Gavin Bazunu

[Saint_clark]

Niemi was great with the ball at his feet anyway, always had brilliant ball control.

[Lord Duckhunter]

We’re a better side with Adam Armstrong in it instead of Jimmy Greaves in his prime. Forget their finishing, Greavsie was crap at pressing from the front and that is what THIS team does. 

Edited 12 November, 2023 by Lord Duckhunter

[AlexLaw76]

Charlie Alcaraz has better work rate than Matt Le Tissier.........etc

Shilton or Neimi would make us weaker - just bizarre

[Dark Munster]

13 hours ago, Galway saint said:

that final paragraph has to be one of the more absurd to appear on these boards. 

In fairness he may have a point. Niemi is 51 and Shilton is 74.

[notnowcato]

Who signed De Gea in the end?

[Saint Garrett]

2 hours ago, notnowcato said:

Who signed De Gea in the end?

No-one ! Absolutely mad he's sat on his hands. I know he wasn't great for Man Utd in the end, but he's still a class act IMO.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

17 hours ago, CanadaSaint said:

Probably Shilton, for me, but Bazunu is on a different planet to all of them for ball control (let’s not underestimate that part) and distribution. He is arguably a top five keeper in English football for that, and he’s only 21 - with 6-8 years until he reaches his peak.

That encapsulates the futility of this now 29-page, over-simplistic debate. Shilton was the best keeper in the world for several years, but we couldn’t play a modern “build out from the back” style with him in goal.

Putting it another way, in the hope that Bazunu’s harshest critics will start cutting him some slack, we’d be a weaker team with Shilton or Niemi in goal.

Citing Shilton or Niemi is a bit of a red herring. Not only has the role of the keeper changed in many systems, but the fitness, development and facilities have also changed along the way too.

Reversing the scenario, let’s put Baz back in the days of ploughed fields, being assaulted by opposition strikers and playing it out to a fullback who has spent as much time in the pub as he has in training that week.

Baz wouldn’t get a look in.

Switching back to this scenario, none of our top goalkeepers would randomly hoof it out in a panic given the chance to do something better. I’d fancy them to adapt to our system far more than I would for Baz to adapt to theirs. It’s a bit of a disservice to their abilities to suggest that, while Baz will seemingly develop in all the areas he’s lacking, that top goalkeepers of the past simply couldn’t.

SR have got Baz in as they want to develop a possession style that begins at the back. Martin fits into that model. Martin would have known about Baz before he joined us, and probably couldn’t believe his luck.

Baz is excellent at picking out passes in a variety of situations. Our defence is getting more stable and better at creating lots of options for him, and that’s brings out more of that from him. There was a game a couple of weeks back, where our defence abandoned Baz to make the most of a situation. I don’t know if its because they’re just comfortable with his skills, or just switched off. Baz did really well with it, and 2 minutes later was making sure the ball, and his defence, were a lot further away from him.

It’s not just the passing, it’s the weight of those passes. When Baz pings one out, it’s at a speed where the receiving player can do something with it. Not just try and control it, and lose any advantage from the pass.

Our more stable defence and control of games (at least for good periods) is also helping Baz. We’re not suicidal in defence from our own attacks. We have better cover when we concede the ball. I’m not sure Baz has improved massively in the areas he’s weakest in, and that’s partly because he’s not had to be overly tested in those areas of late. We’re getting to see games with his strengths on show. I’m sure he’s working away at them in training.

A question is:-
Have Baz’s strengths led to us being a better side, getting us to pick up more points?
 

I think we’re seeing benefits lately. But that certainly wasn’t the case back when the club stuck with him through sheer bloody mindedness when we couldn’t string 3 passes together, regardless of his distribution from the abck. Then we needed someone with other strengths.

Arguably, we would have gone down anyway, and we’re now seeing the benefits of Baz having gone through all that (which I’d not wish on anyone). But just as easily a shot stopper/ physical presence and experienced leader at the club could have made quite a difference.

[david in sweden]

On 12/11/2023 at 19:55, AlexLaw76 said:

Charlie Alcaraz has better work rate than Matt Le Tissier.........etc

Shilton or Neimi would make us weaker - just bizarre

Let's face it.... almost every footballer ever born would have a better work rate than MLT,  but few would get anywhere near his goal tally

(at 30 years of age), or within a mile of his penalty record,  and be lucky to feel that they had  1/10th of his skill on the ball. 

 

RE  Shilton and Niemi ...  Having seen both men play, they were a law unto themselves and D.A.J. for their respective club(s) and countries

- despite the sometimes poor defences they had in front of them. 

