All posts by h79snht.top

When he first arrived at the Boleyn Ground on the back of a club record transfer fee for the Hammers back in the summer of 2013, Andy Carroll was largely expected to propel West Ham up the league table as the undisputed focal point of Big Sam Allardyce’s attack.

As a string of frustrating long-term injury concerns have nonetheless stood in Carroll’s way since he initially introduced himself in front of the Upton Park faithful however, life in the famed East End of London has invariably proven far more difficult for the former Newcastle United striker.

Yet because the 27-year-old Gateshead-born front-man now seems to be enjoying a successful run in Slaven Bilic’s first team plans with the Hammers at the minute, perhaps the good times have just about returned for the player who notoriously cost Liverpool £35million just a handful of short seasons ago.

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So then, is it only a matter of time before Andy Carroll seemingly drops off the boil once again, or are the West Ham fans now finally starting to see the best out of their club’s marquee centre-forward?

Well, although the former England international may not quite represent everyone’s preferred cup of tea when everything is said and done, no one can discredit Carroll’s efficiency inside the final third when things are admittedly going well for the player in question.

Since the 27-year-old striker has enjoyed a decent run in the team for the Hammers this season, the towering centre-forward has undoubtedly looked a great deal leaner out on the pitch, he seems less likely to break down now that the long balls aren’t constantly being pumped up to him under Slaven Bilic – and although anything could easily still happen for Andy Carroll throughout the remainder of the 2015/16 campaign – maybe the tide really is beginning to turn for the often luckless front-man this season.

With the likes of Dimitri Payet and Manuel Lanzini dictating the play for Slaven Bilic’s outfit in 2015/16, Carroll no longer represents West Ham’s obvious route of attack down at Upton Park. The ex-Newcastle and Liverpool forward can in-fact operate away from the spot-light for a change this season – which is something he arguably hasn’t experienced a great deal of since first bursting onto the scene at St. James’ all those years ago.

Now that Bilic isn’t constantly relying on Carroll to provide the knock-downs for his fellow attacking colleagues out on the field for West Ham, the powerful no-nonsense striker can begin to think about getting on the end of finishing moves more often than not, as opposed to finding himself playing exclusively with back to goal for the majority of the 90 minutes as he did under Sam Allardyce.

Of course, Andy Carroll has just about re-established himself as a first team regular at Upton Park in light of Diafra Sakho’s own injury set-back earlier on in the campaign – but as the front-man now has two in two for the Hammers after shaking off a potentially worrying groin concern a few weeks back – the immediate future looks rather promising for the big man.

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The recently expanded Hammers squad not only serves to ease the burden on Carroll’s shoulders as he goes about his business in front of the Boleyn Ground faithful, but his newly established teammates also allow him to continue getting in strong positions that arguably weren’t possible for the striker in seasons past at West Ham.

Yes, the 27-year-old will never likely stay completely free of injury – and who knows, maybe another long-term complaint is simply waiting round the corner for Carroll right in the here and now – yet as things currently stand for the powerful Englishman, there is no reason to suggest that Andy Carroll won’t push on further throughout the rest of the current campaign.

And if he’s particularly lucky come the final culmination of the 2015/16 season, maybe a sly Euro 2016 call-up could be on the cards for Carroll if circumstances allow this summer.

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Another game. Another defeat. Another blank in front of goal. Another instance of Wenger blaming anyone (mostly Costa) but himself or the players for his side’s shortcomings.

Following defeat to their London rivals on Sunday, Arsenal have now gone nine league games without a victory over the Blues. Their last win came when Andre Villas-Boas was in charge – how long ago does that feel?

This was the game that was supposed to right the wrongs of the past few seasons. With Arsenal gunning for the title and Chelsea struggling to get clear of the relegation battle, it was all set up for the North Londoner’s to finally get one over on last year’s Champions.

Even Wenger’s nemesis had gone this time. No more Mourinho? Ah well, Arsenal will win then. The Portuguese manager often seemed to prioritise games against the Gunners and relished victory over his rival. Even this season, with Chelsea’s worse showing in the Premier League in it’s history, the Blues ran out 2-0 winners  in the first encounter at the Bridge.

