Gavin Bazunu

[Mboto Gorge]

If you look at the picture, Selles is the best height comparison to Bazunu, standing only 3 players away, and looks maybe 1-2 inches shorter than Bazunu. Selles is 5ft 9. Bazunu is clearly 5ft 11 at the absolute tallest

[Saint Fan CaM]

He’s clearly not the tallest keeper, but that’s not the key to why he’s so bad. He has lead in his legs, a severe lack of anticipation, poor positional sense and crisp packets for hands. None of that makes for a decent keeper even at league one level. Not surprised he’s already scraping the floor of the shite GK chart.

[Whitey Grandad]

4 hours ago, Miltonaggro said:

That's one statistical value where Whitey is spot on.  My eldest is a shade over 6ft and was obviously taller then Bazunu when we bumped into him outside SMS last Championship season.  Very diminutive for a football league level keeper this days.  McCarthy is 6'4 but looks at least a dormant Tall Paul over Gavin here:   

Was he wearing his built-up boots?

[Miltonaggro]

Just now, Whitey Grandad said:

Was he wearing his built-up boots?

Kinky! 

[Miltonaggro]

27 minutes ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

He’s clearly not the tallest keeper, but that’s not the key to why he’s so bad. He has lead in his legs, a severe lack of anticipation, poor positional sense and crisp packets for hands. None of that makes for a decent keeper even at league one level. Not surprised he’s already scraping the floor of the shite GK chart.

It’s not the most important thing, but perhaps key if other areas are lacking, think Forster for us in the Prem. Shilton mentioned by GS above was built like a brick shithouse and incredibly strong, you sensed that presence when watching him, and Neimi was a total athlete. Baz hasn’t got that either. 

[West Dean FC Legend]

Another forum I am on appears to be mainly his fan club. I mean some people getting fairly niggly that people aren't impressed with him, all of the goals he lets in apparently are not his fault - ever. 

On here I am onside with most of the posters. I used to play in goal, not at any level, Commercial Houses League, Salisbury and District, Southampton Junior and Senior, and Swindon Sunday League and a bit of Hampshire and Wiltshire - but I soon got found out in that standard. Some of you older posters might have played against me - you probably scored loads of goals too.

Anyway I did play from 13 to 45, then I retired. I can tell you this. I watched games, watched highlights, and more than once, the first thing that came into my mind was, 'Why is he standing there?' The goalie's starting position is more than 50% the beginning of a save; some goals he conceded it looked like he wasn't even watching what was going on in front of him. The ones I saw had nothing to do with playing around at the back or anything like that. It's fundamentals. He has no commanding presence, this was my problem, I am the same size as him so big fellas battered the crap out of me with crosses and corners - but I wasn't a professional. He has no presence in the box, for me he doesn't even look like a goalie when he's stood there in his kit. His reactions are 50/50 at the best, the save against Wrexham was good, mind you the way he celebrated embarrassed me.

I know it seems mean to say this about a human being who plays for the club I support, but in all honesty, just judging him as a professional goalkeeper only, I really, really cannot see how he made it to this level. It makes my head spin.

I hope I am talking poo-poo. If it is any consolation, I do about 90% of the time.

[Galway saint]

7 minutes ago, West Dean FC Legend said:

Another forum I am on appears to be mainly his fan club. I mean some people getting fairly niggly that people aren't impressed with him, all of the goals he lets in apparently are not his fault - ever. 

On here I am onside with most of the posters. I used to play in goal, not at any level, Commercial Houses League, Salisbury and District, Southampton Junior and Senior, and Swindon Sunday League and a bit of Hampshire and Wiltshire - but I soon got found out in that standard. Some of you older posters might have played against me - you probably scored loads of goals too.

Anyway I did play from 13 to 45, then I retired. I can tell you this. I watched games, watched highlights, and more than once, the first thing that came into my mind was, 'Why is he standing there?' The goalie's starting position is more than 50% the beginning of a save; some goals he conceded it looked like he wasn't even watching what was going on in front of him. The ones I saw had nothing to do with playing around at the back or anything like that. It's fundamentals. He has no commanding presence, this was my problem, I am the same size as him so big fellas battered the crap out of me with crosses and corners - but I wasn't a professional. He has no presence in the box, for me he doesn't even look like a goalie when he's stood there in his kit. His reactions are 50/50 at the best, the save against Wrexham was good, mind you the way he celebrated embarrassed me.

