Saints win at Crystal Palace ensured that after the weekends fixtures were completed that the team sits in 8th place, but some fans were more concerened with slagging off certain players than praising the team overall.

Saints win at Crystal Palace was not as comprehensive as some fans would have liked, but it was a big step forward for the team as it showed they can score from open play and that they are not as bad as some of their own fans would have you bellieve.

Before the game some Saints supporters were predicting defeat and that it would be a relegation fight with some almost taking pleasure in saying that they thought it would be worth a bet on all three South Coast Premier League teams being relegated.

After the win you would have thought that all the talk on social media would be about the performance of Mario Lemina or even about the two world class saves that Fraser Forster made, yes Lemina's performance was the subject of much discussion, but there was strangely little mention of Forster, possibly because he was chief whipping boy in the opening games.

But he has some respite with Nathan Redmond now coming in for intense criticism for his showing at Selhurst Park.

Now it was not the best performance I have ever seen in a Saints shirt, but it was not the worst either, not by a long chalk and it should be mentioned that in any game it is rare for all 11 players to be on fire.

Things were not going right for Redmond on Saturday, that could be seen when he slipped up allowing Palace an attack that saw Forster produce the first of his two great saves, now Redmond was not the only player who slipped on a tricky pitch made even more difficult by a period of torrential rain, but even the best players in the world slip up every now and then.

But what Redmond did do on Saturday was he did not hide he kept trying and from that perspective made what could have been an awful game into merely a bad one.

Certainly Mauricio Pellegrino felt that he had something to contribute as he did not remove him from the game till the 85th minute, the manager probably thought that with Palace tiring and losing confience after failing to score that Redmond was the best bet to help the side score a second before deciding to batten down the hatches in the final minutes.

But why do so many fans feel the need to concentrate on bad individual performances rather than the positive points from a game that was after all a win, why do Saints fans perhaps more than most teams always seem to need to have a whipping boy.

A sizable section of our supporters seem to have a standard way of supporting that is about berating players rather than encouraging them, hence I heard more voices shouting "For ****s sake Redmond" or similar abuse rather than encouragement to him or other members of the team, for far too many it seems to be the de facto mode of support.

Nathan Redmond may be happy to hear that previous recipients of this type of "support" were Sadio Mane and Pelle for whom a sizable chunk of the supporter base had a good word to say about until they left when suddenly they became the best players in the team and their sale was the reason for our downturn in results last season.

Surely supporting a team is about getting behind your players and encouraging them, not giving them abuse, I cannot for the life of me see what benefit that has for the good of the team, I have no problem with people criticising these players in the pub after or the modern day equivalent Social Media, but during games they should get the support of the fans.

I am sure that there will be many people who will tell me in the comments section that Redmond is terrible and does not deserve to be in the team, they are entitled to that opinion, all I am questioning is where they express it.

My opinion is that Nathan Redmond can be a match winner for Saints and has done nothing since being at this club to deserve the treatment some fans give him, it is not a crime to have a bad game unless it is because you are not putting the effort in and Redmond cannot be accused of that.

Some players are confidence players and need to have the backing of the crowd, some aren't, perhaps we should remember that, certainly Sadio Mane didn't feel he owed any loyalty to the club the first time he had the chance to leave, did the abuse he received from some of his own supporters play a part, we will never know but it certainly didn't help.

So next time you watch the team consider what the term "Supporter" actually means, a dictionary definition says

"a person who gives encouragement and approval to someone or something"

That should tell us all something !

Photo: Action Images

redandwhitedee added 14:19 - Sep 18 Redmond is a player I would also have on the teamsheet. I want wide men to be brave enough to run at defenders. He does that. Yes it will not always pay off, but that is how it is with wide players - they operate in quite a confined space. Sometimes the defender will get the better. That's life. Other players are there to make simple passes and retain the ball. But someone has to be on the pitch with energy and charged with taking to ball and running at defenders. Otherwise we are going to be even more predictable than we already are. Puncheon in a similar role, used to get huge stick and he gradually retreated completely into his shell and was scared to touch the ball. This will eventually happen with Redmond too if you boo-boys get your way. Get off his back and try applauding someone who is consistently trying to make positive things happen.

0

underweststand added 14:23 - Sep 18 A lot of players blow hot and cold , and last season it was Long and Rodriguez. Forwards especially have a hard time with maintaning consistancy. After Gabbiadini's incredible start, he's beginning to look like a " Saganowski-clone " and doesn't get in the game. Perhaps not entirely his fault, as a player of his ilk needs service that he's not getting. As for Redmond, he might do better coming on as a sub. and running against a tiring defence?. Our real problem IMHO is that (skill aside) we have a lightweight midfield and only Charlie Austin as a proper CF. (someone tell me they don't exist anymore). The midfield problem may be solved with Lemina , but until one of our "strikers " starts scoring regularly - and soon - we may still be having this conversation in December.

1

RedandWhitepointer added 20:11 - Sep 18 Redmond has been consistently poor since he arrived from relegated Norwich. His record on goals and assists is poor. I am amazed how he has kept his place in the team under Puel and now under MP (Is Les Read picking him). He is the main reason why saints attacks breakdown and have been so impotent under both (admittedly defensive) managers. I have been a fan for nearly fifty years and I do not like being negative towards saints players, but the team must come first. Redmond needs to go he is Not worthy of the sub bench. Start with Long instead of him with Gabba. McQueen or Sims are more likely to produce something from the bench. England have sussed Redmond, He is not (and will never be) a Premiership standard player. Is it a cynical attempt by the club to increase his value at the expense of the team. No chance against Man United with Redmond in the side.

1

SaintBrock added 21:19 - Sep 18 'Cos he ain't very good perhaps?
0

Blogs 31 bloggers

AFC Bournemouth Polls