It seems that no matter what Arsene does, he just cannot get a result against the West Londoners, in the league anyway. Even with home advantage, a relatively full contingent of players and a ‘wind of change’ blowing through the air, things still took a familiar course.

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A failure to score, a man sent off, players not playing to their potential. All in a day’s work when they face Chelsea. Wenger can try all he likes to claim that Costa got Metersacker sent-off, despite it being one of the most obvious red cards you’ll see.

More baffling, what exactly was the lanky German glancing at just before the tackle? A camera-phone perhaps?

With his own questionable team and tactic selection, and substitutions (particularly Giroud) that were met with derision by the fans, the Arsenal boss would be better served to look at himself for the reasons for defeat, but that’s not his style is it?

It’s getting beyond a joke now, and surely it’s more a case of a mental block than any physical shortcomings in the players.

It’s been well documented on past occasions that Chelsea’s superior size and strength was a major factor in holding the Indian sign over Arsenal. Certainly this was often the case with Mourinho in charge and to some degree can still be argued to be true.

But this is no longer just a team full of ‘giants’, as it often has been. This was not a case of ‘Men against Boys’ as it has looked in the past, Arsenal actually showing some good ‘fight’ at times this season and more than equipped to deal with this Chelsea side. Fabregas was the top-tackler for goodness sake.

This is now a lack of belief from players and managers alike, that when facing Chelsea they are going to come away empty-handed. You could argue that the Gunners were never going to win yesterday, no matter what they did, and they knew it.

They actually played quite well in places, even more so when they were down to ten men. There was endeavour and, sure, Chelsea rode their luck at times. But there wasn’t really anything you could call a guilt-edged opportunity.

Their players looked a little flat, even the till-now impressive Mesut Ozil disappearing into obscurity once again. The introduction of Sanchez helped, but he can’t do it all by himself, while Flamini did his best to win the game for Chelsea single-handedly.

I can only conclude that it comes down to the manager. Whether he over-thinks it, under-prepares it or it’s simply just ‘one of those things’, the Frenchman and his side cannot get over their Chelsea hoodoo. But then again he can just blame Costa, it’s probably all his fault!

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The relegation scrap is really heating up this season, with the likes of Norwich City, Swansea City, AFC Bournemouth and Swansea City in the running to join Aston Villa in the Championship. Another side who are in real danger of dropping back into the second tier of English football is Newcastle United.

For a club with such great tradition and history, as well as having big stature and a plethora of good quality players past and present who have worn the famous back and white shirt, it’s sad to think the Premier League could experience another season without Newcastle.

The fans have constantly been on current boss Steve McClaren’s back ever since he was appointed in the summer. Even the mega spend of £30m in the January transfer window on the likes of injury prone Andros Townsend, Jonjo Shelvey and Henri Saivet has not exactly worked and the faithful Newcastle supporters have simply had enough.

Reports have surfaced that if the Magpies were to lose at St. James Park against the Cherries, who are also battling the drop zone, Steve McClaren will be given his marching orders. A 3-1 loss to Eddie Howe’s men has not only put the former Derby County and England chief under a poised axe, but provoked a reaction from the Newcastle supporters.

If the recent Old Firm meeting at Hampden Park was anything to go by, Scottish football will get the shot in the arm it so desperately needs as Rangers gear up for a return to the top flight.

The Glasgow giants have spent the last few years in the lower tiers, destroying all before them, though they will receive far sterner tests.

Manager Mark Warburton has done an excellent job in coaching his players, though he will surely need to draft in reinforcements in order to substantially scrap with Celtic at the summit of the league.

There have been reports he will be afforded a £5m war chest in order to do so, meaning the former Brentford manager will have to tinker with his squad over the course of the summer.

While it’s a world of fun waxing lyrical as to who will arrive at Ibrox, the Gers will no doubt have to ruthlessly cut some of their title winning side out of the picture in order to make way.

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Who may they be? Well click the image below to take a look.

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Danny Wilson

For a central defender, Danny Wilson struggles when run at with pace. While he’s no doubt a resolute defender, the former Liverpool youngster could well be found out when isolated against a pacy forward in the top tier.

