Sourced from Daily Echo article
Redmond: “We didn’t believe how attacking we could be”
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NATHAN Redmond believes that Saints “didn’t believe how attacking” they could be and were “hesitant” last season under Claude Puel.
But, with new boss Mauricio Pellegrino instilling “belief and confidence” in to the side, the wideman is sure the goals will soon flow - and has set himself a lofty target.
Saints scored just 17 goals in 19 home games last season - only relegated Sunderland struck fewer- and were often accused of having a negative style under Claude Puel.
“We might have been a bit hesitant at times,” admitted the 23-year-old about Puel’s reign. "I know I was especially.
"There was a period at the start of the season when I was a bit more free flowing and had a stint towards Christmas when I was a bit hesitant.
"But then when I got in to the England squad, I got back to being free flowing and towards the end of the season after the cup final I was hesitant again.
"It was just that word hesitation and as a whole we just didn’t really believe how attacking we could be. That was down to a lot of things.
“But the new manager has come in, he’s got a new style of play, way of pressing and everyone has bought in to it.”
Saints got 29 shots away in their Premier League opening day draw against Swansea, but weren’t able to find the net.
It meant the team set a club-record six home games without scoring.
However, the team are not thinking about their failures in front of goal and don’t consider it something to be worried about.
“I’m still confident our strikeforce and our team can score goals,” the England international said.
“You’ve seen on Saturday Maya (Yoshida) wasn’t able to put two or three chances away, but on another day he might have scored them.”
“We may not have scored at home since April, but we finished 8th and went to a cup final,” he added. "That achievement doesn’t get mentioned.
"It’s just another thing for people to read into. It’s not anything we’re thinking about.
“If we get the chances we try our best to score, but we’re still just one game in to the season.”
Redmond, who top-scored in the Premier League for Saints with seven goals last term, has set himself a few target for the campaign ahead.
“I always aim for double figures in terms of goals,” he said. "I’ve got better each season in terms of scoring and I want to improve my all round game and contribute to the team.
"The manager’s pressed on about bringing more to the team and just trying to tweak parts of my games, which are there but need to be improved.
“His man management and the way he wants to do that with every player is important.”
So what has Pellegrino asked Redmond to change in his game?
“Just about a lot of forward runs,” he said. "It’s just being more positive and believing that the ball will come to me when running in to the box if someone else is crossing the ball.
"It’s just believing that if I get the ball in the box, I will score. There’s a lot of things that need tweaking.
“No player is perfect and no player should stop learning, so I’m open-minded and that’s just how I’m seeing it.”
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