Gavin Bazunu

[Toadhall Saint]

28 minutes ago, Dan Johnson said:

Solid last night, that save after we were 1-0 was one of the best he's made at a crucial part of the game, big part of the result going the way it did last night.

Was just about to post the same. Credit where credit is due.

[OldNick]

Yep Im a big critic but last night he did well

[Gloucester Saint]

That was a far more impressive save than Wrexham. That was a good save but the forward scuffed it. Last night was a firm header downwards, low and travelling in the corner. That’s easily Gavin’s best save in a competitive fixture for the club.

Not a fan but that was a superb stop when we’d only just taken the lead.

[sambosa75]

In the same way that a broken clock is right twice a day, if you persist with Bazunu for enough games, it stands to reason he’ll pull off the occasional decent save.  It was a good save though, granted.  He is still not the answer and the club needs to start the search for a replacement, if it hasn’t already.

[Miltonaggro]

4 minutes ago, sambosa75 said:

In the same way that a broken clock is right twice a day, if you persist with Bazunu for enough games, it stands to reason he’ll pull off the occasional decent save.  It was a good save though, granted.  He is still not the answer and the club needs to start the search for a replacement, if it hasn’t already.

You would hope that the club are looking to bring in proper competition on January first. Same applies for centre forward. 

[sambosa75]

17 hours ago, Miltonaggro said:

You would hope that the club are looking to bring in proper competition on January first. Same applies for centre forward. 

Agreed although Armstrong seems to have bucked his ideas up recently so they may gamble on him maintaining that form.  Hopefully by now they know they cannot afford to do the same with Bazunu.  I have my doubts however.

[danjosaint]

They wont get in another keeper with only 4mths of season to go after transfer window not when Ramsdale will be back, only way would be if there going to cash in on Ramsdale 

[Saint86]

6 hours ago, danjosaint said:

They wont get in another keeper with only 4mths of season to go after transfer window not when Ramsdale will be back, only way would be if there going to cash in on Ramsdale 

There is talk of Pope being dropped and Ramsdale starting at Newcastle soon... But there is zero reason for Newcastle to make that deal permanent in January (unless we offer them a discount - which could have pros and cons), and similarly it means we're unlikely to be able to cancel his loan or sell him elsewhere.

So buckle up - its Baz for the rest of the year.

[saintant]

1 hour ago, Saint86 said:

There is talk of Pope being dropped and Ramsdale starting at Newcastle soon... But there is zero reason for Newcastle to make that deal permanent in January (unless we offer them a discount - which could have pros and cons), and similarly it means we're unlikely to be able to cancel his loan or sell him elsewhere.

So buckle up - its Baz for the rest of the year.

Under Tonda we've scored 13 goals in 4 games - keep that up and Baz will be more than adequate 🙂

[VectisSaint]

On 26/11/2025 at 15:54, Toadhall Saint said:

Was just about to post the same. Credit where credit is due.

2 shots on target, 1 (very good) save (I guess the other must have been the goalline clearance). Really had next to nothing to do, Leicester were so poor. 

[skintsaint]

On 26/11/2025 at 16:13, Gloucester Saint said:

That’s easily Gavin’s best save in a competitive fixture for the club.

 

 

[Lord Duckhunter]

It was a save I’d expect a reasonably competent keeper to make. In other words, it was surprising Baz didn’t let it in…

[danjosaint]

32 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

It was a save I’d expect a reasonably competent keeper to make. In other words, it was surprising Baz didn’t let it in…

I agree, it was a good save and at a crucial period but let's not pretend it was right in the corner as it wasn't 

[malcolm waldron]

Very pleased that he saved it (at an important stage of the match), but that only goes to show how far my expectations have fallen over the last 3 years.

[Gloucester Saint]

14 hours ago, skintsaint said:

 

 

Happy to be corrected if anyone can recall a better one. The Wrexham one was a good save but the contact was quite scuffed.

[Tommy Mulgrew]

 

24 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

a better one

IMO was the one to deny Salah scoring from a low cross from the left to him surging forward into the rhs of the penalty area.  Baz came rushing out and smothered the ball soon after Salah had struck it goalbound.  Definitely saved an otherwise certain goal and one that plenty of keepers would not have made.  I’ve yet to see Baz make a better one.

[hypochondriac]

Bazunu is still a crap keeper and we still need to replace him. I don't think we will mind but we absolutely should. 

