Arsenal transfer target has spoken very highly of Ronald Koeman and Southampton’s improvements this season.
Arsenal summer transfer target Morgan Schneiderlin has been talking up Southampton’s credentials this season, emphasizing the defensive impact new manager Ronald Koeman has had on the side.
SEE MORE:
Arsenal Southampton Lineup: Arsenal have dropped selection hints ahead of their League Cup clash with Southampton tonight.
Kompany Arsenal Title: Manchester City’s Vincent Kompany has talked up Arsenal and Chelsea in this year’s Premier League title race.
Arsenal January Transfer Targets: 12 players Arsenal could spend £173m cash reserves on in January.
French midfielder Schneiderlin was tipped to follow former manager Maurico Pochettino to Tottenham this summer, with Arsenal and Arsene Wenger also courting the 24-year-old.
His transfer was blocked by the Southampton board however, and he now seems happier than ever to be playing for the South-coast club.
Schneiderlin praised the defensive improvements of the team under Koeman, and with the Saints currently second in the League just three points behind Chelsea you can see the proof.
He told London24: “Every manager changes the style when they come into a football club. It’s different to Pochettino, we don’t press so high and so hard during the game and we are more controlled in defence.”
Although it’s very early in the current season, the club’s defensive stats have drastically improved since Koeman took over.
2013/14 – 1.21 goals conceded per game & 9.61 opposition scoring attempts per game.
2014/15 – 0.6 goals conceded per game & 7.6 opposition scoring attempts per game.
Southampton were tipped for relegation after a difficult summer that saw a mass exodus of both players and staff, but Koeman has made some excellent acquisitions and the Saints look to be better than ever.