Nathan Redmond was brought off at half-time during Southampton’s 1-0 defeat to West Ham United at the weekend.
The winger has been struggling to develop consistency in recent weeks, but Ralph Hasenhuttl has kept the faith in him and ensured that he is still a mainstay in his starting line-ups.
However, the boss opted to haul him off at the interval on Saturday evening, bringing on Oriol Romeu to prompt a change in approach.
Hasenhuttl’s efforts to turn the tide of the match proved to be of no avail, but he explained the rationale behind his decision to substitute Redmond after the game.
As quoted by The Daily Echo, the Austrian said:
Firstly, I must say that the substitution wasn’t just on the performance because we changed the shape.
I could also change Moussa [Djenepo] because he was also not very good in the first half.
But at the moment he is missing a little bit of a goal maybe. He had the chance against Newcastle which would have given him more self-confidence. It’s about getting the next chance and showing up.
Read Southampton’s verdict
Redmond is a hugely talented player who is experiencing a difficult spell. It is not the first time he has struggled for form at Southampton, but he remains a gifted asset in Hasenhuttl’s squad.
His ability was on show for everyone to see throughout last season, and it may just take a goal to reignite his performances.
It is not necessarily easy to take Redmond out of the firing line at this moment in time, however, with Sofiane Boufal still nursing a toe injury.
Romeu’s introduction solidified Saints’ midfield to an extent against West Ham. Still, it would be difficult to say that a significantly positive impact came about following the winger’s withdrawal at the break…
