Morgan Schneiderlin believes Southampton are better defensively under their new boss, rather than the current Tottenham Hotspur one.
Morgan Schneiderlin was heavily linked with following manager Mauricio Pochettino to Tottenham Hotspur this summer.
Yet he appears happy enough playing under new manager Ronald Koeman at Southampton after failing to clinch his big move.
As his side prepare to face Arsenal in the Capital One Cup, Schneiderlin believes Koeman’s Southampton are very different, and have improved in one key area.
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.”
With the Saints sitting second in the Premier League table, the statistics back Schneiderlin up.
| Season | Goals conceded per game | Opposition scoring attempts per game | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southampton | 2013-2014 | 1.21 | 9.61 |
| Southampton | 2014-2015 | 0.6 | 7.6 |
So far this season on a per game basis, Southampton have conceded less goals than they did under Mauricio Pochettino. Crucially they also concede shot attempts per game too.
The campaign is of course only five Premier League games in, but Southampton’s start is to be commended.
Achieving an improved back line despite selling regulars Luke Shaw and Dejan Lovren, as well as replacing Artur Boruc and back-up Calum Chambers, Koeman has the club on the right path and financially better off too.
It’s no wonder Schneiderlin appears to be content all of a sudden.
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