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Why Nathan Redmond Should Be Player Of The Year !
Tuesday, 30th Apr 2019 10:37

With the various polls about to determine who should be Saints player of the year, here we take a look at why Nathan Redmond should not only be player of the year but totally deserves it.

It is fair to say that when he joined in the summer of 2016 Nathan Redmond did not become a fans favourite, he wasn't helped by the fact that he was signed under the instruction of one manager Ronald Koeman and then had to start his career under another Claude Puel.

With Saints short on striking options Redmond was pressed into action early doors as an out and out striker and with Puel bigging him up as the next Thierry Henry and Puel not universally popular with the fans, suddenly he was seen by some as Puel's man and damned by association.

His first season was a mixed bag, he scored on his debut and scored a not shabby 7 goals including the only goal of the League Cup semi final against Liverpool, but he was reviled by some who for some reason could not just see past his perceived connection to Puel.

This comes to where football is sometimes about perception, a flying winger for instance is often perceived to be playing well, but all the runs count for nothing unless there is an end product and that means crosses made, accurate crosses made, chances created and assists and of course goals scored as well.

It is about how often a player influences a game, Dusan Tadic being another case in kind, although at times he struggled and the fans got on his back, he was still consistent with his goals tally and the top player in creating chances and assists, but sections of the crowd considered him lazy as he did not chase every ball.

Too often supporters go on perception and not reality, the worth of a player should be judged on what he contributes and although statistics are not the be all and end all, they do help when it comes to attacking players because they tell you whether he is a showboater or a true influencer of a game.

Last season was awful for Nathan Redmond, he started just over half of the matches and was often sub, he scored only once, but that was a vital goal up at Goodison Park and therefore he did contribute to the cause, but he was a shell of the player he should have been with the crowd on his back.

So when this season started there were few predicting much for Nathan Redmond, there are some who would credit Ralph Hasenhuttl in his resurgence and although the Austrian has certainly improved the player, the truth is Redmond was perhaps our best player in the opening part of the season.

He looked a different player from the first game, you could see a change in attitude, a change in mindset and a clear determination not to have a season like the last, whether Mark Hughes had any influence in that or whether it was purely Redmond himself.

Whoever is responsible it has certainly worked and he is the only player to have played in every match so far starting 31 League games plus another as sub scoring 5 goals, 1(1) in the FA Cup scoring 3 goals and 2(1) in the EFL Cup, meaning that although he goes into the final two games having scored two goals less than both Danny Ings and JWP in the Premier League, he is joint top scorer overall with Ings on 8.

This brings us to the contribution he has made overall, from the very start of the season he has been at the heart of everything that Saints have done in an attacking sense, on top of those 5 goals in the Premier League he is top of Saints table for assists with 4, with 58 shots he has had more than any other player, although in fairness Danny Ings who is 12 behind him has played a lot less games.

But his overall contribution doesn't stop there, only 5 players have made more than his 38 tackles, only Pierre Emile Hojbjerg with a staggering 1,507 against Redmonds 979 has made more passes.

These stats show just how involved he has been in every game and this is where hit true worth has been , when we go forward he is at the heart of it, perhaps the assists total doesn't tell everything, Redmond is the man who will carry the ball and then knock it into the box, it is not all about the final ball, like Long & Ings who do a lot of work off the ball and in creating space for others that doesn't show on stats, Redmond is often the instigator of an attack, but not always involved in the final pass and goal.

Hasenhuttl can be credited in building on the foundations that Redmond had created for himself earlier in the season, it has to be said that for all his good play, before the Austrian came Redmond had not scored a goal in any competition, but to put that in perspective, no one else other than Danny Ings was really scoring either.

Redmond was a true contender for player of the season before Hasenhuttl arrived at the club although in truth he did not have a lot of competition in a team that was awful under Mark Hughes, but he like others has stepped up a notch.

So Nathan Redmond deserves player of the season not just for his performances that have been as good as anyone's, but for the way he has turned round his career not just at St Mary's but in general over the course of this season.

He deserves it because he has been the subject of some horrific abuse at the club over his first two years, but he has never moaned, never complained, just got on with the task in hand and always given 100%

There are possibly only two other contenders, James Ward Prowse would be one, but his season did not take off till January so overall hasn't had the contribution that Redmond has made.

Pierre Emile Hojbjerg would be the only other true contender in the voting, he alone has perhaps rivalled Redmond in terms of games played and consistency, but in my opinion for all of the reasons I have mentioned I think that no one deserves it more than Nathan Redmond.