Edited 18 November, 2023 by david in sweden

[John B]

Ronnie Whelan Former Republic of Ireland midfielder on RTE

The Dutch get down the sides of our centre-backs so easily. Gavin Bazunu has had to keep on his toes. He's made some big saves tonight.

[Tommy Mulgrew]

And he thinks GB is MOTM, too.

[Spoonman]

He was excellent against Nederland tonight, could’ve been a rugger score

[Tamesaint]

1 hour ago, Spoonman said:

He was excellent against Nederland tonight, could’ve been a rugger score

The BBC Sport website  has "brilliant Bazunu" as one of their headlines. 

[Dusic]

One thing for sure: we will sell him for more than we paid!

[The Cat]

Looks pretty solid in the highlights.

Verbruggen in the Dutch goal was fortunate with that offside.

 

 

[Charlie Wayman]

One lesson life teaches you is that you only miss and value people when they are no longer with us.

[Galway saint]

just watched the highlights and from what i can see he make three saves all of which you’d expect a competent keeper to save.

that’s not a criticism of the lad just I didn’t see it as a brilliant performance from the highlights.

perhaps there was more to see in the full game for those that watched the whole thing 

 

 

[Harry_SFC]

8 hours ago, Dusic said:

One thing for sure: we will sell him for more than we paid!

He is still incredibly young in goalkeeper terms. He is no.1 for his country and his club. His distribution is up there with the best in the country. If he can work on his shot stopping technique then yes, definitely. 

[gio1saints]

Last years goals conceded by saints would have killed most young keepers. 
This years horrible start / run ditto. 

He does not save all the shots he might BUT he has got better and better. Improvement and learning he is demonstrating. Anybody not notice he’s getting better? 

Is there a magic goalie that’s more experienced, a better shot stopper and can actually kick / pass the ball too. Oh, and does not cost over say £15m?
 

I’m not sure there is and what is more I’m not sure what’s happened to any saints fans not feeling empathy for a young player showing the courage he does and has week after week in the context he’s had

Do you think he is deaf to the terrace groans?

That theyve largely stopped to be replaced by fans chanting his name is quite some turnaround. For which he deserves credit not sneering.

I feel proud of him. If we win or not I feel proud for his courage as a Saint. It’s what I love to see in a Saints player and team more than anything.  

[CB Fry]

51 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

Last years goals conceded by saints would have killed most young keepers. 
This years horrible start / run ditto. 

He does not save all the shots he might BUT he has got better and better. Improvement and learning he is demonstrating. Anybody not notice he’s getting better? 

Is there a magic goalie that’s more experienced, a better shot stopper and can actually kick / pass the ball too. Oh, and does not cost over say £15m?
 

I’m not sure there is and what is more I’m not sure what’s happened to any saints fans not feeling empathy for a young player showing the courage he does and has week after week in the context he’s had

Do you think he is deaf to the terrace groans?

That theyve largely stopped to be replaced by fans chanting his name is quite some turnaround. For which he deserves credit not sneering.

I feel proud of him. If we win or not I feel proud for his courage as a Saint. It’s what I love to see in a Saints player and team more than anything.  

Forest signed Dean Henderson at the same time last season and he was and is better. He got injured and they covered him with a keeper who was also better.

Let's not try and pretend that Bazunu was the only option we had for a goalkeeper. We didn't need a "magic goalkeeper" we needed one ready for life in the Premier League bottom six. Regardless of what happens now, or in the future, he wasn't. Him being better now doesn't change the past.

 

He's doing better now, at a lower level. We all want that to continue, so spare us your hand-wringing sanctimonious super duper fan act.

Edited 19 November, 2023 by CB Fry

[gio1saints]

1 hour ago, CB Fry said:

Forest signed Dean Henderson at the same time last season and he was and is better. He got injured and they covered him with a keeper who was also better.

Let's not try and pretend that Bazunu was the only option we had for a goalkeeper. We didn't need a "magic goalkeeper" we needed one ready for life in the Premier League bottom six. Regardless of what happens now, or in the future, he wasn't. Him being better now doesn't change the past.

 

He's doing better now, at a lower level. We all want that to continue, so spare us your hand-wringing sanctimonious super duper fan act.

Don’t flatter yourself that I might take advice from a bright little ray of sunshine like you. Though, if you are available as a professional wailer at funerals or similar I could be interested. You’re also excellent at sneering. ✅
 

Default scepticism and inveterate cynicism is a common path to take, especially for long term Saints fans. We can all dig up stories on how bad saints are and have been. It can become an endless cycle which can infiltrate ones non saints life if not careful, however.
 

