Having finally got to watch the highlights I would like to declare how sexy Boufal's touch was to bring the ball down before supplying the cross for our goal. If I could I would make love to that moment. Not for very long, but still.
I am going to mention something that is a bugbear with me. Referees not blowing the final whistle when an attack is in progress, allowing the added on time to be extended beyond the 5 minutes etc. I know they use the get out clause of “a minimum” but I believe that had City been knocking the ball around in the middle of the park, instead of on our 18 yard line, the game would have been ended bang on the end of the 5th minute and not extended into a 6th minute. By my reckoning, he actually ended the first half 15/20 seconds short of the “minimum of 2 minutes”, so all the more reason to think he would have ended the second half on time. It’s not Rugby Union where play continues until the ball goes dead. #guttedatlosinginanadditionalminutethatwasn’tnecessary
To be honest my frustration with the way Redmond is spoken about has close to bugger all to do with his actual footballing ability and/or performances. I do think he's been a scapegoat in pure football terms, but it's the abuse and judgements of his character that get my goat. Thankfully mostly just the latter on here, but still riles me plenty. I think he's gone from up-and-down last season to mostly just down so far in this one, but to be honest with the way he was turned upon last year I'm not surprised. I'm starting to see the Redmond situation in a similar light to a lot of fair assessments of Puel's sacking which went along the lines of 'He's not done that much wrong, and is a bit unlucky to go but his position has just become untenable'. I've seen many flaws from both, but I can't help but see the 'support' from sections (however big or small those sections are) of our fans ultimately being to blame for the end result. And whilst we're there, I do wonder why our home form has been just that ****? *Shudders* Alright I need to stop or else I feel like I'm going to start trotting out the old 'I wish we were back in League One' lines. Now where did I put my sandals...?
Agree on Redmond. We talk about confidence players. Well, little secret for the prats who boo. Everyone thrives on confidence. If I were, say, a painter and decorator and everyday at work I had a bunch of dickheads shouting at me "Oi you useless git, that gloss looks streaky" or "Call that rollering? My ****ing granny could do better" etc etc. I suspect my performance might drop. You see supporting a team is a piece of piss. You buy a ticket. You cheer your team. A player ****s up and you bury your head. BUT YOU DON'T GIVE HIM GRIEF. Got it? I know what you mean about Division One, but the dickheads were still around then. Players were slagged off. Hmmm. We were a third division team. So we were suddenly going to sign Wayne Rooney? Message to all Saints players from me. Try hard and look like you want to win and I'll love you for as long as you wear our shirt.
Redmond was our top goal scorer last season with 8 goals. Not bad for a winger. We know he has the talent he just needs the consistency. I like him as a player, seems like a decent person off of the pitch too.
For me it is frustration with Redmond and (maybe related to the Pep thing from yesterday) but look at how well Sterling has developed in the last year or so and I think Redmond has shown glimpses of being able to do similar but just nowhere near consistent enough. Throw in that he is chopsy on the pitch and people are going to turn on him, sad but true. Someone on Saintsweb mentioned that some of the pundits said he was being told to play that way, hence the drop in form. I'm not so sure, Boufal still seems happy to take players on and run at them, whilst putting in a defensive shift so doubt it's a coaching issue.
I actually want to find a painter/decorator and shout that now. Call that bloody wallpapering? Your sanding is ****!
It seems to me that Redmond has been hit more than most by the lack of confidence afflicting our attacking players. It's possible that his spiky persona is covering up a lack of self confidence. We know he has the tricks and change of pace to go past players, but that particular skill-set also brings its fair share of criticism, because it carries a high risk of losing the ball. I can imagine that self-doubt might gnaw away at such a player, leading him to play neat and safe instead of backing himself to go past his man. Add to that a new manager whose instinct is to favour defensive strength over risky attacking play and maybe you end up with a player who is mentally inhibited from playing to his potential. I'm a fan of Pep and I'd like to think he was telling Redmond that he is not doing himself justice. Similarly, Puel's words about Redmond reminding him of Thierry Henry may have been aimed to bolster his self-confidence. Or alternatively, maybe he's a gobby brat who is not really very good - what do I know?
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/nathan-redmond-should-hailed-not-11616267 I agree with the Mirror that Guardiola was lucky not to get decked ranting at Nathan. No doubt Nate was telling him to piss off, but sensibly covered his mouth. I don't even get what Pep was up to....made no sense whatsoever.
Just noticed this in the Echo report :- 44: We have a pitch invader here at the Etihad but, sadly, we don't have the usual cat and mouse chase between the invader and stewards. Instead, he's left to his own devices and eventually, after farting around in the Saints penalty area, is escorted away. A very good natured and uneventful pitch invasion. How splendid. [0-0] If this was responsible for the overtime, it should be investigated!
He's been woefully anonymous and passive. The complete opposite to Boufal who has been fired up, passionate and aggressive. You cant be Redmond when there's a Boufal on the pitch next to you and not look like arse. Its about more than skill and more than goals, his attitude is what lets him down IMO.
It's a shame, as Redmond really looked like he was coming on parts of last season. Must be down to confidence. I want him to do well, but we're kind of missing an attacking option when he's on at the moment.
Overtime was for your injured defender being down for 1 minute during the minimum 5 minutes added on. You got what you deserved.
Everyone talks about Redmond having pace yet he never seems to use it to go past players, always preferring to cut back onto his right foot. So, does he really have the pace we think he has and, if so, will we only ever see him use it, to go past players, if he plays on the right?