Nicky Clark

The notion of selling Nicky Clark is likely to be a divisive matter this summer, due to his recent run of good form.

However, with the likes of Josh Windass arriving, it could represent a natural end to Clark’s time at Ibrox.

Granted, the 24-year old has improved recently, though it should not deter from his largely lacklustre performances for much of his time on the books.

Kenny Miller

Controversial perhaps, considering his form this season, but can the Gers really rely on a 36-year old Kenny Miller next season?

Everything good about the club right now is the fact they are the exact opposite to their arch rivals.

Hungry, exciting, dynamic.

Will Miller really give them that, as stoic a servant he’s been in the second tier?

The number of big games left this season are quickly dwindling. Spurs’ draw at Chelsea on Monday night handed the title to Leicester City, meaning that the battle at the top is over, and with Norwich facing a tricky last three games, it looks to be a two-horse race between Newcastle and Sunderland to avoid relegation to the Championship.

Alas, there is another fight brewing, with the bout for a top four finish raging on. In truth, it would take a pretty dramatic turn of events to see either of Manchester City or Arsenal slip out of the Champions League qualification zone, but the pair meet this weekend in a game that will define the run-in for them.

Should City lose they’ll be at risk of being caught by Manchester United, while if Arsenal are defeated they will drop into the Citizens’ slight precarious position, and lose all hope of finishing above Spurs. This game is pretty exciting then, and it’s about to get even more appealing…

‘How?’ we hear you scream. Well, Papa John’s are running a Big Match Special that could land you 50% off your next order. That’s right, if the side you back scores two or more goals at the Etihad Stadium you could get your hands on a discount takeaway! All you have to do is sign up for FREE, pick the team you fancy and wait for the goals to rattle in. Simple.

In terms of the team to back, Arsenal appear the favourites to land you a pizza, with the Gunners having been fruitful in the ‘Score Twice, Half Price’ league 20 times out of 36 league games – a return of 56%. Man City have been almost as good – 19 of 36 – but the hangover from their Champions League bout with Real Madrid is worth considering.

The season just gone was almost unbearable for Manchester United fans. The side who have won the league a record 20 times never seemed to get going, despite serious investment. Man United finished 4th in 2014/15, a position that the fans would see as failure in the past, and here is how their 2015/16 season went…

Manchester United took the transfer window by storm, signing Memphis Depay, Morgan Schneiderlin, Matteo Darmian, Bastian Schweinstieger and Sergio Romero for a combined total of over £71m. Angel di Maria, Robin Van Persie and Luis Nani were the only notable departures from Old Trafford as Louis van Gaal entered his second season at the helm of the club.

United began the season with a 1-0 home win against Tottenham thanks to a Kyle Walker own goal, and then won 1-0 again against Aston Villa in their second game as Adnan Januzaj scored before heading to Borussia Dortmund on loan. United began their European campaign beating Club Brugge 3-1 at Old Trafford in the Champions League qualifiers with new signing Memphis Depay announcing himself to the Red Devils with a brace. United achieved their third clean sheet in a row at home to Newcastle as Van Gaal’s men drew 0-0 with the Toon. United finished their Champions League qualifiers off with a 4-0 win in Belgium before travelling to Swansea where they sustained their first loss of the season, going down 2-1. Sergio Romero had played all of Man United’s games so far as David De Gea tried to force a move to Real Madrid.

De Gea’s switch to the Bernabeu never took off, though, with lots of rumours about paper work mis-haps doing the rounds, and there was yet more good news for Manchester United when Anthony Martial was signed from Monaco for an astonishing sum – a reported £37.5 million with plenty of add-ons. The 20-year-old’s first game for United came at Old Trafford, against none other than Liverpool. The Frenchman scored the third in a 3-1 win for LVG’s team and the United fans fell in love with him instantly. Just a few days later, United began the Champions League group stage with a 2-1 loss away at PSV Eindhoven. United returned to the Premier League with a 3-2 win at St Mary’s Stadium against Southampton, Martial helping himself to a brace. United began their League Cup campaign with a 3-0 win at Old Trafford against Ipswich. United won 3-0 yet again at Old Trafford, this time beating Sunderland before ending the month with a 2-1 win against Wolfsburg in the Champions League.

