Top 5 overachieving clubs this season (2021-22)

SC Freiburg (L) and Real Betis (R) have been two of the most overachieving clubs this season

Nothing quite beats the magic of an underdog overachievement story. Leicester City winning the Premier League (2015-16), Wigan lifting the FA Cup (2013), Greece triumphing at Euro 2004 - were all some unprecedented and unexpected events.

Every football season seems to throw up some surprises when it comes to clubs overachieving or underachieving. The 2021-22 season has been no different. The likes of Manchester United, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Everton, Lyon and Besiktas have arguably underachieved. Meanwhile, the opposite has certainly been true for a handful of other sides.

The "overachievement" of a team can be judged in terms of the size of the club and the quality of its players. Most crucially, the team's general consensus and expectations before the start of the season.

The next five teams have gone over and above the expectations set for them before the season began last summer.

#5. Luton Town (Championship)

Luton Town v Derby County - Sky Bet Championship

It was only eight years ago that Luton Town finally returned to the Football League after financial mismanagement had sent them tumbling down the divisions.

Things would get better when Nathan Jones became the manager in 2016. The Welsh guided Luton from League two to the Championship three years later. Jones' decision to join Stoke City in 2019 threatened to end Luton's resurgence. However, by May 2020, he was back at Kenilworth Road to pick up where he left off.

Thank you for your support on the road again, Hatters!

We will see you after the break 👊

#COYH https://t.co/PdVu66sHLc

Getting to 12th place was a quality effort last season. But this term, Luton find themselves in third place at the time of writing.

The Hatters aren't the most glamorous of the sides. They have maintained just 44 percent possession and have taken the 10th fewest shots per game in the championship. However, their well-drilled unit of free transfers and misfits are grinding out results.

It's remarkable that in the last six years Luton have only ever spent €1.8 million on player's fees. Yet, they were still capable of pushing Chelsea close in their FA Cup defeat in the fifth round on March 3. Jones is doing an incredible job and it's time for the world to know more about it.

#4. Strasbourg (Ligue 1)

RC Strasbourg in Ligue 1 [P.C: Strasbourg IG]

RC Strasbourg are no strangers to success as they are one of just six clubs who have won all three of France's major trophies. However, the financial ruins saw the club tumble into the fifth tier as recently as 2011.

They surged back to Ligue 1 five years ago before winning the Coupe de la Ligue in 2018-19. This season, though, could go down as their best since 1980 with the club currently fifth and on calls for Europe.

A quick look at the table and it's easy to see why they're riding high. At the time of writing, Strasbourg had scored 50 times. This is the third most in the league and just nine fewer than league leaders Paris Saint-Germain. Within their squad, four players are on seven goals or more, including Ludovic Ajorque, Senegalese AFCON winner Habibuo Diallo and the aging Kevin Gameiro.

If the Champions League is what they want, then Julian Stephan is the man for the job. He took Rennes into the group stages just 18 months ago. However, success with Strasbourg will be an even greater achievement. They sit just two points behind fourth-placed Nice.