The English Premier League has been dominated by the four or five teams for that past several seasons. Smaller clubs barely rate a mention, especially in most of the Australian media.
Yet there’s a story unfolding this season that might just be worth following.
Pop quiz. Without peeking, who is currently coming first in the EPL?
Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester city and Arsenal all get the big buzzer and are all wrong. It’s Chelsea. It’s not a hard question and really no great surprise.
Now, a much harder one. Who is second? For most followers of the EPL it’ll take plenty of guesses. The answer is Southampton.
Yes, the Saints. When I tell people I follow Southampton I get either ‘who?’ or even worse ‘are they in the Premier League?’. Yes, we are, and we’re well in front of the moneybag giants.
Saints’ position is no fluke. We’ve won eight games from 11. Our defence is clearly the best in the league, with just five goals conceded and the next best is 11. We have the best goal difference too (18) – even better than Chelsea.
Among the wins was an 8-0 demolition of Sunderland. We knocked Arsenal out of the League Cup (at the Emirates) and haven’t conceded a Premier League goal since October 5.
No doubt many readers are either bemused or surprised by all this. As we’re not one of the big club, Saints’ story barely rates a mention. Fox Sports offer “ …and Southampton continue to surprise…” several minutes after clubs well below us on the table.
As for the commercial channels, their EPL coverage must be put together by the pimply 16-year-old on work experience. The Red Devils… blah blah blah. Thanks mate.
They’re the clubs people are interested in, will be the retort of their followers. A self-fulfilling prophecy that sees the clubs with the most support garner the most coverage, hence their support grows and so does the coverage.
Supporters of lesser known clubs like Southampton, detest the plastic supports of the big clubs. They can barely a name a player, know nothing of the club’s past, but are all too keen to celebrate another trophy.
Last season in Spain’s La Liga the previously unheralded Atletico Madrid won the title. For once it wasn’t Real Madrid or Barcelona. They just by happenstance also wear red and white stripes. An omen for Saints I hope.
Most media picked up this story with about two or three rounds to go. Here’s your chance to get on this bandwagon early. Can Saints actually win the Premier League? No, it’ll be another big club again, yawn. We’re marching in, to the top four perhaps. After decades of suffering I am allowed to dream.
Saints did finish eighth last season. We were never out of the top 10 and in doing so brought many of our players to the attention of the big clubs. In the off-season our captain Adam Lallana, top goalscorer Rickie Lambert and best defender Dejan Lovren were all bought by Liverpool.
Luke Shaw, an 18-year-old defender, was snapped by Man United for 30 million pounds. Our manager Mauricio Pochettino left for Spurs. No manager, no captain, no goalscorer, no defenders – Saints seemed to be doing a Bad News Bears impression.
In came Ronald Koeman as our manager and in tow a couple of his loyal journeymen. Most experts were predicting relegation or a very big scare for Saints. Plenty of betting agencies had us among the favourites to go down. Their silence right now is deafening. Dusan Tadic and Graziano Pelle are both scoring and setting up goals for fun. A 60 million pound profit from our sales could come in very handy for future transfers.
Only four seasons ago Saints were financially inept and playing the likes of Leyton Orient and Hartlepool in front of gatherings of less than 2000 people in League One. The old third division and two tiers below the Premier League.
Players like Lambert and Lallana were with Southampton in those dark days. To see them starring last season was a reward for loyalty and drive. I wonder how those gents feel when they look at the table now? Rich, yes. Fulfilled, maybe.
Wake up Australian media. There’s a great story going on in the EPL right now. I’m sure supporters of other small clubs would love to have their moment in the sun too.
For Southampton, it’s actually happening. I’ve seen the EPL table plenty of times and I’m amazed and proud. Go Saints.
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