[skintsaint]

25 minutes ago, Tommy Mulgrew said:

 

IMO was the one to deny Salah scoring from a low cross from the left to him surging forward into the rhs of the penalty area.  Baz came rushing out and smothered the ball soon after Salah had struck it goalbound.  Definitely saved an otherwise certain goal and one that plenty of keepers would not have made.  I’ve yet to see Baz make a better one.

Yep, got onto the save of the season shortlist. Apparently the standard save v Leicester is better.

[LiberalCommunist]

We must not get too carried away with our recent upturn in form, but. For the first time I've started to see how much of a confidence keeper Baz is. I just assumed his deficiencies were a continuum. But there's more to it. He actually looks better, he's made saves that six weeks ago would have been us conceding. There is a glimmer of hope. But we cannot be allowed to be whimsical or sentimental. If his ceiling is where we have already seen, and the peaks are the anomaly, then we need to recruit a keeper in January, no doubt about it.

But, what if, like every other player we have seen over the last 18 months, its the system/coach. What if he's actually got better but we have failed to notice until the recent change of manager?

All sounds a bit wishful thinking, until you ask yourself, who do you want in goal tomorrow. 

If the other ten can pull him up to a seven, it will have a huge impact on the festive period. Huge.  

That midweek clean sheet could well be ultra critical for the next eight games. 

[bpsaint]

Said it on this thread months ago, but here we are post match talking about another game and whether Baz could have done any better today.

[Crab Lungs]

Lots of players were shite today, but he’s underlined once again - like he does it almost every match - how truly woeful he is.

 

[Osvaldorama]

I thought he actually had a good game today. 
 

I don’t think he could do anything for either of the first 2 goals. The third.. maybe, but he was unsighted by manning. 
I don’t rate him but I think it was poor closing down and defending that did us today. 

[bugenhagen]

He reacts so late, even if it is a difficult shot to save, that he makes it look like he throws himself after the ball just as it passes him by. Feels like my stream is buffering every time he is in action…

[Willo of Whiteley]

Bazunu is at fault for the third goal.

But the outfield players have a lot to answer for. Abysmal lack of closing down for their first and second goals.

[The Kraken]

Can’t fault him at all for goal 2. Goal 1, same question as ever, could he do better? Goal 3, no question needed, he could definitely do better.

If these were one-offs, or occasional, it wouldn’t be a thing. But it is almost every single game with this calamity. And we’re clearly not good enough a team to just outscore the opposition every week. He will cost us so many points doing his same routine. 

[maysie]

19 minutes ago, The Kraken said:

Can’t fault him at all for goal 2. Goal 1, same question as ever, could he do better? Goal 3, no question needed, he could definitely do better.

If these were one-offs, or occasional, it wouldn’t be a thing. But it is almost every single game with this calamity. And we’re clearly not good enough a team to just outscore the opposition every week. He will cost us so many points doing his same routine. 

Not many keepers save that first one. Extremely harsh.

[saintant]

11 minutes ago, maysie said:

Not many keepers save that first one. Extremely harsh.

Disagree. I think most competent keepers save that first one.

[Miltonaggro]

What is crackers is that we are still revisiting these conversations over two years after this poor player should have left SFC. Most realised that he was clearly not good enough by the end of the 2022-23 season - too small, no presence, slow to react,  unable to catch a cold and worse with crosses than fucking Dracula. However good the outfield players are Bazunu will cost you games and points at this level. That’s the crux regardless of whatever shot he failed to save in any particular week. 

[maysie]

12 minutes ago, saintant said:

Disagree. I think most competent keepers save that first one.

Bazuna lenses being used again. He's not a great keeper but that was hit hard..

[Lighthouse]

Not a clue which game some of you were watching. I saw a keeper who kept us in a poor game with an excellent first half save and bailing out Wood from a dreadful back pass. The first goal was struck hard and low, unchallenged from the edge of the box, the third one was headed down through Mannings legs. Bazunu had no time to react to it and his view of the ball was completely obscured.

Today is on the team and giving away the ball in silly areas, not the keeper.

[Sheaf Saint]

2 minutes ago, maysie said:

Bazuna lenses being used again. He's not a great keeper but that was hit hard..

Yep, agreed. Was a really good hit and would have required an exceptional save to keep it out, rather than just a routine one. 

