In August 2012, without much other football to watch on that day, I watched the Premier League's first game of the season: Manchester City v Southampton. I forget the result, but I can't forget the unexpected Southampton performance. Afterwards, I was saying that, if someone, who hadn't followed the English game, was told that one of the teams was freshly promoted and the other was last season's champions, they might well form the wrong conclusions on which team did which.
Southampton struggled in the early part of the season and had a modest mid-table finish in the end. This season, with new confidence, they have been as high as 3rd and 4th. Few are surprised, and many believe that a top-four finish is not beyond the bounds of possibility. Neutral fans like their style - a style somewhat reminiscent of Dortmund's style - and they've become many people's second-favourite team.
It isn't all by good luck, however. The attention to detail at the club is fascinating. This report on the club is one of the best football articles from the Daily Mail in some time:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2515877/Southampton-masterplan-win-Premier-League.htmlAnd this one, while not of the same degree of interest, tells a little about their mysterious manager:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2516184/Southamptons-Mauricio-Pochettino-saviour-English-football.htmlPS. Hmmmm... I think that I must have given them the kiss of death by adding that article. This afternoon they let in three goals for the first time this season - in a 3-1 defeat by Chelsea.