The writing had long been on the wall for Southampton who, with seven matches remaining, have been relegated from the Premier League.
Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Tottenham confirmed what fans already feared. Consequently, Ivan Juric’s men will return to the Championship next season.
However, the nature of their collapse has been even more shocking as they’re now flirting with the worst Premier League record ever.
Currently, they have ten points from 31 games. Meanwhile, Derby County’s infamous 2007/08 side ended with just eleven.
In fact, Southampton could eclipse that historic low if they fail to gather two more points in their remaining games.
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Despite changing managers midway through the season, things never improved. Juric, who replaced Russell Martin in December, hasn’t changed their fortunes. They’ve managed just one win under him. Moreover, they have the worst goal difference and lowest scoring record across England’s top four tiers.
Additionally, their 74 goals conceded is unmatched in the Premier League. Their attack is also the league’s weakest, with only 23 goals.
The club’s poor start made relegation almost certain. Losing eight of their first nine games destroyed any chance of survival. They had five points under Martin, one under Rusk, and just four with Juric. Therefore, their situation has steadily worsened.
Juric admits the club must rebuild. “We will see now what everyone thinks, what I think,” he stated with uncertainty.
He added, “The fans deserve much more… this experience has to serve to create something stronger than this.”
Even more, goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale said, “No one wants that record… we will do what we can.”
Ramsdale, now suffering his third relegation from the top-flight, knows what’s coming. Yet, he insists the squad will not “jump ship” early. Meanwhile, captain Jan Bednarek offered a grim reflection. “We can’t change the past… we have to improve as a club.”
Sadly, Southampton’s mismanagement didn’t start on the pitch. Their summer recruitment plan was deeply flawed from the beginning.
Although they pursued Fabio Carvalho and Matt O’Riley, other clubs offered better terms. Ultimately, they missed their top targets. They also lost technical director Jason Wilcox to Manchester United. In his absence, the club lacked leadership and direction.
Furthermore, several summer signings were later offered to Championship clubs. This suggested a lack of faith in the players recruited. Even worse, some—like Maxwel Cornet—barely featured before departing. Others, like Taylor Harwood-Bellis, are expected to leave in the summer.
In April, head of recruitment Darren Mowbray also exited. This further showcased the chaos surrounding the club’s transfer strategy. Although Southampton still have seven games left, the focus is now beyond survival. Instead, they must avoid historic humiliation.
Above all, they must rebuild with intention. And if they do, perhaps something stronger will eventually emerge from this collapse.
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