Both of these clubs have new managers who have never managed in the Premier League before with Claude Puel at Southampton and Walter Mazzarri at Watford. This first game will be a good indicator to how these two will adapt to life in a new league.
Eyebrows were raised when the Saints appointed Claude Puel as manager after Ronald Koeman’s departure to Everton, however, he has gone about his transfer business quietly and his team have performed well in pre-season.
Once again the Southampton transfer strategy of signing young players and developing them has come out in full force. 20-year-old highly rated central midfielder Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg arrives from Bayern Munich whilst 22-year-old winger Nathan Redmond has joined from recently-relegated Norwich City.
They have had a few notable departures, as seems to be the case every season at St. Marys. Sadio Mane has left for Liverpool for what seems a rather extortionate fee of £35m and Victor Wanyama has joined Tottenham in perhaps the most disappointing move in the Saints’ transfer window. Italian striker Graziano Pelle has also left to join SD Luneng where he is rumoured to be the fifth highest paid player in the world.
The Hornets have used their odd method of hiring a new manager for every season by disposing of Quique Sanchez Flores (who had done extremely well) and bringing in Walter Mazzarri
It almost seems that the Watford board try to give the squad an electric shock each season and demand the players improve in order to secure their place in the new manager’s starting XI. This method may seem odd on the face of it but you cannot argue with the results.
Watford have once again been scouting Europe’s smaller leagues and clubs to unearth talent and have subsequently signed winger Isaac Success from Granada and defender Christian Kabasele from KRC Genk.
In terms of this game I would have to back Southampton, they have the better squad and I cannot see Watford causing too many problems for them. The Hornets’ strike partnership between Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo seems to have been worked out by most opposition defences whilst Southampton’s back-line is always pretty solid.
Southampton to win to nil is 47/25.
See all of today’s tips here.