I know it seems mean to say this about a human being who plays for the club I support, but in all honesty, just judging him as a professional goalkeeper only, I really, really cannot see how he made it to this level. It makes my head spin.

I hope I am talking poo-poo. If it is any consolation, I do about 90% of the time.

If I had to pick his worst aspect it would be his positional sense. Like you I played as keeper to town standard and I watch this guy and think why does he take up the positions he does. He doesn’t have the size or athleticism to make up for that. The justification for playing him when RM was here was that he was part of the club’s philosophy to play out from the back but RM has now gone but he’s still playing. I find it inexplicable. I suspect he will continue playing until the end of the calendar year and the club will then replace him with McCarthy and take him out of the firing line again.

If the club’s plan is to put him in the shop window to try and increase his value ( what other reason can there be given our business model)  then it’s not working and I can’t see who would pay money for this bloke at the moment.

All that said the last time we were in the Championship, Baz was the weak link, whereas this time around he’s got some competition.

 

[saintant]

4 hours ago, Mboto Gorge said:

If you look at the picture, Selles is the best height comparison to Bazunu, standing only 3 players away, and looks maybe 1-2 inches shorter than Bazunu. Selles is 5ft 9. Bazunu is clearly 5ft 11 at the absolute tallest

Can we get our money back from Man City under the trades description act because there's no way on earth Bazunu is 6'2".

[bugenhagen]

1 hour ago, saintant said:

Can we get our money back from Man City under the trades description act because there's no way on earth Bazunu is 6'2".

Wait, could this be the source of all of our (SR) recruitment issues? Are we using the wrong scale or metric system at the club... like Canadian feet?

That could explain why every manager tries to play Arma alone up front, or why we kick it long to Archer...

Edited September 22 by bugenhagen

[HKsaint]

I suspect he is a Portsmouth’s mole, trying to let in every shot on target. 

[Miltonaggro]

9 hours ago, Galway saint said:

If I had to pick his worst aspect it would be his positional sense. Like you I played as keeper to town standard and I watch this guy and think why does he take up the positions he does. He doesn’t have the size or athleticism to make up for that. The justification for playing him when RM was here was that he was part of the club’s philosophy to play out from the back but RM has now gone but he’s still playing. I find it inexplicable. I suspect he will continue playing until the end of the calendar year and the club will then replace him with McCarthy and take him out of the firing line again.

If the club’s plan is to put him in the shop window to try and increase his value ( what other reason can there be given our business model)  then it’s not working and I can’t see who would pay money for this bloke at the moment.

All that said the last time we were in the Championship, Baz was the weak link, whereas this time around he’s got some competition.

 

He is typically rooted to his line when there is any oppo attacking play close to goal, and you can feel / see the thought process and hesitation from the stands. When he is forced to come off his line a catch is rare and the ball is more often punched, parried or kicked back into play. Really basic stuff. 

[Willo of Whiteley]

He just looks totally shot of confidence.

Take him out the firing line for a few weeks, stick McCarthy back in goal, sure he’ll concede six or seven at his near post over a few games but at least it won’t be Bazunu.

[Willo of Whiteley]

We must’ve forget that McCarthy is an extremely shit keeper. He has been for years.

Bazunu is far from great but I’d prefer him over McCarthy but leaving him in the firing line will do nothing to help him.

[saintant]

3 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

He just looks totally shot of confidence.

Take him out the firing line for a few weeks, stick McCarthy back in goal, sure he’ll concede six or seven at his near post over a few games but at least it won’t be Bazunu.

Not sure where he would ever have accumulated any shreds of confidence to have enough to be totally shot of but I take your point..

[saintant]

4 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

We must’ve forget that McCarthy is an extremely shit keeper. He has been for years.

Bazunu is far from great but I’d prefer him over McCarthy but leaving him in the firing line will do nothing to help him.