Manchester United kicked off October at the Emirates Stadium, but Arsenal taught them a footballing lesson, winning 3-0. United didn’t look threatening at all throughout the game. United returned from the international break with a 3-0 victory over Everton before drawing 1-1 away in Russia with CSKA Moscow. Next up was the Manchester Derby – usually a thrilling encounter – which ended 0-0. United’s next match also finished 0-0, this time against Championship side Middlesborough in the League Cup – United were defeated 3-1 on penalties and the fans were not impressed. United played yet another goalless draw against Crystal Palace to finish the month.

November began with a 1-0 win against CSKA Moscow at Old Trafford which put United top of the group. In the next match, United got the better of West Brom winning 2-0 with goals from Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata. United’s next match after the second international break was against Watford, United won due to a 90th minute own goal from Watford captain Troy Deeney. United began a miserable spell of form with yet another 0-0 draw, this game with PSV Eindhoven at Old Trafford left United in 2nd place in their Champions League group, with United needing a win in their final game to progress. November finished with a 1-1 draw against Leicester City, a match where Ruud van Nistelrooy’s successive goalscoring record of 10 matches was broken by Foxes striker, Jamie Vardy.

United failed to beat West Ham at Old Trafford in their 4th goalless draw in the Premier League before travelling to Germany to face Wolfsburg for a clash where United needed to win. United led twice in the match, scoring in the 82nd minute, but conceded two goals in the final eight minutes and were eliminated from the Champions League. United then lost three on the trot, away at Bournemouth 2-1 then at home to Norwich with the same scoreline before losing at the Britannia to Stoke 2-0. Van Gaal’s men ended 2015 with a 0-0 draw against a struggling Chelsea at Old Trafford.

2016 began with a 2-1 win at home against Swansea, Wayne Rooney scoring a great flick to claim three points for his side. United began their FA Cup journey with a 1-0 win at home to Sheffield United, a Wayne Rooney penalty winning the tie in the 93rd minute. United’s next match was a thrilling 3-3 tie with Newcastle at St. James Park with Paul Dumbest scoring a 90th minute leveller for the hosts. United fans certainly enjoyed the next game with a 1-0 win at Anfield, Rooney scoring  to leave rivals Liverpool empty handed. United fell to a 1-0 loss at home to Southampton, with another late goal proving costly for Van Gaal’s team. January came to a close with a 3-1 win away at Derby in the FA Cup.

February started with a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge, a Jesse Lingard wonder-strike was cancelled out in the dying moments as Diego Costa salvaged a point for Chelsea, but United lost their next match away at Sunderland with the relegation battlers winning 2-1. The only positive for United was the form of Martial, who was finding life in the Premier League very enjoyable. Manchester United then suffered the most humbling of defeats in Denmark, away at FC Midtjylland, a club who were formed as recently as 1999. United lost 2-1 before returning to England to defeat Shrewsbury Town 3-0 in the FA Cup. The return match against FC Midtjylland saw the debut of youngster Marcus Rashford, who started as Rooney and Martial were ruled out through injury. The 18-year-old took the game by storm, scoring a brace in a 5-1 win for United. The result meant that United would face Liverpool in the round of 16 of the Europa League. The month concluded with a 3-2 win at Old Trafford against Arsenal, Rashford scored two goals yet again and became an instant United hero.

United won 1-0 against Watford in the first game of March with a late winner from Juan Mata but the Red Devils fell to a defeat by the same scoreline away at West Brom. United travelled to Liverpool for the first leg of the last 16, and performed abysmally as they lost 2-0 and returned to Manchester with a 1-1 draw against West Ham to force a replay at the Boleyn Ground. United failed to get the better of Liverpool in the return leg of the Europa League, a Philippe Coutinho solo strike earned Liverpool a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford and United were dumped out of Europe. United responded with an incredible 1-0 victory away at Manchester City in the derby with none other than Rashford scoring the winner.

