Alex McCarthy targeting top-half Premier League finish

After a strong start to the 2020-21 campaign, Saints' form plummeted in the second half of the season, tumbling down to end in 15th.

But the top-flight marathon begins all over again this weekend, when Ralph Hasenhuttl takes his side to Goodison Park to face Everton in their Premier League opener.

"This season, I think the main goal for us is to finish in the top half of the table and keep that consistency throughout the whole season," McCarthy told the Daily Echo.

"We all collectively as a squad believe we can do that and achieve that, with the group of players that we’ve got.

"We had a few meetings while we were away in Wales (during pre-season) and that was one of the targets, to finish in the top half, definitely.

"We know we can do it, it’s just being that bit more consistent throughout the whole 38 games. I think if we tighten up in those areas we’ve been focusing on, then I think that gives us a great chance to be able to achieve that."

McCarthy started last season as Saints' clear number one, ahead of Fraser Forster.

And the former Reading and Crystal Palace stopper impressed, with many fans tipping him for an England recall.

However, as the team's form dipped, so did McCarthy's. By the end of the campaign, Hasenhuttl opted to rotate between his two goalkeepers during the closing weeks, and again during pre-season both men have played 225 minutes of action each.

Reflecting on 2020-21 on a personal note, McCarthy said: "It was a frustrating season last season.

"Up until Christmas we were flying, I think we had seven or eight clean sheets. Then I don’t know what sort of changed after Christmas. Results weren’t going our way.

"The manager decided to change the team up, so I was in and out of the team.

"Obviously that’s hard for a goalie, because you want to be playing every game. It was what he decided and I just had to get my head down and train hard, like I always do.

"But this season, I’m definitely looking forward to it. I feel like I’m in good shape and I’m just looking forward to the challenge ahead."

He added: "It was a very relentless season last season. Obviously with all the COVID and everything it was a quick turnaround from the season before, so there wasn’t much of a break.

"The games came thick and fast. But when we got to the end of last season it was nice to have some proper time with the family.

"I think we had around five-and-a-half weeks off. So that was nice. With COVID and all the restrictions I think it was our first summer that I haven’t been away for a long time.

"We ended up just staying at home and just doing stuff with the kids, so it was nice in that respect."

A lot of the talk from boss Hasenhuttl and members of the squad has been on improving the side's defensive record during this campaign.

From their 38 Premier League matches last season, Saints conceded 68 goals. Only relegated West Bromwich Albion (76) posted a worse defensive record.

But prior to Saturday's 3-1 defeat to Athletic Bilbao, Saints had conceded just twice in four pre-season matches - a penalty and a freak own goal.

Discussing the focus on improving defensively, McCarthy said: "Everyone has come back in great shape.

"This season we definitely want to be a lot tighter at the back. Not concede as many goals as we did last season.

"I think obviously doing that it will give us a lot better chance of winning games and taking points.

"I thought we did that really well at the start of last season and that’s why we were in the position we were in.

"Then when the new year came, obviously we conceded far too many goals. Too easy goals.

"That’s why we ended up slipping down the table. It’s something that we’ve been working on a lot in pre-season and we obviously want to take that into the season."

Alex McCarthy is an ambassador for the FA and McDonald’s Grassroots Football Awards, celebrating the heroes who go above and beyond for the grassroots game. Find out more at www.mcdonalds.co.uk/football