I'd sooner have a shit McCarthy in goal than the guy who continually makes schoolboy errors that cost goals and the first one against Hull was a prime example. He puts us on the back foot by practically throwing the ball into his own net and I'm afraid it will never change because he's just not at the level needed to be a professional.

[S-Clarke]

8 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

He just looks totally shot of confidence.

Take him out the firing line for a few weeks, stick McCarthy back in goal, sure he’ll concede six or seven at his near post over a few games but at least it won’t be Bazunu.

We ruined any potential he may have had by putting him into the firing line in the PL that season. He may look shot, but that's all he's going to look like these days. We ruined him by pinning everything on him too soon.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

20 hours ago, West Dean FC Legend said:

On here I am onside with most of the posters. I used to play in goal, not at any level, Commercial Houses League

Ah! Commercial Houses League, happy days!

[SaintsBarry74]

10 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

We must’ve forget that McCarthy is an extremely shit keeper. He has been for years.

Bazunu is far from great but I’d prefer him over McCarthy but leaving him in the firing line will do nothing to help him.

He really is shit, but yet the better option. Tells you everything you need to know about the state of this club.

[derry]

The problem I've got is firstly if McCarthy is the answer then it's the wrong question. Bazunu has unfortunately had a really rough time because the defence he is relying on is as porous as a colander. Defenders that don't attack the aerial ball, pass it around and invite pressure then push up and leave us wide open to being caught on the break. In a nutshell an incompetent clusterfuck. I'm not saying he's the answer but behind that incompetence he's like a cat on a hot tin roof. We need to sort the problem in front of him. I'm hoping that Wood and Quarshie have a decent game tonight.

[Sheaf Saint]

2 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

We ruined any potential he may have had by putting him into the firing line in the PL that season. He may look shot, but that's all he's going to look like these days. We ruined him by pinning everything on him too soon.

I don't see there was ever any potential there because he simply doesn't have the most basic skills needed to be even a half-decent keeper.

[Willo of Whiteley]

13 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

We must’ve forget that McCarthy is an extremely shit keeper. He has been for years.

Bazunu is far from great but I’d prefer him over McCarthy but leaving him in the firing line will do nothing to help him.

RT

[saintant]

3 hours ago, derry said:

The problem I've got is firstly if McCarthy is the answer then it's the wrong question. Bazunu has unfortunately had a really rough time because the defence he is relying on is as porous as a colander. Defenders that don't attack the aerial ball, pass it around and invite pressure then push up and leave us wide open to being caught on the break. In a nutshell an incompetent clusterfuck. I'm not saying he's the answer but behind that incompetence he's like a cat on a hot tin roof. We need to sort the problem in front of him. I'm hoping that Wood and Quarshie have a decent game tonight.

They did but Capt Jack will be back to fuck our defence up on Saturday.

[Lord Duckhunter]

AM made 2 saves that Baz absolutely wouldn’t have made, before his fuck up. 
 

Makes me laugh, we know what would have happened when Baz let them in, the defenders would have been blamed for allowing the chance. If we’re going down that route, Armstrong & the other lad are as much to blame for AM’s error, as had they done their job, we’d have been facing a kick off, instead of picking the ball out of the net. 
 

Simple truth is AM is pony at passing and Baz is fucking pony at saving, catching, parrying, strong hands and positioning. I know it’s old fashioned but you can tell AM to hoof it and he will. You can tell Baz to save it, or catch it as many times as you want, but he can’t. Crisp packet handed ghost…

[Mboto Gorge]

6 hours ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

AM made 2 saves that Baz absolutely wouldn’t have made, before his fuck up. 
 

Makes me laugh, we know what would have happened when Baz let them in, the defenders would have been blamed for allowing the chance. If we’re going down that route, Armstrong & the other lad are as much to blame for AM’s error, as had they done their job, we’d have been facing a kick off, instead of picking the ball out of the net. 
 