United rose to 5th place in the league with a 1-0 win against Everton, but were thrashed yet again in north London, this time against Tottenham at White Hart Lane, Spurs were rampant, winning 3-0. The next match was the replay at the Boleyn Ground in the FA Cup quarter final, United won 2-1 with Rashford scoring yet again. The teenager took United to Wembley where they would face Everton in the FA Cup semi-final. Rashford was the hero yet again as United beat Aston Villa 1-0, the Englishman’s goal relegated the visitors in the process. United’s last game before Wembley was a 2-0 defeat of Crystal Palace. The FA Cup semi final was a great day for Manchester United, with a 90th minute winner from Martial taking them to their first FA Cup final in 12 years after Marouane Fellaini’s effort was cancelled out by a Chris Smalling own goal.

United started May with a 1-1 draw against eventual champions Leicester City. Manchester United followed the point with a 1-0 win away at Norwich. Arsenal claimed a 2-2 draw at Manchester City meaning if United won their final two games, they would finish above their local rivals and qualify for next season’s Champions League. The first of these two games was the final match ever at the Boleyn Ground against West Ham. The Red Devils came from behind to lead 2-1 in the final few minutes before completely falling apart – West Ham scored two goals in the final 15 minutes, which left United in 5th place needing City to slip up to have any chance of finishing in the top four. The final day of the season saw Manchester United’s clash with Bournemouth postponed due to a bomb threat, which later turned out to be a training exercise. City drew 1-1 on the final day meaning the Manchester United had to beat Bournemouth by 19 goals on the final day. Of course United didn’t get the result that was required, falling 17 short after a 3-1 win.

Despite the 5th place finish, Wembley beckoned as United faced Crystal Palace in a repeat of the 1990 FA Cup final. United went a goal down with just 12 minutes to go but Juan Mata levelled the match for Louis van Gaal, before Jesse Lingard became a United legend as he scored the winning goal in extra time.

The FA Cup victory turned out to be LVG’s last game in charge. United fans and the board alike felt that Van Gaal’s style of play was too boring and didn’t bring enough excitement or goals to the side – Old Trafford saw fewer goals than any stadium in the Premier League this term. For this reason, United have appointed Jose Mourinho as the manager for next season.

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Sadly, the European Championships are coming to an end for another four years.

It has not been the best quality tournament, but full of surprises and drama and not without the upset here and there.

However, as the show draws to a close next weekend and the players depart for well earned (mostly) holidays before embarking on pre-season, there have been some shining lights.

All of the Premier League clubs will have been watching carefully, just in case one or two hidden gems rise to the surface – and the same will apply to Ronald Koeman.

The new Everton boss will be eager to spend the £100m now burning a hole in his pocket and to assemble a squad of players that can compete an awful lot better than they did last year, in what will be one of the most competitive seasons in Premier League history.

Here are five possibilities for Koeman…

Ricardo Rodriguez

The left-back has shone at the finals and several clubs now appear to be after his signature.

He became a world champion with Switzerland U17s in 2009 and made his debut for Wolfsburg at 19. He is lethal from set pieces and is known to be able to put in a decent cross from time to time. Since the Euro’s, this no nonsense defender has made it clear that he will leave the Bundesliga side, but his release clause is set at a minimum of £19m.

Joe Allen

One of the true stars of the Wales team’s heroics this summer. Who’d have guessed? He’s been involved in everything and dictates the play going from defence into attack and back again when required.

He has only assisted one goal so far, but Allen’s influence on this Wales team cannot be understated. It is quite apparent that Allen thrives on the big tournament style and he looks at home against anyone.

Grzegorz Krychowiak

A hugely influential presence in Poland’s midfield, Krychowiak is not only really hard to spell, but he’s also very able in protecting his backline.

A fearsome tackler, good in possession and a hard man to get past, the Sevilla man has been one to watch. Although defensively minded, he has chipped in with a goal and is one that seems to have slipped under the radar.

Would that be because he plays for a less fashionable team, perhaps? Either way, this would be a good signing.

Eder

Brazilian born Eder thrives with the ball at his feet, taking on anyone in his way.