So what is your opinion, do you agree with me and if not who is your player of the year ?

Give your opinion below and vote in our online poll using the link below


https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/southampton/forum/240899/saints-player-of


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Jesus_02 added 11:05 - Apr 30
If there is an award for most improved It needs to go to JWP . I was not a fan before but even disregarding the goals he has stepped up.

I think Ralf has given the whole attacking side of the team the freedom to make mistakes. JWP is a different player now he has been given license to pick a pass out rather than pass sideways.

Similarly Redmond in full flight is a daunting prospect to defend against where as under Puel he just ran channels and looked for the easy ball.

The thing Ralf unlocked with Hojbjerg was aggression. Yes he made mistakes but in terms of contribution to the team I think he would be my player of the season. He was a real leader which was the thing we were so desperate for at the time . Without his renewed commitment I don't think we would have seen the changes in the other players that we have.
6

helpineedsomebody added 12:34 - Apr 30
he has my vote & fully deserved
hopefully next season will have more attacking options with new new players arriving & if that happens will not be far away from PFA player of the year award
now up to you southampton football club
0

vanmans added 12:40 - Apr 30
Nick I think you are overrating Nathan Redmond he wastes so much possession by shooting from distance when there are players better placed to have a shot. For me the player of the season has to be Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
3

saintjf added 12:54 - Apr 30
Yes Redmond deserves it. He is much more part of the team this season. Hojberg second. JWP probably 3rd. However I do find JWP very frustrating at times but he has contributed in a big way this season.
0

codge added 12:55 - Apr 30
Totally agree with vanmans nailed it about Redmond if only he was more consistent in his final passing and shooting l would agree with your assessment.But for me it has to be Hojberg for his total commitment to Saints as a leader and shows it every week in and week out.
5

BoondockSaint added 14:16 - Apr 30
What about Gunn? Imagine where would we be without him?
1

underweststand added 14:37 - Apr 30
My vote would go to Hojbjerg - for 100% effort and Captain Fantastic performances .

I agree it's a close thing between him and Redmond, who looks to be a new player under Ralph's guidance, but he still lacks consistancy, when you see him miss easier shots,
Redmond will be a top rate player - if he continues to progress under Ralph.

Aside from that I think Bednarek deserves an " honourable mention " for someone who wasn't even on the bench during Hughes regime, but has shown himself to be a very good buy and improving all the time...and still only 23.

4

saintmark1976 added 14:51 - Apr 30
Yes, Redmond is better this season but let's be honest his improvement is from a very low base. He's got good close ball control and pace but lacks a footballing brain. If we were to receive a half decent offer in the close season I would let him go.

Player of the season? Hojberg for me.
0

ssxsaint added 15:52 - Apr 30
It's Hojbjerg for me. He has displayed real leadership qualities and has lead by example.
1

SaintBrock added 17:54 - Apr 30
No not Redmond his petulance lets him down. There is no clear cut candidate but Oriol Romeu must be up there somewhere. Hojberg is far too inconsistent and Bertrand has not played enough.
-4

Dobbin60 added 18:18 - Apr 30
Spot on Saint Mark. He causes confusion for his fellow attackers as they don’t know what he’s going to do and although he gets to the ball first he is easily robbed of the ball as if he isn’t there. He’d be one of the first I’d get rid of.
-3

schatfield added 02:15 - May 1
Bednarik for me. The guy is absolute class in defense and there is a reason he gets picked absolutely every game without doubt. A steal for the 5M we paid.
And to think the idiot Hughes never even got him close to the subs.
Hojbjerg, Redmond and ward prowse all close behind.
-1

SaintBrock added 17:35 - May 1
Why has the club left Bertrand off the voting list Nick? Can you have a word please?
0

LoisDeem added 12:22 - May 2
Yes, who composed the list of candidates?
I do agree that overall judgement needs to be on the season as a whole, but we have all watched a good clutch of players improve beyond most of our expectations under Ralph.
I also believe many of the above contributors have clouded their own judgement with the despair of early season, and created a too finely honed long term recall.
I think Pep's whispered words must have influenced Nathan's game, with possibly a passing reference to Raheem's own newly supercharged output -another alleged 'one -trick' who has excelled with a fresh incentive.
I like all the proposed candidates, who are all coming to realise their potential -can't wait to see a squad fully bristling with Ralph's intensive positivity and vision.
0

SaintBrock added 18:14 - May 3
Nick, thank you for having a word, Bertrand is now on the list!
0


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