With 12 games left last year Saints had every reason to be optimistic about where they would finish, however a lack of depth in the squad meant that they fell away in the final three months, however this year could be different.

A year ago Saints went into the final third of the season sat in fifth place and although they had only picked up a solitary point in the previous three fixtures, they thought they could kick on in the final dozen games.

The reality though was that the squad was stretched to its limits, some players like Graziano Pelle had had to play on whatever through tiredness and fatigue because Ronald Koeman had no real alternatives whilst others picked up niggling injuries or in the case of Fraser Forster a serious one.

This meant that in those final 12 games Saints would win only four games in picking up fourteen points, in fact as the season went on Saints got worse and after Forster's season was over, in the final 8 games there would be only 7 points won.

But this season Saints are much stronger in most departments, they can handle injuries and suspensions and perhaps just as tellingly they now have the luxury of resting players as was illustrated by Sadio Mane dropping to the bench for the trip to Swansea City and indeed not even being called upon to play, such is the options Saints have.

I said back at the start of the season that although Ronald Koeman was losing two key players in Schneiderlin and Clyne, that he was using the money in building a bigger and better squad, of course we were going to struggle to have replaced either player with one of equal quality at least immediately, but I was convinced that in the long run the fact that we had more quantity in the squad would win us more points over the course of a season, because we would no longer be so reliant on so few players.

Of course we would rather have kept both and strengthened the squad, but that is not always possible in the modern game with players coveted by so called bigger clubs the moment they have a dozen good games.

But now we are ideally positioned to have a finishing flourish as opposed to the whimper in which we finished last season, we can now change the starting line up according to the opposition, but more importantly we have options coming off the bench, something we did not have a year ago, especially in attack.

So we can head into the final dozen games this season with a lot more confidence and therefore a lot more optimism than we could have had a year ago.

The squad building is far from finished, the difference now is that the supporters are now waking up to the way that Saints work, a year ago we as fans were frightened of losing players, now although not exactly delighted as possibly losing the likes of Wanyama or Mane we can see just how the squad can be strengthened further with the money that would be brought in by selling them and just how that could benefit us overall.

Photo: Action Images

Jesus_02 added 12:05 - Feb 23 I think that we would be at least 1 place better off with Clyne if not two. For a very small net gain (3m?) I still think it was a very week move.
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SaintNick added 13:10 - Feb 23 perhaps we would but without the £12 million we got for Clyne we would not have Romeu & Clasie, so perhaps we would not have got as many points in the last six games and would be worse off
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GeordieSaint added 13:24 - Feb 23 Incredible to think that the other week we had Tadic, Mane and Austin on the bench. If you factor in J Rod not being fit that is some set of striking options. I feel really optimistic about the rest of the season. Even finishing 6th would be a great achievement, the closer you get to the top the harder it is to even climb 1 place.
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Scummer added 13:26 - Feb 23 I think that the new additions are looking pretty healthy. VVD, Soares, Clasie and Romeu all quality additions, and they are all getting stronger week by week. Cuco is a useful squad player, and that screamer was worth £1m by itself. Juanmi is still young and may well adjust to the English game. He obviously has skill and potential. And Charlie Austin's red and white. And we offloaded some heavy costs in the last year as well. So all in all, last summer's work was pretty damn good.

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IWOZTHERE added 13:53 - Feb 23 Agreed scummer. Considering Clasie was out for so long we've done exceptionally well. I've even had to adjust my position a bit on the pos/neg scale. Before I make a 'giant leap of faith' though, the 'acid test' yet again will be in the summer. Mane and VW can go. as far as I'm concerned, but no-one else significant please, and we'll need a 'big' player to replace Mane.

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IWOZTHERE added 14:03 - Feb 23 Nick, Re. your post above. Clyne obviously wanted the move and was sold cheaply because his contract was running down? That aside, Are you saying that the club didn't have 12m to spend if they hadn't sold Clyne? That raises the old question about the TV money?
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Bettwsresident added 15:31 - Feb 23 I am also feeling optimistic and agree that Romeu and Clasie = Spiderman +. I am not sure about Clyne. I know we couldn't keep him, but the sad fact is we would be above Man U now if Yosh hadn't played right bank against them at St Marys. That game will be a key missed op come season end. Onwards and upwards. I have been a Saints fan for 30 years and am still pinching myself that we are now an established top 8 outfit for the first time since the mid 80's despite being 13th in the list of player salaries. Happy days indeed!

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SaintNick added 15:57 - Feb 23 Iwoz. The club are clearly keeping back a chunk of the tv money for reinvestment in other areas, so far we have spent what we have received in and a little more on the new signings, without the £35 million for Clyne and Schneiderlin we would not have been able to build the squad further without dipping into the money earmarked for other areas, ie Staplewood and perhaps expanding st marys in the near future

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IWOZTHERE added 18:23 - Feb 23 I've softened my 'critical' stance over the amount spent as opposed to receipts, as the squad has grown into a formidable unit. I hope it remains so, although we've still got to bear in mind where we were a few weeks ago. As you say, Tv money is we hope earmarked for projects like ground expansion (or even transfer investment) but when we are guaranteed that those 'funds' will reach 250m by the end of next season, speculation is bound to re-surface unless we get some sort of related 'statement of intent'from the club.

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SaintBrock added 09:54 - Feb 24 First of all Jesus 02, Clyne would not sign a new contract despite the long drawn out negotiations with Reed & Co, so we had no choice to keep him. Schneiderlin was one of our greatest players of all time and we will never replace him completely. Romeu, Clasie & Van Dyck are superb players to have in our team but one cannot but worry that they are Ronald's men and their future may very well be tied up with his. As for the TV money, just when was altruism the objective of a privately owned company? Marcus might have been an elderly benevolent and romantic Saints fan just wanting to improve the lot of his favourite team but beyond him the rest are in it for the money. Pity we cannot be shareholders as the dividends are about to go into over-drive.

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IWOZTHERE added 14:57 - Feb 24 You're more cynical than even me Brock! You are correct in what you say, it's just a question of degree. Despite the current 'riches', I suspect that a number of other clubs benefitting from the influx of cash, will overtake us unless we get the balance right ! Or, dare I say it. is KL building up for a Sale?
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