Simple truth is AM is pony at passing and Baz is fucking pony at saving, catching, parrying, strong hands and positioning. I know it’s old fashioned but you can tell AM to hoof it and he will. You can tell Baz to save it, or catch it as many times as you want, but he can’t. Crisp packet handed ghost…

This is the key difference, and where my thoughts are at with this. To do a solid effective job for us, AM doesn’t have to pass it out from the back, that’s not his main job. He can hoof it and still have a good game by making saves. Bazunu DOES have to make saves. 
Bazunu can complete every pass out as accurately as he likes, but if he’s letting standard shots past him , he isn’t having a good game and is costing us points. It’s an absolute no brainer. 

[Mboto Gorge]

Just now, Mboto Gorge said:

This is the key difference, and where my thoughts are at with this. To do a solid effective job for us, AM doesn’t have to pass it out from the back, that’s not his main job. He can hoof it and still have a good game by making saves. Bazunu DOES have to make saves. 
Bazunu can complete every pass out as accurately as he likes, but if he’s letting standard shots past him , he isn’t having a good game and is costing us points. It’s an absolute no brainer. 

 

[Sheaf Saint]

7 hours ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

I know it’s old fashioned but you can tell AM to hoof it and he will. You can tell Baz to save it, or catch it as many times as you want, but he can’t. Crisp packet handed ghost…

This is the crux.

Macca's flaws can be coached out of his performances.

Bazunu's can't.

[Whitey Grandad]

20 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

This is the crux.

Macca's flaws can be coached out of his performances.

Bazunu's can't.

He's been here plenty long enough to get his flaws sorted.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

1 hour ago, Whitey Grandad said:

He's been here plenty long enough to get his flaws sorted.

But if manager's are asking him to play out from the back.......

[Gloucester Saint]

43 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

But if manager's are asking him to play out from the back.......

The managers should either:

- Ask for a much improved first choice from the Ramsdale loan fee

- if the club say ‘no, we won’t admit our mistake on Gavin and desperate to recoup some of the money City royally pulled our pants down on’

- Then you use the best basic GK and get him to kick longer. You do not pick the one who can’t catch, parry or save, even if Rasmus Ankerson or Dragan Solak scream at you on Zoom.

[Lord Duckhunter]

14 hours ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

But if manager's are asking him to play out from the back.......

That’s exactly it, it’s bizarre to think AM doesn’t want to just hoof it every single time. They will all have been coached to play first, hoof second. We had control of the ball 30 seconds before it went to AM, had 3 or 4 players played a progressive pass, the move should not ended up back with the keeper. I noticed the centre half’s kept going back to AM, when they could have played forward. It’s ok to go back with Baz in nets, but brainless to do so with AM back there. That’s on the manager IMO, because it’s too many players and too many occasions for them to be going rogue 

[Danbert]

https://www.givemesport.com/southampton-james-trafford-man-city-january-loan-transfer/

 

Yes please

[saintant]

56 minutes ago, Danbert said:

https://www.givemesport.com/southampton-james-trafford-man-city-january-loan-transfer/

 

Yes please

It's either clickbait or Will Still has seen enough clangers from his 2 goalkeepers in the last two matches and had a word with Spors. He did seem pretty pissed off after the game on Tuesday. Imagine having to choose between a goalkeeper who makes saves but can't pass the ball or one who can pass the ball but hardly ever saves anything and makes monumental errors. Must keep him awake at night.

[trousers]

2 minutes ago, saintant said:

Imagine having to choose between a goalkeeper who makes saves but can't pass the ball or one who can pass the ball but hardly ever saves anything and makes monumental errors.

If only this had been work-out-able during the summer transfer window rather than coming as a massive surprise to the geniuses in the Sport Republic recruitment department....  

[S-Clarke]

3 hours ago, Danbert said:

https://www.givemesport.com/southampton-james-trafford-man-city-january-loan-transfer/

 

Yes please

That's probably a case of after the horse has bolted tbh.

[Willo of Whiteley]

He’ll 100% go to Leicester or Ipswich over us.

[OneMrsWallace]

On 24/09/2025 at 10:13, Lord Duckhunter said:

AM made 2 saves that Baz absolutely wouldn’t have made, before his fuck up. 
 

Makes me laugh, we know what would have happened when Baz let them in, the defenders would have been blamed for allowing the chance. If we’re going down that route, Armstrong & the other lad are as much to blame for AM’s error, as had they done their job, we’d have been facing a kick off, instead of picking the ball out of the net. 
 