And you end up just being that grumpy old man nobody likes being around as there’s always something you can find to moan about. 
 

[austsaint]

22 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

Don’t flatter yourself that I might take advice from a bright little ray of sunshine like you. Though, if you are available as a professional wailer at funerals or similar I could be interested. You’re also excellent at sneering. ✅
 

Default scepticism and inveterate cynicism is a common path to take, especially for long term Saints fans. We can all dig up stories on how bad saints are and have been. It can become an endless cycle which can infiltrate ones non saints life if not careful, however.
 

And you end up just being that grumpy old man nobody likes being around as there’s always something you can find to moan about. 
 

Thanks for another one of your Pollyanna pieces.

I don't think many are disputing that Bazunu has improved this season.    The point you seem to be glossing over is that the Prem last season wasn't the right place for GB to learn about goal keeping.  Had he learned, and honed his skills away from the Prem Saints could still be in the top tier.   That's not wailing or sneering, just highlighting a bad decision by SR.

[St. Ciervo]

Jesus in goal would not have saved us last year, I'm sorry. 

[Saint Keef]

2 hours ago, St. Ciervo said:

Jesus in goal would not have saved us last year, I'm sorry. 

Probably not, but he might have been better at dealing with crosses!

[tdmickey3]

9 hours ago, gio1saints said:

Don’t flatter yourself that I might take advice from a bright little ray of sunshine like you. Though, if you are available as a professional wailer at funerals or similar I could be interested. You’re also excellent at sneering. ✅
 

Default scepticism and inveterate cynicism is a common path to take, especially for long term Saints fans. We can all dig up stories on how bad saints are and have been. It can become an endless cycle which can infiltrate ones non saints life if not careful, however.
 

And you end up just being that grumpy old man nobody likes being around as there’s always something you can find to moan about. 
 

Are you a minister? 

Every post you make is like a sermon and very condescending>

The facts are Bazunu was awful along with most of the team last season, this season he has improved and so has the team but all at a lower level.

Accept it, move on and spare us your preaching

 

[suewhistle]

53 minutes ago, tdmickey3 said:

Are you a minister?

Possibly, but he's right about CB Fry.

[gio1saints]

13 hours ago, CB Fry said:

1 hour ago, tdmickey3 said:

Are you a minister? 

Every post you make is like a sermon and very condescending>

The facts are Bazunu was awful along with most of the team last season, this season he has improved and so has the team but all at a lower level.

Accept it, move on and spare us your preaching

 

He's doing better now, at a lower level. We all want that to continue, so spare us your hand-wringing sanctimonious super duper fan act.

 

10 hours ago, austsaint said:

Thanks for another one of your Pollyanna pieces.

That's not wailing or sneering, just highlighting a bad decision by SR.

Despite the current common use of the term to mean "excessively cheerful", Pollyanna and her father played the glad game as a method of coping with the real difficulties and sorrows that, along with luck and joy, shape every life.

 

My offering an alternate viewpoint and doing so coherently has really  clearly upset a small number of posters.
 

Those most upset seem to be those who insist on finding negatives at every corner and who, increasingly, seem to be clutching at straws to find something to beat Saints,, SR,  RM, JW and in this case Gavin, up with .


Apologies if I’m wrong and that what appears a consistently glass half empty point of view on Saints for some means anybody who dares to suggest otherwise fully deserves your ire and scorn but the comments against me here are quite lame compared to what they and others have said in last three months or so. 

I’m happy to debate anything saints on here with anybody- especially those who consistently revert to personal abuse as a means of trying to prove their point. But the insults are childish and tiresome so please let’s stick to the issue. 

Cannot do anything about last years goals conceded but we can via our support encourage this obvious upward trajectory in Gavin. Discouraging that positivity is almost the same as being a Pompey supporter at SMS to me. Unwelcome. 

 

 

 

Edited 20 November, 2023 by gio1saints

[once_bitterne]

10 hours ago, St. Ciervo said:

Jesus in goal would not have saved us last year, I'm sorry. 

Well, he was a RB...

[waylander]

8 hours ago, Saint Keef said:

Probably not, but he might have been better at dealing with crosses!

No. He had a particular week point with crosses

[tdmickey3]

1 hour ago, gio1saints said:

 

Despite the current common use of the term to mean "excessively cheerful", Pollyanna and her father played the glad game as a method of coping with the real difficulties and sorrows that, along with luck and joy, shape every life.

 

My offering an alternate viewpoint and doing so coherently has really  clearly upset a small number of posters.
 

Those most upset seem to be those who insist on finding negatives at every corner and who, increasingly, seem to be clutching at straws to find something to beat Saints,, SR,  RM, JW and in this case Gavin, up with .