He made one really good save in the first half today, but then made a total hash of coming out to collect a spooned header and was lucky the ref disallowed the goal because it didn't look like a foul to me. Just another example of Baz not being strong or decisive enough.

The only one of their three goals I really think he could/should have done better with was the third, but even then Manning should have dealt with it first.

[Osvaldorama]

7 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

Not a clue which game some of you were watching. I saw a keeper who kept us in a poor game with an excellent first half save and bailing out Wood from a dreadful back pass. The first goal was struck hard and low, unchallenged from the edge of the box, the third one was headed down through Mannings legs. Bazunu had no time to react to it and his view of the ball was completely obscured.

Today is on the team and giving away the ball in silly areas, not the keeper.

 

Agree, 100%. Im one of his biggest critics but he was really good today

[Badger]

2 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

 

The only one of their three goals I really think he could/should have done better with was the third, but even then Manning should have dealt with it first.

Just from the highlights worth adding that Romeu should have prevented them working the cross in the first place. No way the bloke runs through the Romeu of old like that.

Romeu’s challenge was the sort of effort Smallbone was regularly criticised for. 

That’s not to defend Manning or Bazunu but there were two chances to cut that out before it got to Bazunu. 

[Gloucester Saint]

Not a Bazunu supporter but can’t see that he was a factor in throwing today’s game away. Manning, well, that’s a different story. Wood lousy and THB little better.

[saintant]

44 minutes ago, maysie said:

Bazuna lenses being used again. He's not a great keeper but that was hit hard..

Just saying how I saw it. I'm not sure his positioning in general is all that it should be and I think this major fault makes it very difficult for him to save shots - he just seems to leave large inviting gaps because he fails to get his angles right.

[saintant]

45 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

Not a clue which game some of you were watching. I saw a keeper who kept us in a poor game with an excellent first half save and bailing out Wood from a dreadful back pass. The first goal was struck hard and low, unchallenged from the edge of the box, the third one was headed down through Mannings legs. Bazunu had no time to react to it and his view of the ball was completely obscured.

Today is on the team and giving away the ball in silly areas, not the keeper.

Not sure which game you watched but there was no header through Manning's legs for their third goal.

[Lord Duckhunter]

First goal, a Baz special “could he have done better”. Obviously, they’ll be claims that the unluckiest goal keeper to ever put gloves on was beaten by an unstoppable Lorimer like effort, but I’d like to see the ghost save one of those once in a while. Third one, defo down to him, he’s so fucking passive, a decent keeper fucks manning out the way earlier or saves it with his feet. 
 

All I’m all typical Baz performance, question marks on one goal, a few routine saves hailed as Banks like by his apologists, and one goal  a half decent keeper saves…

 

No chance we’re promoted if he’s still in nets come may. 

Edited 1 hour ago by Lord Duckhunter

[washsaint]

8 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

First goal, a Baz special “could he have done better”. Obviously, they’ll be claims that the unluckiest goal keeper to ever put gloves on was beaten by an unstoppable Lorimer like effort, but I’d like to see the ghost save one of those once in a while. Third one, defo down to him, he’s so fucking passive, a decent keeper fucks manning out the way earlier or saves it with his feet. 
 

All I’m all typical Baz performance, question marks on one goal, a few routine saves hailed as Banks like by his apologists, and one goal  a half decent keeper saves…

 

No chance we’re promoted if he’s still in nets come may. 

You truly are an utter cock and your blind haterd of certain players/members of staff is pathetic.  He played well today - nothing he could do about any of the goals.

As a team, Saints were not at the races today and it looked like a game too far for many of the players.

Bragg was probably the best for Saints today with Bazunu not far behind.

[saintant]

25 minutes ago, saintant said:

Just saying how I saw it. I'm not sure his positioning in general is all that it should be and I think this major fault makes it very difficult for him to save shots - he just seems to leave large inviting gaps because he fails to get his angles right.

Just watched the first goal on highlights and for me it is a positional error that means he struggles to cut down the angles and gives the guy too much of a space to shoot into. I think Bazunu should be at least a yard further off his line and his starting position could be half a step to his right and that gives him a far better chance to make the save and also makes less of a target for the scorer. It's a common mistake he keeps making but others will have their own opinions.

Edited 1 hour ago by saintant

[The Kraken]

2 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

Not a clue which game some of you were watching. I saw a keeper who kept us in a poor game with an excellent first half save and bailing out Wood from a dreadful back pass. The first goal was struck hard and low, unchallenged from the edge of the box, the third one was headed down through Mannings legs. Bazunu had no time to react to it and his view of the ball was completely obscured.