Simple truth is AM is pony at passing and Baz is fucking pony at saving, catching, parrying, strong hands and positioning. I know it’s old fashioned but you can tell AM to hoof it and he will. You can tell Baz to save it, or catch it as many times as you want, but he can’t. Crisp packet handed ghost…

This 100% - we will do better with AM as first choice, it's that simple. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

6 hours ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

That’s exactly it, it’s bizarre to think AM doesn’t want to just hoof it every single time. They will all have been coached to play first, hoof second. We had control of the ball 30 seconds before it went to AM, had 3 or 4 players played a progressive pass, the move should not ended up back with the keeper. I noticed the centre half’s kept going back to AM, when they could have played forward. It’s ok to go back with Baz in nets, but brainless to do so with AM back there. That’s on the manager IMO, because it’s too many players and too many occasions for them to be going rogue 

That's my take too. If you are going to play McCarthy just tell him to whack it upfield. 

[sledger]

we need to stop making excuses for our goalkeepers,none of the 3 of them would or should be anwhere near championship teams.

[SaintsBarry74]

7 hours ago, saintant said:

It's either clickbait or Will Still has seen enough clangers from his 2 goalkeepers in the last two matches and had a word with Spors. He did seem pretty pissed off after the game on Tuesday. Imagine having to choose between a goalkeeper who makes saves but can't pass the ball or one who can pass the ball but hardly ever saves anything and makes monumental errors. Must keep him awake at night.

Considering the money involved, it’s mad. Championship or not, it’s still a massive financial level, you’d think the absolute bare minimum would be not fielding donkeys in goal.

[Willo of Whiteley]

Alex McCarthy or Gavin Bazunu.

Like asking someone if they’d rather step in cow shit or dog shit.

[bugenhagen]

5 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Alex McCarthy or Gavin Bazunu.

Like asking someone if they’d rather step in cow shit or dog shit.

Dogshit!

Wait, which one is Bazunu ?

Edited September 25 by bugenhagen

[Lord Duckhunter]

I see the penny has finally dropped with Still.

 

“We have conceded too many goals, & on some we just felt we could do a bit better”

Polite way of saying Baz is shit 

Edited September 28 by Lord Duckhunter

[Little Lat Pahars]

On 28/09/2025 at 12:05, Lord Duckhunter said:

I see the penny has finally dropped with Still.

 

“We have conceded too many goals, & on some we just felt we could do a bit better”

Polite way of saying Baz is shit 

Was the quote talking directly about Bazunu or in general? 

[Oldandtired]

Digressing I wonder if Ramsdale ever has second thoughts about going to Newcastle…as far as I can see he has one friendly appearance under his belt there. Surely it would have been better to stay here, have some stellar performances, actually, well, play?

[Whitey Grandad]

1 minute ago, Oldandtired said:

Digressing I wonder if Ramsdale ever has second thoughts about going to Newcastle…as far as I can see he has one friendly appearance under his belt there. Surely it would have been better to stay here, have some stellar performances, actually, well, play?

Ask his financial advisor what he thinks about it.

[S-Clarke]

7 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Ask his financial advisor what he thinks about it.

But he's still contracted to us, Newcastle are just paying a % of his contract with us. He's not getting paid any more.

[sockeye]

12 minutes ago, Oldandtired said:

Digressing I wonder if Ramsdale ever has second thoughts about going to Newcastle…as far as I can see he has one friendly appearance under his belt there. Surely it would have been better to stay here, have some stellar performances, actually, well, play?

He's not getting selected for the World Cup whilst playing in the Championship.

If Pope gets injured and he gets a run in the side, he has every chance of being in the mix.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

43 minutes ago, sockeye said:

He's not getting selected for the World Cup whilst playing in the Championship.

If Pope gets injured and he gets a run in the side, he has every chance of being in the mix.

Even Trafford is ahead of him at the moment

[Oldandtired]

3 hours ago, sockeye said:

He's not getting selected for the World Cup whilst playing in the Championship.

If Pope gets injured and he gets a run in the side, he has every chance of being in the mix.

If....