Apologies if I’m wrong and that what appears a consistently glass half empty point of view on Saints for some means anybody who dares to suggest otherwise fully deserves your ire and scorn but the comments against me here are quite lame compared to what they and others have said in last three months or so. 

I’m happy to debate anything saints on here with anybody- especially those who consistently revert to personal abuse as a means of trying to prove their point. But the insults are childish and tiresome so please let’s stick to the issue. 

Cannot do anything about last years goals conceded but we can via our support encourage this obvious upward trajectory in Gavin. Discouraging that positivity is almost the same as being a Pompey supporter at SMS to me. Unwelcome. 

 

 

 

Lol, no one is insulting you at all, you are closer to insulting people with your condescending holier that thou attitude

[John B]

33 minutes ago, tdmickey3 said:

Lol, no one is insulting you at all, you are closer to insulting people with your condescending holier that thou attitude

I do not think that is the case at all as the poster usually puts forward reasonable ideas which you automatically reject as you possibly have fixed ideas which you are unable to change change. 

Suggesting somebody is holier than thou does not in anyway show that what he is saying is not reasonable.

I think what he is saying is that a number of fans are continually negative on this board it is a point of view which I could agree with .

 

[Lord Duckhunter]

Another one where you’re left thinking “could he have done better”.
 

To me he looked a bit flat footed, with a lack of anticipation. It was either going to be headed away or miss everyone, so I’d question whether he should have moved to the right slightly earlier. 

 

[The Kraken]

42 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Another one where you’re left thinking “could he have done better”.
 

To me he looked a bit flat footed, with a lack of anticipation. It was either going to be headed away or miss everyone, so I’d question whether he should have moved to the right slightly earlier. 

 

Dunno, I think it’s harsh to blame him for that one. Good ball in, keeper not certain whether the striker will get there so can’t commit either way, and it went in the corner. The keeper always looks dopey when they go in, maybe he could have anticipated better, but personally I’d give Baz a pass on this one. The cross should never have come in in the first place, Manning and Dozy just ambling about putting zero pressure on the crosser, utterly shite defending from a team up against it.

I particularly enjoyed Baz sweeping when Huddersfield broke away right at the end; watching on telly I was just “oh fuuuuck” as their striker ran through then Baz suddenly appeared in shot with a crunching clearance.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

15 minutes ago, The Kraken said:

Dunno, I think it’s harsh to blame him for that one. Good ball in, keeper not certain whether the striker will get there so can’t commit either way, and it went in the corner. The keeper always looks dopey when they go in, maybe he could have anticipated better, but personally I’d give Baz a pass on this one. The cross should never have come in in the first place, Manning and Dozy just ambling about putting zero pressure on the crosser, utterly shite defending from a team up against it.

I particularly enjoyed Baz sweeping when Huddersfield broke away right at the end; watching on telly I was just “oh fuuuuck” as their striker ran through then Baz suddenly appeared in shot with a crunching clearance.

Baz's season so far:-

Best striker. Best defender. Best passer. Jury out on the goalkeeping. 🙂

[Master Bates]

Being scouted by Spurs.

[derry]

Bednarek standing right in front of him then not getting in the header unsighted him and dropped him right in it with no chance to judge the bend. Where was the full back anticipating the cross and dropping onto the far post.

[Saint_clark]

As always there's a million and one things that other players should have done and he did nothing wrong. 

[S-Clarke]

24 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

As always there's a million and one things that other players should have done and he did nothing wrong. 

Not really, to myself it was quite obvious - the left back didn't defend, Bednarek was positionally in a bad place - in no mans land really and he didn't defend that situation. The guy didn't mean that cross to go in, no one was set for it. Bazunu had no sight on it and Bednarek should have dealt with it.

I'd still be going back to the initial phase and blaming the left side for not defending correctly against the cross.

[The Kraken]

36 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

As always there's a million and one things that other players should have done and he did nothing wrong. 

An absolute Bad Wolf of a statement right there.

[The Kraken]

Let’s have a look at it.

1) The ball comes in. Dozy has literally jogged across from helping out Manning and has put in a token effort at best to stop the cross. Bednarek looks like he’s in a reasonable position, all strikers are marked and Bednarek is cutting out the short ball in.

 

 2) Bednarek has just realised he’s not getting his head to the ball.  THB still just about goal side of the striker. Bazunu just taking a step back before he sets himself.

 

3) Ball has gone over everyone and is headed for the goal on the bounce.

 

4) This angle shows just how much the ball has curled before going in almost off the post. Bazunu is in a decent position but can’t commit until late and then just can’t get there.