Determined and nimble, the naturalised Italian is being watched by a selection of clubs after his recent performances

. A controversial call-up by Conte, Eder has made his impression on the coach and the fans, but had this to say about his love for his new country: “In Italy, there are still too many preconceptions when it comes to the national side,” he said in an interview last year.

“There is bias towards the homegrown players here, whereas in Germany or France it isn’t such a big deal but thankfully it is only the opinion of the coach which counts.”

Balazs Dzsudzsak

Hungary’s 81 cap man scores great goals, gets involved in everything from defence to attack, is experienced and full of energy.

The 29-year-old was recruited by Turkish side Bursaspor from Dynamo Moscow last year and is highly regarded in his own country. Could he do a decent job for Everton? Only one way to find out.

Being out of Europe could just be a blessing in disguise for West Ham this season.

The Hammers crashed out of the Europa League play-offs to Romanian side Astra Giurgiu for the second time in as many seasons and while on the face of it that looks pretty detrimental to their season, it might just help them out.

The club are going through a bedding in period in their new stadium, and their new signings also need to gel with the rest of the squad. It’s not going to be an overnight transition as their early league form suggests, so no Europa League football will allow them to sort that out first.

It also gives Slaven Bilic the chance to bring in extra players with the aim of reaching Europe without needing to qualify through the play-offs next season, and he may find said players in La Liga.

Here are FIVE he should target to get the Hammers straight into Europe next season…

Iker Muniain

When Muniain broke on to the scene at Athletic Bilbao as a teenager, many tipped him for the very top. He has, however, stayed with the Basque club up until now.

The left winger is a very tricky player and quality dribbler and it’s those attributes that have earned him the nickname in the Spanish media as ‘the Spanish Messi’ – not a bad accolade.

He’s clearly talented and West Ham would be getting a top player if they signed him.

Yevhen Konoplyanka

Konoplyanka can play on either wing and scored four goals for Sevilla last season.

That season saw him win the Europa League final to qualify the club for this season’s Champions League so any potential deal would require West Ham to put a lot of money behind it.

Nevertheless, he’s the kind of player West Ham need to make the next step so they should be interested.

Dani Parejo

The central midfielder knows exactly how to control a game and that could be what West Ham need to continue on their upward progression.

The 27-year-old has been at Valencia for five years but with them struggling last season and their fortunes not looking very bright for this one either, the Spaniard may be tempted to move.

West Ham have the financial resources to make it happen, too.

Jeremy Mathieu

You’d be forgiven for forgetting Mathieu is actually at Barcelona as a player and not the winner of a competition that gets to occasionally play at the Nou Camp.

That aside, the Frenchman is actually a decent defender when called upon and he’d provide the Hammers with much needed experience at the back as they look to improve on last season’s seventh place.

Rafinha

The Brazilian midfielder finds himself in the position a lot of young players at Barcelona do and that’s not being able to find a way into the Catalans’ stellar line up.

He was limited to just six games in the league last season and must be wondering if he’d be better off moving away for the good of his career.

West Ham will certainly be hoping he comes down on that side and sees his future with them.

Oliver Burke is a name that has only really started circulating in the past couple of months.

The former Nottingham Forest man burst onto the scene in the Championship earlier this season and as soon as we saw him play for Philippe Montanier’s side, we knew he would be special.

But his time in England came to an abrupt end when Forest sanctioned the sale of their prized youngster to Bundesliga newcomers Red Bull Leipzig, who have lofty ambitions of their own.

Part of the Red Bull brand of football teams, they’re new on the scene in the top flight of Germany but will be looking to consolidate themselves as one of the bigger sides in the league.

And with Burke having got off the mark within five minutes of his full debut, it’s clear he’s going to do well in Germany and could play even better in time.

So with that in mind, just how good can he get?

Here are THREE reasons why he is destined to be a star…

He’s got the feel of Jimmy Johnstone

Ask any Scottish football fan about the great Jimmy Johnstone and they’ll probably claim that he’s one of the best outside right forwards their country have ever seen.

The former Celtic man, who played over 500 times for the Hoops, was quick, aggressive and ran at players for fun. And Burke gives you that very same feeling. He’s direct, fearless and seriously powerful and if he can continue developing at his current rate there is little doubt he can become a key figure in the national set-up too.

