 63 points and sixth place finish as last season.
We as fans must stick by the team and cheer them on whilst they look to pick up as many points as possible before the Premier League season finishes for another campaign.