[sfc4prem]

12 minutes ago, The Kraken said:

Let’s have a look at it.

1) The ball comes in. Dozy has literally jogged across from helping out Manning and has put in a token effort at best to stop the cross. Bednarek looks like he’s in a reasonable position, all strikers are marked and Bednarek is cutting out the short ball in.

 

 2) Bednarek has just realised he’s not getting his head to the ball.  THB still just about goal side of the striker. Bazunu just taking a step back before he sets himself.

 

3) Ball has gone over everyone and is headed for the goal on the bounce.

 

4) This angle shows just how much the ball has curled before going in almost off the post. Bazunu is in a decent position but can’t commit until late and then just can’t get there.

So, wait... the only person with some fault is Edozie? Seems like rotten luck in the end, then. We had got lucky earlier so it all evens out I guess.

[Saint_clark]

4 hours ago, The Kraken said:

 2) Bednarek has just realised he’s not getting his head to the ball.  THB still just about goal side of the striker. Bazunu just taking a step back before he sets himself.

 

 

I agree with you. If he'd kept his eye on the ball rather than assuming Bednarek was going to clear it, he'd have easily claimed the cross.

[Galway saint]

you could at a push add it to the list of ‘could have done better’  but I struggle to blame him for that one 

the keeper always look bad when those go in but they happen

 

 

 

 

[Lord Duckhunter]

2 hours ago, Saint_clark said:

I agree with you. If he'd kept his eye on the ball rather than assuming Bednarek was going to clear it, he'd have easily claimed the cross.

I think a top class keeper judges the flight slightly earlier & realises that there’s only two outcomes Janny B heads it away (or at least flicks it for a corner) or Janny B misses it. When those go in normally there’s a couple of forwards running towards goal hoping to get a touch. For me, it’s come a long way & he should have picked up the flight earlier. I’m also not convinced his footwork was as good as it should have been either. As people have said, not a particularly bad error, but he really needs to start stopping some of these questionable ones. 

[John B]

17 hours ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

I think a top class keeper judges the flight slightly earlier & realises that there’s only two outcomes Janny B heads it away (or at least flicks it for a corner) or Janny B misses it. When those go in normally there’s a couple of forwards running towards goal hoping to get a touch. For me, it’s come a long way & he should have picked up the flight earlier. I’m also not convinced his footwork was as good as it should have been either. As people have said, not a particularly bad error, but he really needs to start stopping some of these questionable ones. 

Spurs think he is a top prospect despite your concerns

 

Tottenham scouts keep close tabs on Gavin Bazunu - Sources (footballinsider247.com)

[Lord Duckhunter]

30 minutes ago, John B said:

Spurs think he is a top prospect despite your concerns

 

Tottenham scouts keep close tabs on Gavin Bazunu - Sources (footballinsider247.com)

 

[derry]

17 hours ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

I think a top class keeper judges the flight slightly earlier & realises that there’s only two outcomes Janny B heads it away (or at least flicks it for a corner) or Janny B misses it. When those go in normally there’s a couple of forwards running towards goal hoping to get a touch. For me, it’s come a long way & he should have picked up the flight earlier. I’m also not convinced his footwork was as good as it should have been either. As people have said, not a particularly bad error, but he really needs to start stopping some of these questionable ones. 

There is a third possible outcome, the Huddersfield forward coming in behind Bednarek gets his head to it. Move right too early and he opens the goal for a header. That's what stopped him just concentrating on the ball flight and for him unfortunately in that moment looked like the most likely outcome. The goal was caused by poor defending on the part of Edozie and Manning together with no left side midfielder after S Armstrong departed.

[Gloucester Saint]

On 26/11/2023 at 12:50, S-Clarke said:

Not really, to myself it was quite obvious - the left back didn't defend, Bednarek was positionally in a bad place - in no mans land really and he didn't defend that situation. The guy didn't mean that cross to go in, no one was set for it. Bazunu had no sight on it and Bednarek should have dealt with it.

I'd still be going back to the initial phase and blaming the left side for not defending correctly against the cross.

Stopping crosses coming in from good positions without sufficient pressure has been a problem for years, since Ronald really. Been better at it lately with Bree coming into the first XI and some crosses will always come in but the quality is always more dangerous to defend against when the opponent is given a couple of yards to generate pace and whip. 

[skintsaint]

On 26/11/2023 at 19:28, Galway saint said:

the keeper always look bad when those go in but they happen

Indeed, many a keeper beaten by crosses aimed towards that back post that misses everyone.

[Tamesaint]

My  MOM. 

[saintant]

Thought that was his best game ever for us.