IT has been the ongoing debate of this season at Saints ... what would count as a successful campaign?

Saints have been on an upward trajectory for the past seven seasons, but the feeling was that this one would take a different shape.

Last term's record breaking 6th place Premier League finish was going to be very difficult to beat.

To make this season a success it was, it seemed, going to be all about an extended cup run.

In the end it wasn't meant to be in the Europa League, with Saints fairly inexplicably failing to progress from their group.

But Puel has led Saints to the League Cup final and a chance at their first major silverware in 41 years.

Lifting a first big trophy since the 1976 FA Cup would certainly make a success of this season, and allow Saints to rest easy a bit about where they finish in the top-flight.

Left-back Ryan Bertrand would certainly have no qualms over trading a lower finish in the Premier League for a trophy.

"You’d definitely sacrifice a position or two [in the Premier League]," he said.

"In recent years we’ve set a very high standards.

"Perhaps not every year, but this season, naturally, you would sacrifice places for a bit of silverware."

The 27-year-old admits that one of the incentives of winning the League Cup would be the opportunity to get back into the Europa League next season.

Saints were just a matter of 12 minutes away from qualifying from their group in December, but couldn't get the goalless draw or victory that would have afforded them passage to the knockout stages.

The 1-1 draw at St Mary's against Hapoel Be'er Sheva that eliminated Saints will remain a blot on the copy book.

But the League Cup offers a certain level of atonement for that failure.

"It would put us back in the tournament," he said. "And perhaps it would be third time lucky with that one too.

"It’s all to play for still this year. There’s plenty of games and a cup final.

"There’s plenty of big things that can come from that cup final."