He’s seriously versatile

Many Forest fans branded Burke as a bit of an out-and-out winger but the 19-year-old has the build of a man that could, in time, become a fantastic centre-forward.

He’s built like a brick wall and combine this with his athletism and pace, you’ve got a seriously good player. He scored after just five minutes when his side faced Cologne and whilst they couldn’t hold out for the win, the performance was seriously promising.

Having a player that can play out wide and as a central striker is fantastic for any side and for Leipzig it could be a blessing.

He’s only 19

Perhaps the biggest reason Oliver Burke will be a star is that he’s only 19-years-old.

To provide the skill, pace and qualities that he does at his age is fantastic for both Scotland and Leipzig and you wouldn’t rule out a move to an even better team in years to come if he continues at this level.

Rarely do we see such young players hit the ground running like Burke has and what’s more, make such a seamless transition to a foreign country.

Southampton have earned an impressive reputation when it comes to rebuilding squads. They have become accustomed to losing players to bigger clubs, yet they continue to defy the odds when they are forced to rebuild year after year.

The South Coast seems like the first port of call for the Premier League’s biggest clubs when they are in the market to bolster their squads. Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal have all plundered St Mary’s in the last 24 months, spending a combined total of £132.5million on Southampton players – staggeringly, that’s almost as much as Bayern Munich have spent in the five years.

After their enormously impressive season in 2013/14, Southampton could lay claim to having one of the most wanted players in European football. It was the club’s second season back in the top-flight and Morgan Schneiderlin was attracting interest from some of European football’s biggest clubs.

Schneiderlin forced the club’s hand by trying to force a transfer to Tottenham Hotspur after manager Mauricio Pochettino left to join the North London club. The Argentinian manager led the club to a very respectable eighth place, playing a brand of football admired throughout the Premier League and when Spurs sacked Tim Sherwood in 2014, he was their desired target.

With many expecting Southampton to fold, their boardroom quickly identified Ronald Koeman as the perfect coach to take them forward and eclipse the start made by Pochettino at the club. The Dutch manager relished the challenge of rebuilding a team dissected by transfers. He quickly accepted that Southampton could not financially compete with other clubs and that part of his challenge was to reconstruct his squad to compete and improve on the pitch once again.

The departures of Ricky Lambert, Dejan Lovren and Adam Lallana – all to Liverpool – greatly concerned Southampton fans, but Koeman’s clever business enabled Saints to improve and not fall behind.

Koeman guided saints to a 7th place finish and another summer exodus soon followed. Toby Alderweireld joined Tottenham and Saints signed Virgil Van Dijk from Celtic. Jordy Clasie replaced the departing Morgan Schneiderlin, whilst Portugal international Cedric Soares replaced Nathaniel Clyne who joined Liverpool. Both players continued to prove their worth with Clasie proving more successful for Southampton than Schneiderlin has done for Manchester United.

Another record was again broken, with Southampton finishing 6th their highest ever Premier League finish. A place in the Europa League group stage for the first time was guaranteed and everything looked perfect on the South Coast before the fear of most Saints fan’s soon became a reality.

And once again, Southampton have had to sell players and rebuild. Losing Sadio Mané to Liverpool and Graziano Pelle to the ever-lasting riches of the Chinese Super League was a big blow, but Ronald Koeman’s departure was perhaps the biggest.

The Dutchman left after two very successful years at Southampton and the club started their rebuilding process for a third time under Claude Puel. Not many were aware of the Frenchman’s existence prior to his appointment, but his core belief in providing youth with a platform to succeed proved a fundamental reason for offering him the job.

The Saints have shown time and time again they are capable of adapting to change and resurfacing from apparently impossible situations. Koeman’s departure along with key players should not be a time for Southampton fans to feat the worst but for them to embrace the fact their club is well-run and stable enough to survive without certain players.

They have spent four years chopping and changing players and management yet to continue to improve every season. The foundations at this wonderful club are as sturdy as could possibly be imagined and like all good houses, they are constructed to survive a storm or two.