Pre-season is complete, the final team talks are being done, and in just three days time, Southampton will make the near-six hour drive up north to take on a Newcastle side who have a point to prove.
As for the Saints, their expectations are certainly a lot lower than their opponents, but the levels of hope from fans will, at the very least, be on-par.
A rollercoaster Championship campaign saw them achieve the goal they set out to do, but the complexity in which they did so will leave many with doubts in the back of their mind.
There has also been a lot of change at the club behind the scenes and on the pitch, with time being the only way of judging whether it has been successful. Either way, there is only one goal for the south coast club this season. Survival.
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Season recap
After 11 seasons in the top-flight, Southampton were relegated to the Championship in 2023 after picking up just 25 points all season - 11 points off safety.
As expected, a lot of change occurred before the start of last season, with Russell Martin replacing Ruben Selles as manager, while club captain James Ward-Prowse departed the club for West Ham - ending his 20-year association with the Saints.
An unbeaten first four games led many fans to believe that these changes were beneficial, but then four defeats on the bounce, including heavy ones from Sunderland and Leicester, made fans realise that this league is much harder than many expect.
However, after rallying the team and getting back on track, Southampton produced a 25-game unbeaten run midway through the season, a run which saw them really push for an automatic promotion spot.
Despite this, a collapse at the end of the season saw them finish fourth and settle for a play-off spot alongside Leeds, West Brom and Norwich, with Martin's men taking on the Baggies across two legs.
A tense 0-0 draw at the Hawthorns caused tensions to rise ahead of the second leg, something the Saints didn't seem to feel as they brushed them aside comfortably 3-1 to set up a play-off final against Leeds.
Southampton did indeed get a fairytale ending to their season after defeating the Yorkshire club 1-0 in the final, a result which earned them £180m - a figure that will more than help them make moves in the transfer market.
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Transfer window summary
It is fair to say that Southampton have been busy already in the transfer market, but it is also fair to say, particularly given the numerous case studies within the the league, that busy does not mean effective.
The Saints have added eight new additions to the squad this summer, not including the players who have signed pre-contracts, and have spent almost £60m - the 12th most in the league to date.
Despite a plethora of incomings, more additions are certainly a necessity, particular given the quality that has also departed the club.
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Incomings and Outgoings
Incomings:
Barring Japanese international Yukinari Sugawara, Southampton appear to be looking to keep their ethos of having a core of English talent at the back with Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Ronnie Edwards, Nathan Wood and Charlie Taylor all signing to give Martin more options when it comes to selection.
Fellow Englishmen Flynn Downes and Adam Lallana have also re-signed for the club to reinforce the midfielder with a mix of youth and experience, while Ben Brereton Diaz has joined for just £6.5m from Villarreal in attempt to add more goals to a frontline that has now lost a fair few.
A goalkeeper, attacking midfielder and another forward are reportedly the areas Southampton are still looking to strengthen in ahead of the new season, with the club being linked to a whole host of names.
Aaron Ramsdale and Sam Johnstone are the pair linked with the number one spot at St. Mary's, while their pursuit for Celtic midfielder Matt O'Riley appears to go on.
Outgoings:
Southampton are yet to receive any significant fee for a player so far this window, with the most notable outgoings being Che Adams and Stuart Armstrong on a free.
Duje Caleta-Car, Lyanco and Romain Perraud have also departed the club for small fees, while Armel Bella-Kotchap is in talks with Hoffenheim over a potential move.
£12.8m is the reported fee for the German, with all of this money being reinvested into the transfer budget as they attempt to add quality upon their Premier League return.
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Strongest XI
McCarthy; Sugawara, Bednarek, Stephens, Harwood-Bellis, Walker-Peters; Downes, Alcaraz, Smallbone; Brereton Diaz, Armstrong
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Russell Martin and his tactics
Before Russell Martin walked through the door, Southampton really lacked an identity. Ralph Hasenhüttl had his 'heavy metal' style of football in the beginning, while Nathan Jones, and then Ruben Selles, failed to implement a philosophy anywhere near as clear and, subsequently, contributed in the club's relegation.
However, with his modern philosophy and proactive approach, Martin has gotten the Saints back to the Premier League at the first time of asking and has installed a strong synergy between the players on the pitch and the fans.
Not only has he brought the whole club closer together, but he has also propelled them forwards - something he will hope to continue again this season.
In the Championship, his side averaged 65.6% possession which was not only the highest in the division, but also higher than anyone in the Premier League - Yes, even including Pep Guardiola's Manchester City!
Martin also used inverted fullbacks, deploys a relentless press and packs the box with players for a numerical advantage, tactics that he has also installed in pre-season.
However, and this is a big however, asking your players to execute this style of football in the Premier League is one thing when you have the resources of a Manchester City, but it is rather different for a team like Southampton who are expected to be at the lower end of the table.
Vincent Kompany's Burnley had a similar approach this time last season and we all know how that ended. Burnley won the Championship with 101 points in the 2022/23 season and were, arguably, one of the best teams to ever play in the second tier of English football. However, this success simply didn't translate after being promoted.
Compare this to Southampton who, despite producing a 25-game unbeaten run midway through the season, finished nine points off an automatic spot and this, therefore, might suggest a serious cause for concern.
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Key talking points
A point to prove for Adam Armstrong:
Armstrong had a phenomenal campaign in the Championship last season and ended as Southampton's top scorer (24) and top assister (13), but he is still yet to prove himself in the top-flight.
In his previous two seasons in the Premier League, he has only netted four times - a much more disappointing return compared to the 29 he scored for Blackburn before his arrival to the club.
However, now 27, Armstrong is entering his prime and appears more fuelled than ever to prove a point and cement himself as a reliable Premier League striker.
Do not be stubborn with tactics:
As previously mentioned, similarities between last season's Burnley and Southampton can be drawn, but for the sake of many Saints fans, they will be hoping that Martin's backup plan doesn't take too long to deploy.
Kompany was stubborn with his philosophy and it wasn't until he dropped goalkeeper James Trafford in March that his side saw an upturn in results. Their switch away from possession-focused football enabled them to start to win games of football, but by then, it was too late.
That being said, if Martin's original tactics do not work out the way he would have hoped, he will need to adapt quickly before the damage is already done.
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Expected finish - 20th
The relegation battle is certainly one of the hardest to predict in a long time, particularly with the uncertainties surrounding points deductions.
However, based on the current state of play, Premier League survival seems a massive task for Martin and his side - a task that may just be a step too far.
There is clearly a big gap in quality between the three newly-promoted teams and the rest of the league, with the same being said last season and all three going back down.
By no means would it be a shock to see the Saints finish anywhere between 20th and 16th, but if they are to stay up, they will need a helping hand from a few more quality signings and maybe even have to rely on points deductions for other teams.