Today is on the team and giving away the ball in silly areas, not the keeper.

Not a clue which posts you specifically read but i saw a keeper who let two goals in that could otherwise be deemed as ‘saveable’. I haven’t paid much attention to the chat on here but I saw two more examples of a keeper who isn’t good enough. Nobody on here I’ve seen have blamed him as the reason we lost, which is weird of you to suggest, but then that’s standard.

[S-Clarke]

He's on course to win the worst GK in the league stat again, and he hasn't even been first choice all season. He's consistent, you've got to give him that.

 

[LGTL]

Every time with this twat you’re questioning could he have done better. They’re not always obvious errors, but your eyes can’t be wrong this many times. 

Edited 37 minutes ago by LGTL

[saintant]

4 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

He's on course to win the worst GK in the league stat again, and he hasn't even been first choice all season. He's consistent, you've got to give him that.

 

It's pretty damning and hard to argue when he keeps getting these poor stats.

[SaintsRoyalty]

Saw the score earlier and said to my mates I bet Bozo is at fault for at least 1 and possibly 2 goals. Just like clockwork I check the highlights to see he’s at fault for the first and the definitely the third.

I said earlier on this thread that the big problem this club has is the fans. It pains me to see that there are still individuals that back him almost in a cult like way. I can’t be bothered to collate some of the utter lunacy posted but let me just highlight two instances.
 

First, they can’t wait to post about his save early in the first half and then when he lets in the same shot but much closer to him it’s not his fault but an outfield player for not blocking. 

Second, someone says it’s hard to save long shots. Err, no rules of probability suggest the further the shot is the less chance it should have to go in. 
 

In every goal scored in football an outfield player is going to make some form of mistake at some point in the lead up to goal. We have people on here saying that because of that mistake Bozo is forgiven for letting every goal in no matter how tame because someone else made a mistake in the lead up. He’s employed to get in the way of shots!!!!! It doesn’t make a blind bit of difference if an outfield player has allowed an opposing player have a shot in the first place. All of you people on here defending him are killing this club. Let that sink in, you are killing this club defying logic and defending someone completely indefensible. The fact his thread has over 400k views and the likes of much longer serving players like Romeu only has a quarter of that says it all. He's toxic waste of space and cloud over this club. 

[Dusic]

To save the first would be a worldy as it was hard and right in the corner. No chance with the 2nd and for the winner the biggest error by a mile is Romeu who shouldn't be letting the guy past.

 

Edited 31 minutes ago by Dusic

[SaintsRoyalty]

14 minutes ago, The Kraken said:

Not a clue which posts you specifically read but i saw a keeper who let two goals in that could otherwise be deemed as ‘saveable’. I haven’t paid much attention to the chat on here but I saw two more examples of a keeper who isn’t good enough. Nobody on here I’ve seen have blamed him as the reason we lost, which is weird of you to suggest, but then that’s standard.

He’s a very odd individual and has the worst takes on football I’ve ever seen, and that’s saying something. I don’t know who made him a mod but he should be removed from his forum after his downright racist posts about Onuachu. Let it sink in that he endlessly defends Bazunu who has been statistically the worst keeper in all the years he’s been here yet posts vile abuse about Onuachu who statistically is a decent striker.

[Whitey Grandad]

1 minute ago, SaintsRoyalty said:

He’s a very odd individual and has the worst takes on football I’ve ever seen, and that’s saying something. I don’t know who made him a mod but he should be removed from his forum after his downright racist posts about Onuachu. Let it sink in that he endlessly defends Bazunu who has been statistically the worst keeper in all the years he’s been here yet posts vile abuse about Onuachu who statistically is a decent striker.

We all know that this is meaningless. 

[The Kraken]

20 minutes ago, SaintsRoyalty said:

He’s a very odd individual and has the worst takes on football I’ve ever seen, and that’s saying something. I don’t know who made him a mod but he should be removed from his forum after his downright racist posts about Onuachu. Let it sink in that he endlessly defends Bazunu who has been statistically the worst keeper in all the years he’s been here yet posts vile abuse about Onuachu who statistically is a decent striker.

Agreed. I guess someone has to appear to do the housework. But lighthouse has become much more of a bitter and argumentative prick than ever.