[alex_front2]

This is what happens when a 'journey man'/ mid-table/ non elite team rises above low expectations and either wins things or has a decent run in the league. They get raided by the big bullies as if vultures swoop in.

The same has happened at Altetico madrid when they had the bare faced audacity to take on the Real Madrid and Barcelona to win La Liga and go close in the CL final. The funny thing is a journey man/ middle table/ non elite team such as Celta Vigo, Malaga, Aston Villa or West Brom get to keep their best and most talented players as everyone assumes all the players at Celta Vigo, Aston Villa or West Brom are crap when in fact they may have emerging talent or the next big thing.

Reward for overachieving or unexpected success? Players get taken. How dare these small teams do well and destroy the pre ordained order! The big boys take revenge on the minnows and steal key talent at an affordable price. Luke Shaw overpriced? He would actually have been worth about £35-38m had he been at a bigger club such Everton or Spurs. Southampton had some of the most impressive English players last season: Lallana, Lambert, Shaw, Prowse, Jay Rodriguez several broke into England team and as we all know people feel very uncomfortable when England players don't play for the big 4 or a team near the top 4 like Everton.

It's actually despicable what LFC have done to Southampton. Almost all their top players bar MUFC-bound Shaw and J-Rod staying put.

With Pochettino now at Spurs and the two brilliant youth coaches (who have produced real talent over the years) out the door, Southampton look in dire straits this oncoming season