#3 Midfield
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Players like Morgan Schneiderlin are examples of Southampton’s efficient scouting network outside England. Saints signed him for a relatively cheap amount in 2008 and during his seven-year stay with the club, he played a crucial role in helping them gain promotion from League One to the Championship, then to the Premier League and eventually in maintaining the Premier League status.
Schneiderlin’s ability to break-up play and dictate the game was widely acknowledged by pundits and fans alike. His perseverance and hard work reaped its benefits when he was named in the France team that travelled for the World Cup in Brazil. A year later he was signed by Manchester United.
Adam Lallana’s departure was one that angered the Saints fans and understandably so because Lallana was a crucial member of the team from 2008 to 2014.
During Southampton’s impressive 2013/14 season, the Englishman scored 9 goals and provided 6 assists in the league. He was named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year for his performance and this added to his previous inclusions in the PFA Championship Team of the Year and PFA League One Team of the Year.
Lallana moved to Liverpool in 2014 along with Lovren and Lambert. His first season with the Reds was met with a mixed response, but he has come alive and is now thriving under Jurgen Klopp.
In 2011, Arsenal signed Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from Southampton and there was very little the fans knew about the new signing. The youngster was mostly used as a winger and impressed the fans very early on in his spell with Arsenal.
However, his best performance in his debut season came against AC Milan in a Champions League game where he was deployed in central midfield.
Chamberlain’s explosive debut season was rewarded with a surprise call-up to the England national team for Euro 2012. His start with Arsenal was quite promising, but that has slowly fizzled out. A release from injuries and some regular playing time should see him shine once again.
